Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic ZS8

Here is a detailed comparison of the Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic ZS8, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the ZS8 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and ZS8 (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizing.

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The E-M5 was manufactured 10 months later than the ZS8 and they are both of a similar age. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a in depth comparison, below is a simple summation of how the E-M5 scores versus the ZS8 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus OM-D E-M5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery & Panasonic ZS8 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera regularly, you will need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M5 comes with outer dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS8 has sizing of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") having a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic ZS8 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the E-M5 against the ZS8.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M5 and ZS8 is 81 and 92 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to visualize the gap in sensor sizing purely by going through a spec sheet. The photograph below may provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M5 and ZS8.

As you can see, the 2 cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-M5 because of its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-M5 will produce extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The more recent E-M5 provides a benefit in sensor technology.