Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic ZS20

In this article, we are matching up the Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic ZS20, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is fairly close but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and ZS20 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL6 was announced 2 years later than the ZS20 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a complete comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-PL6 scores against the ZS20 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL6 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL6 provides outside measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS20 has specifications 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-PL6 vs Panasonic ZS20 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are employing at that moment. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PL6 vs the ZS20.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL6 and ZS20 is 88 and 92 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is hard to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements merely by looking through specifications. The visual below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL6 and ZS20.

Plainly, both the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL6 having a larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-PL6 will render extra detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The more recent E-PL6 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.