Olympus 1s vs Panasonic ZS1

Lets look more closely at the Olympus 1s vs Panasonic ZS1, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the 1s (12MP) and the ZS1 (10MP) is pretty well matched but the 1s (1/1.7") and ZS1 (1/2.5") offer totally different sensor measurements.

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The 1s was announced 6 years later than the ZS1 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 1s being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera.

Before going into a detailed comparison, here is a quick summation of how the 1s scores vs the ZS1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus 1s and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus 1s Gallery and Panasonic ZS1 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to lug around your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus 1s offers outer measurements of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") accompanied by a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS1 has dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus 1s vs Panasonic ZS1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you use during that time. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the 1s against the ZS1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the 1s and ZS1 is 79 and 91 respectively.

Typically, its tough to see the gap between sensor measurements only by looking at a spec sheet. The visual here might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the 1s and ZS1.

Clearly, the 2 cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The 1s having a bigger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus 1s will give extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The newer 1s is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.