Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic LZ40

Let's look closer at the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic LZ40, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the LZ40 (20MP) is very similar but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and LZ40 (1/2.3") feature different sensor measurements.

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The E-M1 was unveiled 2 months earlier than the LZ40 which means that they are of a similar age. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple summation of how the E-M1 matches up against the LZ40 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Panasonic LZ40 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera, you will need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M1 enjoys exterior measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") along with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Panasonic LZ40 has sizing of 126mm x 87mm x 94mm (5.0" x 3.4" x 3.7") having a weight of 524 grams (1.16 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic LZ40 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are employing during that time. Below is the front view size comparison of the E-M1 and the LZ40.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and LZ40 is 71 and 67 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions simply by reviewing technical specs. The pic below will help give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 and LZ40.

As you have seen, both of these cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-M1 with its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic LZ40 will offer you more detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively.