Olympus E-M10 III vs Panasonic ZS45

Below is a thorough analysis of the Olympus E-M10 III and Panasonic ZS45, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-M10 III (16MP) and the ZS45 (16MP) is very comparable but the E-M10 III (Four Thirds) and ZS45 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-M10 III was manufactured 2 years later than the ZS45 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M10 III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS45 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the E-M10 III grades vs the ZS45 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M10 III Gallery & Panasonic ZS45 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M10 III enjoys outer measurements of 122mm x 84mm x 50mm (4.8" x 3.3" x 2.0") along with a weight of 410 grams (0.90 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS45 has proportions of 108mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 249 grams (0.55 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-M10 III and Panasonic ZS45 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilising during that time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the E-M10 III compared to the ZS45.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M10 III and ZS45 is 80 and 91 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is hard to visualise the difference in sensor measurements purely by going through a spec sheet. The photograph below should offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M10 III and ZS45.

Clearly, the 2 cameras have the same resolution but not the same sensor measurements. The E-M10 III provides the larger sensor which should make obtaining shallow DOF less difficult. The younger E-M10 III is going to have an advantage in sensor tech.