Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic S1

Here is a in-depth analysis of the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic S1, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and S1 (12MP) and the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and S1 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-M1 was brought out 2 years later than the S1 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S1 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a short overview of how the E-M1 grades vs the S1 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-S1. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Panasonic S1 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry your camera often, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M1 offers physical dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) while the Panasonic S1 has sizing of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic S1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached at that time. Here is a front view size comparison of the E-M1 vs the S1.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 and S1 is 71 and 96 respectively.

Usually, it is hard to see the gap between sensor sizing merely by going over technical specs. The visual underneath will provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 and S1.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-M1 featuring a bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus E-M1 will offer you greater detail having its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The fresher E-M1 is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.