Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic ZS5

On this page, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-M1 II and Panasonic ZS5, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference among the image resolutions of the E-M1 II (20MP) and ZS5 (12MP) and the E-M1 II (Four Thirds) and ZS5 (1/2.3") posses different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 II was brought out 6 years later than the ZS5 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M1 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-M1 II matches up vs the ZS5 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 II Gallery and Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-M1 II has got external measurements 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 ZS5 has measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-M1 II and Panasonic ZS5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilising during that time. The following is a front view size comparison of the E-M1 II versus the ZS5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 II and ZS5 is 68 and 92 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to visualize the difference in sensor measurements simply by checking out technical specs. The graphic here should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 II and ZS5.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-M1 II due to its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-M1 II will show more detail having its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The newer E-M1 II provides an advantage in sensor technology.