Olympus E-M10 IV vs Panasonic ZS5

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-M10 IV and Panasonic ZS5, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-M10 IV (20MP) and ZS5 (12MP) and the E-M10 IV (Four Thirds) and ZS5 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-M10 IV was manufactured 10 years later than the ZS5 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M10 IV being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a full comparison, below is a short introduction of how the E-M10 IV scores vs the ZS5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M10 IV Gallery & Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera frequently, you need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-M10 IV enjoys outer dimensions of 122mm x 84mm x 49mm (4.8" x 3.3" x 1.9") and a weight of 383 grams (0.84 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS5 has specifications of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

See the Olympus E-M10 IV and Panasonic ZS5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the E-M10 IV compared to the ZS5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M10 IV and ZS5 is 81 and 92 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to visualise the difference in sensor sizing only by researching specifications. The photograph below will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M10 IV and ZS5.

To sum up, both of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-M10 IV because of its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Olympus E-M10 IV will result in extra detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop shots much more aggressively. The newer E-M10 IV is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.