Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic SZ10

Let's look more in depth at the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic SZ10, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the SZ10 (16MP) is relatively close but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and SZ10 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL9 was revealed 3 years after the SZ10 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ10 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-PL9 grades vs the SZ10 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL9 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ10. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery & Panasonic SZ10 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera, you will have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL9 features physical dimensions of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) and the Panasonic SZ10 has dimensions of 99mm x 60mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.2") and a weight of 177 grams (0.39 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic SZ10 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have chosen at the time. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the E-PL9 against the SZ10.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL9 and SZ10 is 85 and 93 respectively.

Usually, it can be tough to envision the gap in sensor dimensions merely by looking through a spec sheet. The image here may give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL9 and SZ10.

Clearly, both the cameras feature the identical MP albeit not the same sensor dimensions. The E-PL9 uses the bigger sensor which should make achieving bokeh simpler. The younger E-PL9 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.