Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic ZS30

In this article, we are contrasting the Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic ZS30, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-M1 II (20MP) and the ZS30 (18MP) is fairly comparable but the E-M1 II (Four Thirds) and ZS30 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-M1 II was launched 3 years later than the ZS30 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS30 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief view of how the E-M1 II grades versus the ZS30 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 II Gallery & Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 II comes with external measurements of 134mm x 91mm x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6") having a weight of 574 grams (1.27 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS30 has dimensions of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic ZS30 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have during that time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-M1 II versus the ZS30.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 II and ZS30 is 68 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it's difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizing purely by checking out technical specs. The graphic here may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 II and ZS30.

As you can tell, both the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-M1 II due to its larger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field easier and the Olympus E-M1 II will produce extra detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos a little more aggressively. The younger E-M1 II will have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.