Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic ZS5

In this write-up, we are reviewing the Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic ZS5, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and ZS5 (12MP) and the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and ZS5 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-M1 was manufactured 3 years after the ZS5 which is quite a significant difference as far as 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 ZS5 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a detailed comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-M1 matches up vs the ZS5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M1 has outer dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") and a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS5 has sizing of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic ZS5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. The following is the front view scale comparison of the E-M1 compared to the ZS5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 and ZS5 is 71 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to envision the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reading technical specs. The pic here will help give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M1 and ZS5.

As you can tell, each of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 because of its larger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Olympus E-M1 will deliver extra detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a little more aggressively. The more modern E-M1 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.