Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic ZS60

Following is a thorough review of the Olympus E-PL8 versus Panasonic ZS60, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the ZS60 (18MP) is fairly close but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and ZS60 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL8 was launched 9 months after the ZS60 which means that they are of a similar generation. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS60 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a in depth comparison, here is a short highlight of how the E-PL8 matches up against the ZS60 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Panasonic ZS60 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL8 has got physical dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS60 has measurements of 112mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 282 grams (0.62 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL8 versus Panasonic ZS60 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are using at that time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL8 compared to the ZS60.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and ZS60 is 86 and 88 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes merely by looking through a spec sheet. The picture below will offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL8 and ZS60.

Clearly, both the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL8 due to its larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic ZS60 will result in more detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The more recent E-PL8 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.