Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic ZS15

Following is a thorough review of the Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic ZS15, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference among the resolutions of the E-M1 II (20MP) and ZS15 (12MP) and the E-M1 II (Four Thirds) and ZS15 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-M1 II was launched 4 years after the ZS15 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M1 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS15 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief view of how the E-M1 II scores against the ZS15 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 II Gallery and Panasonic ZS15 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you'll have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 II provides outer dimensions of 134mm x 91mm x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 574 grams (1.27 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS15 has dimensions of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") having a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic ZS15 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilising at the time. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-M1 II vs the ZS15.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 II and ZS15 is 68 and 92 respectively.

Often, it can be tough to see the contrast in sensor sizes merely by looking through a spec sheet. The image underneath will give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 II and ZS15.

Clearly, both cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 II due to its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-M1 II will provide you with greater detail utilizing its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The younger E-M1 II is going to have an edge in sensor tech.