Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic ZS8

The following is a comprehensive overview of the Olympus E-P1 and Panasonic ZS8, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the ZS8 (14MP) is fairly close but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and ZS8 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizing.

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The E-P1 was announced 24 months earlier than the ZS8 making them a generation away from one another. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-P1 grades against the ZS8 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-P1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS8 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P1 comes with outside measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") along with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS8 has dimensions of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-P1 and Panasonic ZS8 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you select at that time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the E-P1 and the ZS8.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-P1 and ZS8 is 86 and 92 respectively.

More often than not, its hard to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions merely by researching a spec sheet. The picture underneath might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P1 and ZS8.

As you can see, each of the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-P1 having a larger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic ZS8 will provide you with extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics way more aggressively. The more aged E-P1 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.