Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic SZ10

The following is a in depth review of the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic SZ10, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a noticeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and SZ10 (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and SZ10 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PM1 was released 4 years before the SZ10 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ10 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the E-PM1 grades against the SZ10 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ10. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Panasonic SZ10 Gallery.

If you are going to travel with your camera, you will need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM1 has got exterior dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") along with a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Panasonic SZ10 has dimensions of 99mm x 60mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 177 grams (0.39 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic SZ10 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are utilizing during that time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the E-PM1 versus the SZ10.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and SZ10 is 89 and 93 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to see the gap in sensor dimensions just by seeing technical specs. The image underneath will offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM1 and SZ10.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM1 featuring a larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic SZ10 will show greater detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-PM1 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.