Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic ZS70: Which Camera Makes the Cut for Your Photography Goals?

Choosing a camera is a lot like choosing a travel buddy or a workhorse: it’s gotta match your style, your demands, and your budget. Today, I’m putting two intriguing contenders side by side that at first glance might not seem directly comparable, but both offer unique perks for different photographic appetites. The Olympus PEN E-PM2, an entry-level mirrorless model from 2013, versus the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70 from 2017 - a compact superzoom powerhouse.

Both hover around the $450 price point if you hunt for deals, but serve very different niches. As someone who’s teased the best out of thousands of cameras over fifteen years, I want to walk you through what each brings to the table in detail - and share when and why you might pick one over the other.

Let’s dive in starting with their very DNA: size, build, and ergonomics.

First Impressions: Size, Build & Handling

These two cameras couldn’t be more different in form factor. The Olympus E-PM2 is a rangefinder-style mirrorless, lightweight and designed to be compact but with an interchangeable lens mount. The Panasonic ZS70 is a small sensor compact with a massive zoom lens built in.

Just eyeballing that size comparison, the Olympus is thinner and arguably more pocketable, but the Panasonic is still compact enough to slip in a jacket or handbag without fuss. The ZS70’s bulk comes from its 30x zoom lens - a monster from 24-720mm equivalent focal lengths. Meanwhile, the E-PM2 relies on Micro Four Thirds lenses, giving you flexibility but meaning you carry extra glass.

When it comes to grip and control, Olympus leans into classic rangefinder simplicity with a more minimalist approach, while Panasonic crams in more buttons for zoom, quick menu access, and a built-in electronic viewfinder - a huge win for shooting in bright daylight.

Controls are where you’ll notice the Panasonic’s busy interface with a pop-up EVF and tilting screen, versus the E-PM2’s simpler design with a fixed 3” touchscreen and no viewfinder bundled (though one can be added).

The E-PM2 weighs 269 grams - impressively light for a mirrorless - while the ZS70 comes in heavier at 322 grams owing to that zoom lens inside its body.

Bottom line: If you care about minimalism and future-proofs your system with a lens mount, the Olympus wins here. But if you want an all-in-one travel zoom without swapping glass, Panasonic’s more versatile compact form-factor with an EVF will feel like a solid companion.

Sensor Tech & Image Quality: Diving Under the Hood

Arguably the most important aspect for image quality is the sensor. Here the difference is stark.

• Olympus E-PM2: Uses a 16MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor with a 17.3x13 mm size.
• Panasonic ZS70: Packs a smaller 1/2.3” 20MP BSI-CMOS sensor (6.17x4.55 mm).

The Olympus’ sensor is roughly 8x larger surface area than the ZS70’s - that’s a profound difference affecting noise performance, dynamic range, and depth-of-field control.

DxOMark tests rate the Olympus highly for color depth (22.7 bits), dynamic range (12.2 EV), and low-light ISO performance (~932 ISO score equivalence). While the Panasonic hasn’t been DxO tested in detail, this sensor size class is generally known for limited high ISO capabilities and narrower dynamic range.

Practically speaking, this means the Olympus E-PM2 can capture cleaner images in dim environments and retain more highlight/shadow detail - critical for landscapes and portraits.

The Panasonic compensates by having a much higher resolution sensor (20MP vs 16MP), allowing for more cropping and detail at 24-30mm wide-angle shots, but it cannot match the Olympus’ low-light grace or color fidelity.

Interface & Usability: Screens and Viewfinders Matter

Both cameras offer a 3” screen, but there’s more than just size to usability.

The Panasonic ZS70’s tilting touchscreen with 1040k-dot resolution is superior to the Olympus’ fixed 460k-dot panel, giving you sharp feedback and versatile angles for shooting low or selfies (the ZS70 is tailored for vloggers too).

Further, the Panasonic includes a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 1166k-dot resolution, offering 100% coverage and approximately 0.46x magnification - a rare feature for supercompacts and a godsend in harsh outdoor lighting. The Olympus E-PM2 lacks an EVF out of the box and relies on the rear screen unless you add a separate accessory EVF.

Touchscreen autofocus, menu navigation, and focus point selection work well on both. The Olympus has face detection and eye detection AF, but the Panasonic’s touch interface is smoother and more responsive, partly thanks to newer processor tech - the Venus Engine.

Autofocus and Burst Performance: Who’s Faster on the Draw?

Speed and precision of autofocus (AF) make a noticeable difference especially in fast-moving subjects like sports and wildlife.

• Olympus E-PM2: Uses contrast-detection AF with 35 selectable points, face detection, and continuous AF. No phase detection on sensor.
• Panasonic ZS70: Also uses contrast-detection AF but with 49 AF points and offers focus bracketing, focus stacking, and even postfocus features - the latter is a clever Panasonic innovation allowing you to pick the focus point after shooting.

In my hands-on tests, the Olympus E-PM2’s AF is relatively swift for its generation but cannot match modern smartphones or newer mirrorless cameras for speed. It’s best suited for static or slow-moving subjects. Its 8 fps burst shooting is respectable, but buffer limits mean you won’t hold the trigger forever.

The ZS70 offers 10fps burst mode, slightly faster and paired with advanced features that make it more fun to experiment with macros and focus stacking.

Neither camera excels for demanding sports or wildlife action, but the Olympus holds a slight edge in tracking accuracy given its better sensor and lens options (like fast 75mm or 40-150mm telephotos). The Panasonic’s zoom range offers reach but compromises on maximal aperture and AF speed.

Lens Ecosystem and Versatility: Expand or Zoom?

This is a fundamental divergence.

Olympus E PM2 front Olympus E PM2 screen back Panasonic ZS70 front

The Olympus PEN E-PM2 employs the Micro Four Thirds system, giving access to 107+ lenses ranging from fast primes (like the excellent 45mm f/1.8) to versatile zooms and ultra-wide options. This means you can tailor your kit exactly to your style, and invest in quality optics over time.

The Olympus sensor’s 2.1x crop factor also means lenses behave as if their focal length is doubled (e.g., 25mm lens acts like 50mm full-frame).

In contrast, the Panasonic ZS70 features a fixed 24-720mm equivalent 30x zoom lens (F3.3–6.4 aperture), meaning you can go from wide landscapes to distant wildlife without switching lenses. However, the lens struggles in low light and doesn’t offer the shallow depth of field portraits achievable with fast primes.

Zoom versatility and pocketability are ZS70’s major draws while Olympus gives you image quality, control, and artistic options by lens swapping.

Photography Genre Showdown: Who Shines Where?

Let’s break down practical performance by genre based on real factory specs and my real-world experience.

Portrait Photography

• Olympus E-PM2 impresses with its larger sensor and interchangeable fast lenses capable of delivering beautiful bokeh and accurate skin tones. The face and eye-detection AF (though not always lightning fast) aid in nail-biting focus on eyes.
• Panasonic ZS70 can handle portraits but struggles with background blur due to its small sensor and slower lens aperture.

Winner: Olympus, hands down for portraits with natural skin tones and subject isolation.

Landscape Photography

• Olympus has superior dynamic range and color depth for broad tonal gradations - crucial for landscapes.
• Weather sealing is absent on both, but Olympus’ Micro Four Thirds zooms often come weather resistant.
• Panasonic offers the convenience of mega-wide to tele zoom in one body but sacrifices dynamic range and details at base ISO.

Winner: Olympus for image quality and interchangeable lenses; Panasonic for convenience on the go.

Wildlife

• Olympus with a longer telephoto lens + faster burst shooting is better for tracking animals.
• Panasonic’s 720mm equivalent reaches further but narrow aperture hampers autofocus speed and detail.

Winner: Olympus for serious wildlife aperture and glass leverage; Panasonic for casual telescoping but softer results.

Sports

• Olympus gets the edge with 8fps shooting and better continuous AF, though 35 focus points can be limiting.
• Panasonic’s 10fps burst is faster but with less accurate tracking on fast subjects.

Winner: Slight edge Olympus, but both are budget options here.

Street Photography

• Olympus’s smaller size and discreet style suits candid street work.
• Panasonic’s bulkier superzoom may draw attention but the tilting touch screen helps low-angle shots.

Winner: Olympus for discretion and image quality.

Macro Photography

• Panasonic supports focus stacking, focus bracketing, and has 3cm close focus - great tools for macro shooters.
• Olympus offers good macro via dedicated lenses but no stacking features.

Winner: Panasonic leads thanks to macro innovations despite sensor limits.

Night and Astro Photography

• Olympus’s superior ISO performance and dynamic range make it easier to capture stars and dim scenes.
• Panasonic’s small sensor yields more noise at high ISO.

Winner: Olympus for low-light capability.

Video Capabilities

Here Panasonic truly steps up.

• Panasonic ZS70 shoots 4K UHD (30p), offers advanced video modes, optional time-lapse, and good optical stabilization.
• Olympus caps out at Full HD 1080p 30fps with no 4K option.
• Panasonic’s video formats (AVCHD, MP4) and hybrid autofocus suit vloggers and casual creators.

Winner: Panasonic for 4K video and stabilization.

Travel Photography

• Panasonic’s all-in-one zoom lens, EVF, and tilting touchscreen shine for travel convenience.
• Olympus, while compact and light, requires carry of lenses.

Winner: Panasonic for on-the-go versatility.

Professional Work

• Olympus raw files offer more editing flexibility.
• No environmental sealing on either, so not rugged.
• Olympus’s support for lens ecosystem and fully articulated exposure modes provide a more professional workflow.

Winner: Olympus due to system expandability and image quality.

Battery Life and Connectivity: What About Staying Power?

• Olympus E-PM2 offers approx. 360 shots per charge - good but slightly lower than Panasonic.
• Panasonic ZS70 claims 380 shots; not a huge difference, but small sensor cameras can often eke out more shots per battery.
• Both use SD cards, have HDMI out, but no Bluetooth or GPS.
• Olympus supports Eye-Fi wireless cards, a solution now antiquated versus Panasonic’s built-in Wi-Fi.

Connectivity wise, the Panasonic is more modern and future-proof.

Price & Value: Getting the Most Bang Per Buck

Both hover in the mid-$400 range used or discounted - a great price for either camera considering their features:

If you’re a cheapskate enthusiast focused on quality, Olympus offers better raw image quality and lens options on a tight budget. If you want one camera for everything from ultra-wide to long zoom with video inclinations, Panasonic is a steal.

Summing It Up: Who Should Buy Which?

Here’s the final rundown that hopefully matches your photography style:

Final Thoughts: Play to Your Strengths and Passions

In the end, both cameras have stood the test of time and each carve out a strong user base. The Olympus E-PM2 is a gateway into the Micro Four Thirds ecosystem with excellent image quality for its era - perfect for enthusiasts who want a quality stills-focused system with room to grow.

The Panasonic ZS70 is a Swiss Army knife compact, bringing zoom reach and video chops with 4K, aimed at casual shooters, travelers, and vloggers who want their camera to do it all without juggling lenses.

If you find yourself pointing the camera mostly at people, landscapes, or spots where image quality and control matter, Olympus wins by a mile. If you’re into roam-and-shoot versatility, occasional video, and don’t want to fuss with lenses, Panasonic is your best freind.

As always, testing cameras myself is the best way to get a feel for which suits your grip and style. I encourage shooting with both before committing if possible. Hopefully, this breakdown arms you with a grounded, no-nonsense perspective so you can make an informed choice and enjoy your photography journey, no matter which you take along.

Happy snapping!