Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic ZR1

Following is a extensive comparison of the Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic ZR1, one is a Pro DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and ZR1 (12MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and ZR1 (1/2.3") have different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was unveiled 6 years earlier than the ZR1 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a full comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-1 grades vs the ZR1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Panasonic ZR1 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera, you will have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-1 has physical measurements of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) while the Panasonic ZR1 has proportions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic ZR1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the E-1 compared to the ZR1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-1 and ZR1 is 59 and 94 respectively.

Often, it is hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizes purely by looking at specifications. The pic below should provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-1 and ZR1.

To sum up, both of these cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-1 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh simpler and the Panasonic ZR1 will give greater detail having an extra 7 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop photos more aggressively. The more aged E-1 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.