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Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20

Portability
86
Imaging
48
Features
43
Overall
46
Olympus PEN E-PL1s front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 front
Portability
92
Imaging
38
Features
46
Overall
41

Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL1s
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 334g - 115 x 72 x 42mm
  • Revealed November 2010
  • Earlier Model is Olympus E-PL1
  • Replacement is Olympus E-PL2
Panasonic ZS20
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-480mm (F3.3-6.4) lens
  • 206g - 105 x 59 x 28mm
  • Introduced April 2012
  • Additionally Known as Lumix DMC-TZ30
  • Older Model is Panasonic ZS15
  • Successor is Panasonic ZS25
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Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20 Overview

Here is a extensive assessment of the Olympus E-PL1s and Panasonic ZS20, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and ZS20 (1/2.3") feature different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1s was released 17 months before the ZS20 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera.

Before delving through a in-depth comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-PL1s grades versus the ZS20 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL1s over the Panasonic ZS20

 E-PL1s ZS20 
Manually focus More accurate focusing

Reasons to pick Panasonic ZS20 over the Olympus E-PL1s

 ZS20 E-PL1s 
IntroducedApril 2012November 2010Fresher by 17 months
Display sizing3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution460k230kClearer display (+230k dot)
Touch display Easily navigate

Common features in the Olympus E-PL1s and Panasonic ZS20

 E-PL1s ZS20 
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen

Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20 Physical Comparison

When you are going to carry your camera regularly, you will need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL1s offers outer 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) while the Panasonic ZS20 has specifications of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL1s and Panasonic ZS20 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1s vs the ZS20.

Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20 size comparison

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1s and ZS20 is 86 and 92 respectively.

Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20 Sensor Comparison

Generally, it is tough to visualize the gap between sensor sizing purely by checking specifications. The graphic underneath should give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1s and ZS20.

Plainly, both of those cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1s featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic ZS20 will give you greater detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop images a little more aggressively. The older E-PL1s is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s Portrait photography info
Panasonic ZS20 Portrait photography info
60
you can focus manually
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
offers face detection focusing
delivers RAW files
sensor resolution low (12MP)
30
megapixel count good (14 megapixels)
focusing manually not possible
external flash not possible
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s Street photography advice
Panasonic ZS20 Street photography advice
74
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
no moving screen
65
image stabilization (Optical)
comes with touch to focus
lighter than average (206 grams)
no moving screen
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus E-PL1s
Sports photography with Panasonic ZS20
45
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
offers tracking autofocus
slow continuous shooting (3.0 fps)
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
terrible battery life (290 shots)
has no phase detect AF
47
amazing zoom range (24-480mm 20.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count good (14 megapixels)
provides tracking autofocus
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
bad battery (260 shots)
lack of phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s as a Travel photography camera
Panasonic ZS20 as a Travel photography camera
52
has built in flash
no Time Lapse recording
terrible battery life (290 per charge)
sensor resolution low (12MP)
does not feature selfie friendly screen
68
lighter than average (206g)
comes with touch to focus
megapixel count good (14MP)
flash built-in
quite wide (24mm)
very long reach (480mm)
lack of Time Lapse mode
bad battery (260 shots)
display is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus E-PL1s
Landscape photography with Panasonic ZS20
55
you can focus manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
tiny screen (2.7 inches)
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
terrible battery life (290 per charge)
no Time Lapse recording
42
quite wide (24mm)
pretty good screen size (3")
image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count good (14MP)
focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
bad battery (260 shots)
lack of Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus E-PL1s
Vlogging with Panasonic ZS20
30
image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers face detection focusing
does not feature selfie friendly screen
low quality video (1280 x 720 pixels)
no external mic port
34
quite wide (24mm)
touchscreen capability
image stabilization (Optical)
high res video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than average (206 grams)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
display is not selfie friendly
lack of external mic socket
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Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS20 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL1s and Panasonic ZS20
 Olympus PEN E-PL1sPanasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20
General Information
Company Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus PEN E-PL1s Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20
Also called as - Lumix DMC-TZ30
Category Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Superzoom
Revealed 2010-11-16 2012-04-26
Physical type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by Truepic V -
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 14 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4032 x 3024 4320 x 3240
Maximum native ISO 6400 6400
Lowest native ISO 100 100
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Total focus points 11 23
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 24-480mm (20.0x)
Largest aperture - f/3.3-6.4
Macro focusing distance - 3cm
Number of lenses 107 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 5.9
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 2.7 inch 3 inch
Resolution of display 230k dots 460k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Display technology HyperCrystal LCD AR (Anti-Reflective) coating -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 secs 15 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/2000 secs
Continuous shooting rate 3.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 10.00 m 6.40 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/160 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (220 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 334 grams (0.74 pounds) 206 grams (0.45 pounds)
Dimensions 115 x 72 x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") 105 x 59 x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 290 pictures 260 pictures
Battery type Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID BLS-1 -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots 1 1
Retail price $599 $349