Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic SZ8

Following is a detailed analysis of the Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic SZ8, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the SZ8 (16MP) is fairly close but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and SZ8 (1/2.3") have different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL6 was released 7 months after the SZ8 which means that they are of a similar age. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ8 being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a thorough comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the E-PL6 scores against the SZ8 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL6 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery & Panasonic SZ8 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL6 enjoys outside 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 SZ8 has specifications of 100mm x 60mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic SZ8 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have during that time. Here is a front view size comparison of the E-PL6 vs the SZ8.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL6 and SZ8 is 88 and 94 respectively.

More often than not, it is very tough to picture the difference in sensor sizes only by researching specifications. The picture underneath should offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL6 and SZ8.

To sum up, the two cameras come with the identical megapixels but different sensor sizes. The E-PL6 has the larger sensor which should make achieving shallow DOF less difficult. The more recent E-PL6 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.