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Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1

Portability
80
Imaging
62
Features
88
Overall
72
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 front
Portability
94
Imaging
35
Features
17
Overall
27

Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1 Key Specs

Olympus E-M5 III
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • 4096 x 2160 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 414g - 125 x 85 x 50mm
  • Introduced October 2019
  • Succeeded the Olympus E-M5 II
  • Newer Model is OM System OM-5
Panasonic ZR1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-200mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 158g - 98 x 55 x 26mm
  • Introduced July 2009
  • Alternative Name is Lumix DMC-ZX1
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Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1 Overview

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-M5 III and Panasonic ZR1, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a noticeable difference between the image resolutions of the E-M5 III (20MP) and ZR1 (12MP) and the E-M5 III (Four Thirds) and ZR1 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor measurements.

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The E-M5 III was manufactured 10 years after the ZR1 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M5 III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a more detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-M5 III grades against the ZR1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-M5 III over the Panasonic ZR1

 E-M5 III ZR1 
IntroducedOctober 2019July 2009Newer by 125 months
Manual focus Very accurate focusing
Screen typeFully ArticulatedFixed Fully Articulating screen
Screen dimension3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution1040k230kSharper screen (+810k dot)
Selfie screen Easy selfies
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Panasonic ZR1 over the Olympus E-M5 III

 ZR1 E-M5 III 

Common features in the Olympus E-M5 III and Panasonic ZR1

 E-M5 III ZR1 

Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1 Physical Comparison

If you are aiming to travel with your camera often, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M5 III provides external measurements of 125mm x 85mm x 50mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 2.0") and a weight of 414 grams (0.91 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZR1 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M5 III and Panasonic ZR1 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Underneath is the front view measurement comparison of the E-M5 III vs the ZR1.

Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1 size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M5 III and ZR1 is 80 and 94 respectively.

Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1 Sensor Comparison

Often, it can be tough to imagine the difference between sensor dimensions purely by checking technical specs. The picture here will help give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M5 III and ZR1.

As you have seen, both the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-M5 III featuring a bigger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh easier and the Olympus E-M5 III will give you extra detail due to its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots much more aggressively. The more recent E-M5 III provides a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-M5 III Portrait photography info
Panasonic ZR1 Portrait photography info
77
you can focus manually
MP count decent (20 megapixels)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
has face detect focus
saves RAW files
21
manual focus not available
manual exposure not available
external flash not possible
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-M5 III Street photography details
Panasonic ZR1 Street photography details
83
fully articulated screen
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
offers focus by touch
weather proof
above average high ISO (25,600)
56
image stabilization (Optical)
screen does not articulate
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-M5 III Sports photography details
Panasonic ZR1 Sports photography details
76
great max shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
silent mode (1/32,000 seconds)
high frames per second (30.0 fps)
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
MP count decent (20 megapixels)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
has tracking focus
weather proof
sensor has phase detect auto focus
terrible battery (310 shots)
25
image stabilization (Optical)
max frames per second very slow (2.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect auto focus
Photography Glossary

Travel Comparison

Olympus E-M5 III Travel photography highlights
Panasonic ZR1 Travel photography highlights
77
weather proof
has bluetooth
offers focus by touch
MP count decent (20MP)
screen is selfie friendly
terrible battery (310 per charge)
57
built-in flash
reasonably wide (25mm)
lack of Timelapse recording
MP count low (12 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-M5 III as a Landscape photography camera
Panasonic ZR1 as a Landscape photography camera
77
you can focus manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen is a decent size (3")
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
MP count decent (20 megapixels)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
above average high ISO (25,600)
saves RAW files
weather proof
terrible battery (310 CIPA)
32
reasonably wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
manual focus not available
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
tiny screen (2.7 inch)
manual exposure not available
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
lack of Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-M5 III Vlogging advice
Panasonic ZR1 Vlogging advice
84
screen is selfie friendly
touchscreen
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
has face detect focus
high res video (4096 x 2160 resolution)
includes microphone socket
28
reasonably wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
screen is not selfie friendly
low quality video (1280 x 720 pxls)
lack of external microphone port
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Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic ZR1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-M5 III and Panasonic ZR1
 Olympus OM-D E-M5 IIIPanasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1
General Information
Company Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus OM-D E-M5 III Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1
Also called - Lumix DMC-ZX1
Class Advanced Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Introduced 2019-10-17 2009-07-27
Body design SLR-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by TruePic VIII Venus Engine V
Sensor type MOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.4 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 226.2mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 20 megapixels 12 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 5184 x 3888 4000 x 3000
Maximum native ISO 25600 6400
Lowest native ISO 200 80
RAW support
Lowest boosted ISO 64 -
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Total focus points 121 11
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 25-200mm (8.0x)
Largest aperture - f/3.3-5.9
Macro focusing distance - 3cm
Number of lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.9
Screen
Range of screen Fully Articulated Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inch 2.7 inch
Screen resolution 1,040 thousand dot 230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic None
Viewfinder resolution 2,360 thousand dot -
Viewfinder coverage 100% -
Viewfinder magnification 0.68x -
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60s 60s
Maximum shutter speed 1/8000s 1/2000s
Maximum silent shutter speed 1/32000s -
Continuous shooting speed 30.0fps 2.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes -
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance no built-in flash 5.10 m
Flash settings Auto, redeye, fill, off, redeye slow sync, slow sync, 2nd-curtain slow sync, manual Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash sync 1/250s -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 4096 x 2160 @ 24p / 237 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution 4096x2160 1280x720
Video data format MPEG-4, H.264 Motion JPEG
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 414g (0.91 lb) 158g (0.35 lb)
Dimensions 125 x 85 x 50mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 2.0") 98 x 55 x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 310 pictures -
Form of battery Battery Pack -
Battery ID BLN-1 -
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II supported) SD/SDHC card, Internal
Storage slots One One
Cost at launch $1,199 $280