Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic ZS80

Following is a extended review of the Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic ZS80, former is a Pro DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a substantial difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and ZS80 (20MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and ZS80 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was unveiled 15 years earlier than the ZS80 which is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a detailed comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-1 matches up vs the ZS80 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-1 & Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS80 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-1 provides physical dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") having a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS80 has dimensions of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") with a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic ZS80 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you select during that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the E-1 versus the ZS80.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the E-1 and ZS80 is 59 and 86 respectively.

Usually, it can be tough to see the gap between sensor sizes only by going over specs. The image underneath will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-1 and ZS80.

All in all, both of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-1 having a larger sensor will make achieving bokeh easier and the Panasonic ZS80 will offer greater detail having an extra 15MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.