Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic ZS80

Below is a thorough assessment of the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic ZS80, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the ZS80 (20MP) is pretty well matched but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and ZS80 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL9 was launched at a similar time to the ZS80 so they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a thorough comparison, below is a short introduction of how the E-PL9 scores vs the ZS80 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL9 and Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery and Panasonic ZS80 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL9 offers outside measurements of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") having a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS80 has dimensions of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") along with a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic ZS80 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with during that time. Underneath is the front view sizing comparison of the E-PL9 versus the ZS80.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL9 and ZS80 is 85 and 86 respectively.

Often, it is tough to see the difference between sensor measurements just by reading through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL9 and ZS80.

Clearly, the 2 cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL9 because of its bigger sensor will make shooting bokeh easier and the Panasonic ZS80 will give you more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively.