Olympus 1s vs Panasonic ZS8

Its time to look much closer at the Olympus 1s vs Panasonic ZS8, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the 1s (12MP) and the ZS8 (14MP) is relatively close but the 1s (1/1.7") and ZS8 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The 1s was manufactured 3 years after the ZS8 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 1s being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera.

Before delving through a thorough comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the 1s matches up versus the ZS8 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus 1s & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. The entire galleries are available at Olympus 1s Gallery & Panasonic ZS8 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to travel with your camera often, you'll need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus 1s has got exterior dimensions 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 ZS8 has dimensions of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs).

Examine the Olympus 1s vs Panasonic ZS8 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use at the time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the 1s against the ZS8.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 1s and ZS8 is 79 and 92 respectively.

More often than not, it can be difficult to see the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by researching technical specs. The image here should provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the 1s and ZS8.

As you have seen, both of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The 1s due to its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic ZS8 will provide you with extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The more modern 1s will have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.