Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic ZS1

Here, we are matching up the Olympus E-300 versus Panasonic ZS1, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-300 (8MP) and the ZS1 (10MP) is fairly close but the E-300 (Four Thirds) and ZS1 (1/2.5") posses different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-300 was manufactured 5 years prior to the ZS1 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-300 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-300 grades against the ZS1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-300 Gallery and Panasonic ZS1 Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-300 has got external dimensions of 147mm x 85mm x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 624 grams (1.38 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS1 has proportions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs).

See the Olympus E-300 versus Panasonic ZS1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using during that time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-300 versus the ZS1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-300 and ZS1 is 67 and 91 respectively.

Typically, its tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements only by viewing technical specs. The visual here may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-300 and ZS1.

As you can tell, both cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-300 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Panasonic ZS1 will render extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The older E-300 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.