Olympus E-M10 vs Panasonic ZS8

Following is a in depth analysis of the Olympus E-M10 versus Panasonic ZS8, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-M10 (16MP) and the ZS8 (14MP) is very well matched but the E-M10 (Four Thirds) and ZS8 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-M10 was announced 2 years after the ZS8 which is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M10 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a brief summation of how the E-M10 grades vs the ZS8 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M10 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-M10 Gallery & Panasonic ZS8 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry around your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M10 has got outside dimensions of 119mm x 82mm x 46mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 1.8") along with a weight of 396 grams (0.87 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS8 has sizing of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M10 versus Panasonic ZS8 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have at that time. Following is the front view scale comparison of the E-M10 versus the ZS8.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M10 and ZS8 is 82 and 92 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to see the contrast between sensor sizes merely by checking technical specs. The pic below might provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M10 and ZS8.

As you have seen, both cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-M10 with its larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-M10 will give greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images far more aggressively. The younger E-M10 will have an edge with regard to sensor technology.