Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus XZ-1

Here, we are looking at the Olympus E-M1 and Olympus XZ-1, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are manufactured by Olympus. There is a considerable difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and XZ-1 (10MP) and the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and XZ-1 (1/1.63") boast different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was unveiled 2 years later than the XZ-1 and that is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a thorough comparison, here is a brief overview of how the E-M1 grades against the XZ-1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Olympus XZ-1. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Olympus XZ-1 Gallery.

When you are aiming to lug around your camera often, you need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-M1 features outer dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") having a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) while the Olympus XZ-1 has specifications of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-M1 and Olympus XZ-1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use during that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-M1 compared to the XZ-1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and XZ-1 is 71 and 88 respectively.

Usually, it can be tough to picture the gap between sensor measurements merely by going over a spec sheet. The graphic underneath may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 and XZ-1.

As you can see, both of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-M1 using its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Olympus E-M1 will offer extra detail having an extra 6MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images way more aggressively. The newer E-M1 should have an edge in sensor tech.