Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic FZ1000

Here, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic FZ1000, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-P1 (12MP) and FZ1000 (20MP) and the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and FZ1000 (1") provide totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-P1 was launched 5 years prior to the FZ1000 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ1000 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the E-P1 grades vs the FZ1000 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Panasonic FZ1000 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you should consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P1 comes with outside dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") along with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ1000 has sizing of 137mm x 99mm x 131mm (5.4" x 3.9" x 5.2") having a weight of 831 grams (1.83 lbs).

See the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic FZ1000 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use during that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-P1 compared to the FZ1000.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-P1 and FZ1000 is 86 and 55 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to envision the contrast in sensor dimensions only by checking out a spec sheet. The image here may provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P1 and FZ1000.

Clearly, both of these cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-P1 featuring a bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FZ1000 will show extra detail utilizing its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-P1 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.