Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS15

Its time to look more in depth at the Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS15, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the ZS15 (12MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and ZS15 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1s was manufactured 19 months earlier than the ZS15 which makes them a generation away from one another. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS15 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a in depth comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-PL1s scores against the ZS15 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1s & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery & Panasonic ZS15 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera, you'll need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL1s provides external measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS15 has sizing of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS15 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing during that time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the E-PL1s against the ZS15.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1s and ZS15 is 86 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to see the difference in sensor sizes only by seeing a spec sheet. The picture underneath will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1s and ZS15.

As you can see, each of the cameras provide the same megapixels albeit not the same sensor sizes. The E-PL1s comes with the bigger sensor which is going to make achieving shallower DOF easier. The more aged E-PL1s will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.