Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic SZ1

Its time to look a little more closely at the Olympus E-M1 II versus Panasonic SZ1, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a big difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-M1 II (20MP) and SZ1 (16MP) and the E-M1 II (Four Thirds) and SZ1 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-M1 II was brought out 4 years after the SZ1 which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the E-M1 II matches up against the SZ1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 II Gallery and Panasonic SZ1 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera, you will have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M1 II features exterior measurements of 134mm x 91mm x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6") and a weight of 574 grams (1.27 lbs) and the Panasonic SZ1 has sizing of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") with a weight of 131 grams (0.29 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M1 II versus Panasonic SZ1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-M1 II compared to the SZ1.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 II and SZ1 is 68 and 95 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to see the difference between sensor sizes simply by reading through a spec sheet. The picture below should offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 II and SZ1.

Clearly, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 II featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-M1 II will give more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos way more aggressively. The newer E-M1 II will have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.