Olympus PEN-F vs Panasonic ZS8

Here is a detailed analysis of the Olympus PEN-F versus Panasonic ZS8, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference among the resolutions of the PEN-F (20MP) and ZS8 (14MP) and the PEN-F (Four Thirds) and ZS8 (1/2.3") offer different sensor dimensions.

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The PEN-F was unveiled 4 years later than the ZS8 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus PEN-F being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a detailed comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the PEN-F matches up versus the ZS8 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN-F and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. The full galleries are provided at Olympus PEN-F Gallery and Panasonic ZS8 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus PEN-F has physical measurements of 125mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.5") with a weight of 427 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS8 has sizing of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs).

Look at the Olympus PEN-F versus Panasonic ZS8 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you choose during that time. Underneath is a front view dimensions comparison of the PEN-F and the ZS8.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the PEN-F and ZS8 is 84 and 92 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to visualize the difference in sensor sizing only by looking through technical specs. The photograph below should give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the PEN-F and ZS8.

As you have seen, the two cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The PEN-F with its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Olympus PEN-F will render more detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images more aggressively. The newer PEN-F provides an advantage with regard to sensor tech.