Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic ZS30

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus E-M5 II versus Panasonic ZS30, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-M5 II (16MP) and the ZS30 (18MP) is fairly close but the E-M5 II (Four Thirds) and ZS30 (1/2.3") offer different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 II was released 2 years after the ZS30 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M5 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS30 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick summary of how the E-M5 II matches up against the ZS30 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M5 II & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-M5 II Gallery & Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

If you are intending to travel with your camera, you will want to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-M5 II enjoys physical measurements of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") with a weight of 469 grams (1.03 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS30 has specifications of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M5 II versus Panasonic ZS30 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the E-M5 II versus the ZS30.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 II and ZS30 is 80 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to imagine the gap in sensor dimensions merely by researching a spec sheet. The pic here will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M5 II and ZS30.

Clearly, both the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-M5 II due to its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Panasonic ZS30 will result in more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos way more aggressively. The younger E-M5 II provides an edge with regard to sensor technology.