Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FZ1000

Let's look closer at the Olympus E-PL9 versus Panasonic FZ1000, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the FZ1000 (20MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and FZ1000 (1") feature different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL9 was brought out 3 years after the FZ1000 which is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ1000 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting through a more detailed comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-PL9 scores vs the FZ1000 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL9 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery & Panasonic FZ1000 Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL9 has outer measurements of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") and a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ1000 has proportions of 137mm x 99mm x 131mm (5.4" x 3.9" x 5.2") having a weight of 831 grams (1.83 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL9 versus Panasonic FZ1000 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are using at that time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL9 versus the FZ1000.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL9 and FZ1000 is 85 and 55 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to visualize the gap between sensor dimensions merely by checking a spec sheet. The pic here will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL9 and FZ1000.

Clearly, each of these cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL9 due to its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic FZ1000 will give you greater detail having its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The more recent E-PL9 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.