Olympus 1 vs Panasonic ZS30

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus 1 and Panasonic ZS30, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap among the resolutions of the 1 (12MP) and ZS30 (18MP) and the 1 (1/1.7") and ZS30 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor sizing.

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The 1 was launched 11 months later than the ZS30 and they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus 1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic ZS30 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief summary of how the 1 matches up against the ZS30 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus 1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus 1 Gallery and Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus 1 offers outer dimensions of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") and a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS30 has measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus 1 and Panasonic ZS30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the 1 vs the ZS30.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 1 and ZS30 is 79 and 92 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to visualise the gap in sensor measurements only by going through a spec sheet. The graphic here might offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the 1 and ZS30.

Clearly, both of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 1 because of its bigger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic ZS30 will show more detail utilizing its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more recent 1 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.