Olympus E-M10 vs Panasonic ZS80

Below, we are evaluating the Olympus E-M10 and Panasonic ZS80, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-M10 (16MP) and the ZS80 (20MP) is very similar but the E-M10 (Four Thirds) and ZS80 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-M10 was released 4 years before the ZS80 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M10 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a in-depth comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-M10 scores vs the ZS80 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M10 and Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M10 Gallery and Panasonic ZS80 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera often, you should factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-M10 has outer measurements of 119mm x 82mm x 46mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 1.8") with a weight of 396 grams (0.87 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS80 has measurements of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") along with a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-M10 and Panasonic ZS80 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you use at that time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the E-M10 compared to the ZS80.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M10 and ZS80 is 82 and 86 respectively.

Often, it can be hard to see the contrast between sensor sizing only by reading specifications. The photograph below will help give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M10 and ZS80.

To sum up, the 2 cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-M10 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic ZS80 will offer more detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop images somewhat more aggressively. The older E-M10 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.