Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic FZ70

On this page, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic FZ70, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference between the resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and FZ70 (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and FZ70 (1/2.3") offer different sensor size.

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The E-PM1 was manufactured 20 months prior to the FZ70 which makes them a generation away from each other. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ70 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting right into a complete comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-PM1 scores versus the FZ70 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Panasonic FZ70 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PM1 enjoys external dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ70 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 118mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 4.6") and a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic FZ70 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have at that time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the E-PM1 compared to the FZ70.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM1 and FZ70 is 89 and 63 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions simply by reading through technical specs. The picture underneath will help offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM1 and FZ70.

As you have seen, both the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM1 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic FZ70 will give you extra detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures more aggressively. The more aged E-PM1 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.