Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic ZS20

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-M1 versus Panasonic ZS20, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is pretty similar but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and ZS20 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was announced 19 months after the ZS20 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a complete comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-M1 matches up vs the ZS20 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 enjoys external measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS20 has dimensions of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

See the Olympus E-M1 versus Panasonic ZS20 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the E-M1 versus the ZS20.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 and ZS20 is 71 and 92 respectively.

Often, it is very tough to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes just by reading specifications. The image underneath might give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 and ZS20.

Plainly, the two cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 having a bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF simpler and the Olympus E-M1 will offer extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures much more aggressively. The more modern E-M1 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.