Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS70

Here, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS70, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the E-PL1s (12MP) and ZS70 (20MP) and the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and ZS70 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1s was released 7 years before the ZS70 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS70 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a detailed comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-PL1s matches up against the ZS70 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1s & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery & Panasonic ZS70 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera regularly, you need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL1s has got physical measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS70 has specifications of 112mm x 67mm x 41mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.6") and a weight of 322 grams (0.71 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS70 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the E-PL1s compared to the ZS70.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1s and ZS70 is 86 and 87 respectively.

Generally, its hard to visualise the difference in sensor sizes purely by looking through specs. The picture here may give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1s and ZS70.

All in all, each of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL1s featuring a larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic ZS70 will render more detail as a result of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images way more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1s will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.