Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic ZS8

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic ZS8, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PM1 (12MP) and the ZS8 (14MP) is pretty close but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and ZS8 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizing.

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The E-PM1 was revealed 5 months after the ZS8 and they are of a similar age. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the E-PM1 matches up vs the ZS8 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS8 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM1 has outside measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS8 has dimensions of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") with a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic ZS8 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at that time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PM1 vs the ZS8.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and ZS8 is 89 and 92 respectively.

Often, it's tough to imagine the difference in sensor sizes simply by researching specs. The pic underneath might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM1 and ZS8.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-PM1 with its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic ZS8 will result in greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots far more aggressively.