Olympus PEN-F vs Panasonic FZ80

The following is a detailed assessment of the Olympus PEN-F vs Panasonic FZ80, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the PEN-F (20MP) and the FZ80 (18MP) is fairly comparable but the PEN-F (Four Thirds) and FZ80 (1/2.3") have different sensor dimensions.

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The PEN-F was introduced 11 months prior to the FZ80 so they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus PEN-F being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple summary of how the PEN-F grades versus the FZ80 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN-F & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus PEN-F Gallery & Panasonic FZ80 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera frequently, you will want to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus PEN-F has got exterior measurements of 125mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.5") having a weight of 427 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ80 has proportions of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") and a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs).

Compare the Olympus PEN-F vs Panasonic FZ80 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are using during that time. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the PEN-F compared to the FZ80.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the PEN-F and FZ80 is 84 and 63 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by seeing a spec sheet. The image underneath may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the PEN-F and FZ80.

Clearly, each of these cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The PEN-F using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus PEN-F will show extra detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged PEN-F will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.