Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic ZS20

Lets look a little more in depth at the Olympus E-PL1 and Panasonic ZS20, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is fairly close but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and ZS20 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1 was revealed 23 months earlier than the ZS20 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera.

Before delving through a more detailed comparison, below is a brief view of how the E-PL1 scores versus the ZS20 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

If you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you're going to have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 provides physical dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS20 has dimensions of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1 and Panasonic ZS20 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you use at the time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL1 versus the ZS20.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and ZS20 is 86 and 92 respectively.

Generally, its difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions merely by viewing specifications. The pic here might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and ZS20.

Plainly, the two cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1 having a larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic ZS20 will provide you with more detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos a little more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.