Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic ZS80

In this article, we are matching up the Olympus E-PM2 versus Panasonic ZS80, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PM2 (16MP) and the ZS80 (20MP) is fairly comparable but the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and ZS80 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PM2 was announced 5 years prior to the ZS80 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a brief overview of how the E-PM2 scores vs the ZS80 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM2 & Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery & Panasonic ZS80 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM2 comes with exterior measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS80 has dimensions of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") having a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PM2 versus Panasonic ZS80 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have at the time. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-PM2 compared to the ZS80.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM2 and ZS80 is 89 and 86 respectively.

Often, it is very tough to envision the difference in sensor sizing purely by checking out specs. The visual below may provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM2 and ZS80.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PM2 using its larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic ZS80 will produce extra detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop pics far more aggressively. The older E-PM2 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.