Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic ZS10

Its time to take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Panasonic ZS10, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the ZS10 (14MP) is fairly similar but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and ZS10 (1/2.3") boast different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL1 was manufactured 8 months before the ZS10 so they are of a similar generation. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS10 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-PL1 matches up against the ZS10 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Panasonic ZS10 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 offers external dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS10 has dimensions of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") and a weight of 219 grams (0.48 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL1 versus Panasonic ZS10 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you choose at that time. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL1 versus the ZS10.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and ZS10 is 86 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it is tough to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions only by reviewing a spec sheet. The image here may provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1 and ZS10.

As you can see, both of those cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic ZS10 will deliver greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.