Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS20

Lets look more closely at the Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS20, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Waterproof by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the TS20 (16MP) is relatively similar but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and TS20 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL8 was announced 4 years later than the TS20 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic TS20 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-PL8 grades versus the TS20 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS20. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Panasonic TS20 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera, you should think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL8 offers external 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 TS20 has sizing of 101mm x 58mm x 19mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") along with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic TS20 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use at that time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PL8 compared to the TS20.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL8 and TS20 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Typically, its tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements simply by reviewing a spec sheet. The visual here may give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL8 and TS20.

As you can see, both of these cameras offer the same exact megapixel count albeit not the same sensor measurements. The E-PL8 comes with the bigger sensor which should make achieving shallow depth of field easier. The more modern E-PL8 will have a benefit in sensor tech.