Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic ZS45

Following is a in depth assessment of the Olympus E-M1 versus Panasonic ZS45, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the ZS45 (16MP) is fairly well matched but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and ZS45 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was unveiled 14 months before the ZS45 making the cameras a generation away from one another. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS45 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick summary of how the E-M1 scores against the ZS45 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS45 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M1 comes with 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) while the Panasonic ZS45 has sizing of 108mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 249 grams (0.55 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-M1 versus Panasonic ZS45 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the E-M1 versus the ZS45.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 and ZS45 is 71 and 91 respectively.

Quite often, it can be tough to see the contrast between sensor sizes purely by looking at technical specs. The pic underneath might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 and ZS45.

As you can tell, each of these cameras offer the same exact megapixels but not the same sensor sizes. The E-M1 offers the larger sensor which should make getting shallow DOF less difficult. The more aged E-M1 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.