Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic ZR1

The following is a detailed review of the Olympus E-PL6 versus Panasonic ZR1, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a substantial gap between the resolutions of the E-PL6 (16MP) and ZR1 (12MP) and the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and ZR1 (1/2.3") possess different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL6 was introduced 5 years after the ZR1 which is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a more detailed comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the E-PL6 grades versus the ZR1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL6 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery & Panasonic ZR1 Gallery.

If you are looking to travel with your camera often, you will want to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL6 provides physical measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZR1 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL6 versus Panasonic ZR1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL6 compared to the ZR1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL6 and ZR1 is 88 and 94 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to imagine the difference between sensor dimensions merely by reviewing specs. The image underneath may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL6 and ZR1.

All in all, both cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL6 with its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field easier and the Olympus E-PL6 will offer greater detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images a little more aggressively. The fresher E-PL6 provides an edge when it comes to sensor technology.