Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic ZS20

Here, we are evaluating the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic ZS20, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is fairly similar but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and ZS20 (1/2.3") offer different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL9 was introduced 5 years after the ZS20 which is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a short summary of how the E-PL9 grades vs the ZS20 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL9 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera often, you'll need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL9 enjoys outside measurements of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") with a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS20 has specifications of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic ZS20 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have during that time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the E-PL9 and the ZS20.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL9 and ZS20 is 85 and 92 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's tough to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions only by going over technical specs. The image underneath will provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL9 and ZS20.

As you can tell, both of those cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL9 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF easier and the Olympus E-PL9 will offer more detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will help you crop photos way more aggressively. The more modern E-PL9 should have a benefit in sensor tech.