Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic LZ40

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-PL6 and Panasonic LZ40, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the LZ40 (20MP) is relatively close but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and LZ40 (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL6 was unveiled 7 months later than the LZ40 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick summary of how the E-PL6 grades versus the LZ40 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL6 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery & Panasonic LZ40 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL6 offers 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 LZ40 has sizing of 126mm x 87mm x 94mm (5.0" x 3.4" x 3.7") with a weight of 524 grams (1.16 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL6 and Panasonic LZ40 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL6 against the LZ40.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL6 and LZ40 is 88 and 67 respectively.

Normally, its tough to visualize the gap in sensor sizing simply by looking through technical specs. The graphic below may provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL6 and LZ40.

As you have seen, both of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL6 having a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF easier and the Panasonic LZ40 will render more detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures much more aggressively. The newer E-PL6 provides a benefit with regard to sensor tech.