Olympus 1s vs Panasonic ZR1

Below is a extensive assessment of the Olympus 1s vs Panasonic ZR1, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the 1s (12MP) and the ZR1 (12MP) is pretty close but the 1s (1/1.7") and ZR1 (1/2.3") feature different sensor dimensions.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The 1s was unveiled 5 years later than the ZR1 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus 1s being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a more detailed comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the 1s matches up against the ZR1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus 1s & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1. The full galleries are provided at Olympus 1s Gallery & Panasonic ZR1 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera regularly, you have to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus 1s comes with physical dimensions of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") having a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZR1 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Compare the Olympus 1s vs Panasonic ZR1 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose during that time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the 1s versus the ZR1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 1s and ZR1 is 79 and 94 respectively.

Normally, it is very hard to picture the difference in sensor measurements simply by viewing specs. The photograph here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the 1s and ZR1.

All in all, both the cameras offer the same exact megapixels albeit different sensor measurements. The 1s contains the bigger sensor which will make obtaining shallow depth of field simpler. The more modern 1s should have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.