Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic ZS100

On this page, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-PL1 versus Panasonic ZS100, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and ZS100 (20MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and ZS100 (1") provide totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1 was unveiled 6 years before the ZS100 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before delving into a more detailed comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the E-PL1 matches up versus the ZS100 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Panasonic ZS100 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1 features 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) while the Panasonic ZS100 has measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 312 grams (0.69 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL1 versus Panasonic ZS100 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the E-PL1 versus the ZS100.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and ZS100 is 86 and 87 respectively.

Typically, its tough to envision the gap in sensor sizing simply by researching technical specs. The visual here may provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and ZS100.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 having a bigger sensor will make shooting bokeh easier and the Panasonic ZS100 will render more detail having an extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older E-PL1 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.