Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS8

In this write-up, we are reviewing the Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS8, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the ZS8 (14MP) is very similar but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and ZS8 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL1s was unveiled 8 months earlier than the ZS8 so they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera.

Before going through a detailed comparison, below is a short view of how the E-PL1s matches up versus the ZS8 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1s & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery & Panasonic ZS8 Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you should think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1s comes with outer measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS8 has proportions of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic ZS8 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the E-PL1s versus the ZS8.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1s and ZS8 is 86 and 92 respectively.

Often, it's tough to imagine the gap between sensor measurements just by reviewing a spec sheet. The photograph underneath may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1s and ZS8.

Clearly, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL1s having a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic ZS8 will offer you more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos far more aggressively. The older E-PL1s is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.