Olympus FE-45 vs Panasonic ZR1

Below is a in-depth review of the Olympus FE-45 and Panasonic ZR1, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the FE-45 (10MP) and the ZR1 (12MP) is pretty comparable and both cameras boast the same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FE-45 was revealed 6 months before the ZR1 so they are both of a similar age. The two cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving into a full comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the FE-45 scores against the ZR1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus FE-45 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-45 Gallery & Panasonic ZR1 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to lug around your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus FE-45 comes with outer dimensions of 94mm x 62mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) while the Panasonic ZR1 has sizing of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus FE-45 and Panasonic ZR1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the FE-45 compared to the ZR1.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the FE-45 and ZR1 is 95 and 94 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to see the gap in sensor measurements merely by checking out a spec sheet. The photograph underneath should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the FE-45 and ZR1.

As you can see, both of these cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same megapixels. You can expect the Panasonic ZR1 to provide extra detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively.