Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic FZ80

Lets take a deeper look at the Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic FZ80, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the FZ80 (18MP) is relatively similar but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and FZ80 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL6 was manufactured 3 years earlier than the FZ80 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go into a thorough comparison, here is a short summation of how the E-PL6 matches up against the FZ80 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL6 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery and Panasonic FZ80 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL6 enjoys 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) and the Panasonic FZ80 has proportions of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") with a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic FZ80 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at that time. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the E-PL6 vs the FZ80.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL6 and FZ80 is 88 and 63 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to visualise the difference between sensor sizes simply by reviewing a spec sheet. The image underneath may give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL6 and FZ80.

As you can see, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL6 because of its bigger sensor will make getting bokeh simpler and the Panasonic FZ80 will offer greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-PL6 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.