Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic ZS80

In this write-up, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic ZS80, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a large gap between the resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and ZS80 (20MP) and the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and ZS80 (1/2.3") come with different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL2 was manufactured 8 years prior to the ZS80 which is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a thorough comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the E-PL2 scores against the ZS80 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL2 & Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery & Panasonic ZS80 Gallery.

If you're aiming to travel with your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL2 enjoys outer measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS80 has specifications of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") having a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic ZS80 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at the time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL2 versus the ZS80.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL2 and ZS80 is 85 and 86 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to visualize the difference between sensor dimensions just by checking a spec sheet. The pic underneath will give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL2 and ZS80.

Clearly, both of those cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL2 featuring a larger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh easier and the Panasonic ZS80 will give extra detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics far more aggressively. The more aged E-PL2 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.