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Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1

Portability
70
Imaging
41
Features
34
Overall
38
Olympus E-500 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 front
Portability
91
Imaging
33
Features
25
Overall
29

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1 Key Specs

Olympus E-500
(Full Review)
  • 8MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 400 (Raise to 1600)
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 479g - 130 x 95 x 66mm
  • Revealed October 2005
  • Additionally referred to as EVOLT E-500
  • Refreshed by Olympus E-510
Panasonic ZS1
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.5" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 25-300mm (F3.3-4.9) lens
  • 229g - 103 x 60 x 33mm
  • Launched May 2009
  • Other Name is Lumix DMC-TZ6
Photography Glossary

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1 Overview

Below is a thorough analysis of the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic ZS1, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-500 (8MP) and the ZS1 (10MP) is relatively similar but the E-500 (Four Thirds) and ZS1 (1/2.5") posses totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-500 was announced 4 years before the ZS1 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera.

Before we go right into a detailed comparison, here is a concise overview of how the E-500 matches up versus the ZS1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-500 over the Panasonic ZS1

 E-500 ZS1 
Focus manually Dial exact focus

Reasons to pick Panasonic ZS1 over the Olympus E-500

 ZS1 E-500 
LaunchedMay 2009October 2005More recent by 43 months
Screen dimensions2.7"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.2")
Screen resolution230k215kClearer screen (+15k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic ZS1

 E-500 ZS1 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Neither has Touch friendly screen

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1 Physical Comparison

If you're intending to lug around your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-500 has exterior dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS1 has proportions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic ZS1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the E-500 compared to the ZS1.

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1 size comparison

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-500 and ZS1 is 70 and 91 respectively.

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it's difficult to see the difference between sensor measurements only by going over specs. The visual underneath might offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and ZS1.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-500 with its bigger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic ZS1 will offer you greater detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older E-500 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus E-500
Portrait photography with Panasonic ZS1
48
has manual focus
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
doesn't have liveview
low megapixels (8MP)
25
features face detect focus
manual focus not available
manual exposure not available
no external flash support
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
small sensor (1/2.5")
doesn't have RAW support
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-500 as a Street photography camera
Panasonic ZS1 as a Street photography camera
56
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
lighter than average (479 grams)
no articulating screen
no image stabilization
maximum ISO low (400)
60
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition in class (229g)
fixed screen
small sensor (1/2.5")
doesn't have RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-500 Sports photography advice
Panasonic ZS1 Sports photography advice
37
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
supports phase detect auto focus
doesn't have liveview
slow frames per second (3.0 frames per second)
no image stabilization
low megapixels (8MP)
24
built in image stabilization (Optical)
max fps low (3.0 fps)
no shutter priority
sensor resolution low (10MP)
small sensor (1/2.5")
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-500 as a Travel photography camera
Panasonic ZS1 as a Travel photography camera
52
lighter than average (479 grams)
has built in flash
lack of Time Lapse mode
low megapixels (8MP)
display is not selfie friendly
63
lighter than competition in class (229 grams)
flash built-in
reasonably wide (25mm)
great zoom (300mm)
no Time Lapse recording
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus E-500
Landscape photography with Panasonic ZS1
43
has manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
screen is somewhat small (2.5")
doesn't have liveview
no image stabilization
low megapixels (8 megapixels)
maximum ISO low (400)
lack of Time Lapse mode
31
reasonably wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
manual focus not available
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.3)
small screen (2.7 inch)
manual exposure not available
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
small sensor (1/2.5")
doesn't have RAW support
no Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus E-500
Vlogging with Panasonic ZS1
9
can't record video
31
reasonably wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
features face detect focus
lighter than competition in class (229g)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.3)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
video quality not great (640 x 480 pxls)
no mic socket
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Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-500 and Panasonic ZS1
 Olympus E-500Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1
General Information
Company Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus E-500 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1
Also called as EVOLT E-500 Lumix DMC-TZ6
Category Advanced DSLR Small Sensor Superzoom
Revealed 2005-10-21 2009-05-14
Physical type Mid-size SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.5"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 5.744 x 4.308mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 24.7mm²
Sensor resolution 8 megapixel 10 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 16:9, 4:3 and 3:2
Full resolution 3264 x 2448 3648 x 2736
Max native ISO 400 6400
Max boosted ISO 1600 -
Minimum native ISO 100 100
RAW files
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 3 11
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 25-300mm (12.0x)
Highest aperture - f/3.3-4.9
Macro focus distance - 3cm
Total lenses 45 -
Crop factor 2.1 6.3
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen sizing 2.5 inches 2.7 inches
Screen resolution 215k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentaprism) None
Viewfinder coverage 95 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.45x -
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60s 60s
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000s 1/2000s
Continuous shooting rate 3.0 frames/s 3.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes -
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 13.00 m (at ISO 100) 5.30 m (Auto ISO)
Flash settings Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/180s -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Max video resolution None 640x480
Video data format - Motion JPEG
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 479 grams (1.06 lbs) 229 grams (0.50 lbs)
Physical dimensions 130 x 95 x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") 103 x 60 x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage type Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/MMC/SDHC card, Internal
Card slots Single Single
Price at launch $600 $0