Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic ZS40

Here is a thorough comparison of the Olympus E-M5 versus Panasonic ZS40, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the ZS40 (18MP) is pretty close but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and ZS40 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-M5 was unveiled 20 months earlier than the ZS40 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS40 being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-M5 grades against the ZS40 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Panasonic ZS40 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-M5 comes with outer dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS40 has specifications of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-M5 versus Panasonic ZS40 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you choose at that moment. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-M5 compared to the ZS40.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 and ZS40 is 81 and 90 respectively.

Normally, its tough to see the contrast in sensor sizing simply by looking through specs. The graphic below should provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M5 and ZS40.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-M5 with its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic ZS40 will render extra detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The older E-M5 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.