Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic ZS80

Below is a comprehensive analysis of the Olympus E-PL8 versus Panasonic ZS80, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the ZS80 (20MP) is very well matched but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and ZS80 (1/2.3") feature different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL8 was introduced 17 months before the ZS80 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a in-depth comparison, below is a short overview of how the E-PL8 scores against the ZS80 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Panasonic ZS80 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you should factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL8 enjoys physical measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS80 has dimensions of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") along with a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL8 versus Panasonic ZS80 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are using at the time. Here is the front view size comparison of the E-PL8 and the ZS80.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL8 and ZS80 is 86 and 86 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to imagine the difference between sensor measurements merely by reading through technical specs. The photograph underneath will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL8 and ZS80.

As you can tell, both of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL8 with its larger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh easier and the Panasonic ZS80 will give you greater detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images a little more aggressively. The older E-PL8 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.