Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic ZS200

Below is a extended overview of the Olympus E-M5 versus Panasonic ZS200, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the ZS200 (20MP) is fairly comparable but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and ZS200 (1") have totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 was launched 6 years earlier than the ZS200 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go right into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-M5 grades against the ZS200 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M5 & Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-M5 Gallery & Panasonic ZS200 Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera, you should consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-M5 features outside dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS200 has specifications of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") along with a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M5 versus Panasonic ZS200 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the E-M5 versus the ZS200.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and ZS200 is 81 and 86 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to see the gap in sensor measurements just by going through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath should give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 and ZS200.

Clearly, the 2 cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-M5 due to its larger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic ZS200 will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images more aggressively. The older E-M5 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.