Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic ZS20

Let's look a little more closely at the Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic ZS20, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and ZS20 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL5 was released 5 months after the ZS20 and they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera.

Before going through a in-depth comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the E-PL5 scores against the ZS20 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

In case you're intending to travel with your camera frequently, you'll have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL5 provides exterior 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) whilst the Panasonic ZS20 has sizing of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic ZS20 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are employing during that time. Here is the front view size comparison of the E-PL5 and the ZS20.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and ZS20 is 88 and 92 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to envision the contrast between sensor dimensions just by checking a spec sheet. The image here might offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL5 and ZS20.

Clearly, both of those cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL5 because of its larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-PL5 will resolve extra detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop pics a little more aggressively.