Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic ZS10

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Panasonic ZS10, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the ZS10 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and ZS10 (1/2.3") posses different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was introduced 21 months after the ZS10 making them a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS10 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a more detailed comparison, here is a short overview of how the E-PL5 grades versus the ZS10 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Panasonic ZS10 Gallery.

If you're going to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL5 comes with external measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS10 has dimensions of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 219 grams (0.48 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL5 versus Panasonic ZS10 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PL5 against the ZS10.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL5 and ZS10 is 88 and 91 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to picture the difference in sensor dimensions just by seeing specifications. The picture underneath will give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL5 and ZS10.

To sum up, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL5 with its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-PL5 will provide greater detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more recent E-PL5 provides an edge with regard to sensor tech.