Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic SZ1

Lets look more closely at the Olympus E-PL8 and Panasonic SZ1, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the SZ1 (16MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and SZ1 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL8 was unveiled 4 years after the SZ1 which is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ1 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a complete comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the E-PL8 grades against the SZ1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Panasonic SZ1 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL8 comes with outside measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) while the Panasonic SZ1 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") and a weight of 131 grams (0.29 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL8 and Panasonic SZ1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL8 versus the SZ1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and SZ1 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Sometimes, it's tough to visualise the gap between sensor sizes simply by reading through a spec sheet. The pic underneath will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL8 and SZ1.

As you can see, each of these cameras have got the exact same megapixel count but not the same sensor sizes. The E-PL8 contains the larger sensor which should make achieving shallow DOF less difficult. The younger E-PL8 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.