Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic ZS20

Here is a in-depth analysis of the Olympus E-PL8 and Panasonic ZS20, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is fairly close but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and ZS20 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL8 was brought out 4 years later than the ZS20 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-PL8 scores against the ZS20 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera frequently, you will need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL8 has got physical measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS20 has dimensions of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL8 and Panasonic ZS20 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the E-PL8 against the ZS20.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL8 and ZS20 is 86 and 92 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to see the difference in sensor sizing just by researching specifications. The photograph below will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL8 and ZS20.

Plainly, both of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL8 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-PL8 will provide you with extra detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images way more aggressively. The more recent E-PL8 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.