Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic ZR1

Lets take a closer look at the Olympus E-M1 versus Panasonic ZR1, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap among the resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and ZR1 (12MP) and the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and ZR1 (1/2.3") use different sensor size.

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The E-M1 was launched 4 years after the ZR1 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the E-M1 scores against the ZR1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Panasonic ZR1 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M1 has physical measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) and the Panasonic ZR1 has sizing of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-M1 versus Panasonic ZR1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the E-M1 compared to the ZR1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 and ZR1 is 71 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to imagine the difference in sensor sizes merely by seeing a spec sheet. The picture below will offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 and ZR1.

Clearly, both cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-M1 will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The younger E-M1 provides a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.