Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic SZ1

Lets look more closely at the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic SZ1, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and SZ1 (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and SZ1 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor size.

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The E-PM1 was released at a similar time to the SZ1 and they are of a similar generation. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a in depth comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-PM1 grades vs the SZ1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Panasonic SZ1 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you'll have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM1 offers outer dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Panasonic SZ1 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 131 grams (0.29 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic SZ1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are utilising at the time. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PM1 versus the SZ1.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM1 and SZ1 is 89 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, its difficult to see the difference in sensor dimensions merely by going through technical specs. The picture underneath should offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PM1 and SZ1.

As you have seen, the two cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM1 because of its bigger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic SZ1 will produce greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures far more aggressively.