Olympus E-M10 vs Panasonic ZR1

Here is a extensive comparison of the Olympus E-M10 and Panasonic ZR1, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a substantial difference between the image resolutions of the E-M10 (16MP) and ZR1 (12MP) and the E-M10 (Four Thirds) and ZR1 (1/2.3") use different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-M10 was released 4 years later than the ZR1 and that is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M10 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-M10 matches up against the ZR1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M10 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M10 Gallery & Panasonic ZR1 Gallery.

When you are intending to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M10 enjoys external dimensions of 119mm x 82mm x 46mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 1.8") with a weight of 396 grams (0.87 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZR1 has proportions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-M10 and Panasonic ZR1 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-M10 compared to the ZR1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-M10 and ZR1 is 82 and 94 respectively.

In many cases, its hard to imagine the gap between sensor sizing merely by reading through specs. The graphic underneath may provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M10 and ZR1.

All in all, the two cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-M10 due to its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Olympus E-M10 will resolve extra detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics much more aggressively. The younger E-M10 should have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.