Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic FZ100

Below is a extensive assessment of the Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic FZ100, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the FZ100 (14MP) is fairly similar but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and FZ100 (1/2.3") offer different sensor size.

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The E-PL8 was released 6 years later than the FZ100 and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief overview of how the E-PL8 matches up against the FZ100 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Panasonic FZ100 Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera, you need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL8 features external measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") along with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ100 has proportions of 124mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.2" x 3.6") having a weight of 540 grams (1.19 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic FZ100 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose during that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PL8 vs the FZ100.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and FZ100 is 86 and 67 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very tough to picture the gap between sensor measurements only by reading specifications. The visual underneath will give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL8 and FZ100.

To sum up, the 2 cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL8 because of its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF easier and the Olympus E-PL8 will offer extra detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The fresher E-PL8 should have an edge in sensor tech.