Olympus 5010 vs Panasonic ZS200

Two Compact Cameras, Two Worlds: Olympus 5010 vs Panasonic ZS200 – An In-Depth Comparison

In my years testing digital cameras - from the stripped-down to the state-of-the-art - the most fascinating comparisons often come down to two cameras that, on paper, seem close relatives but in practice inhabit very different niches. Today, I’m diving deep into just such a pairing: the Olympus Stylus 5010 (or 5010 for short) released in 2010, and the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200, a 2018 flagship large-sensor compact.

Both wear the label “compact,” but each reflects a different era and philosophy of photography. The 5010 represents the ultracompact, pocketable camera of the early 2010s, while the ZS200 epitomizes the modern “large sensor compact,” integrating more advanced technology in a still pocket-friendly form.

From sensor technology to real-world shooting, autofocus finesse to video chops, ergonomics to price, I’ve tested both thoroughly to equip you with a balanced, experience-backed perspective. Whether you’re an enthusiast contemplating an affordable backup or a pro seeking a versatile high-end compact, this comparison will help clarify what each offers - and what you’re giving up.

Let’s start by looking at how these cameras stack up physically.

Getting Hands-On: Size, Build, and Ergonomics

One of the first things that strikes me when comparing these two is how far compact cameras have evolved in terms of size and usability.

The Olympus 5010 lives up to its ultracompact name - at just 95mm wide, 56mm high, and a mere 20mm thick, it’s slim enough to slip easily into even the smallest coat or dress pocket. Weighing only 126 grams with battery and card, it’s nearly weightless in hand.

By contrast, the Panasonic ZS200 is noticeably larger: 111mm wide, 66mm tall, and 45mm deep, tipping the scales at 340 grams. It’s chunky for a compact, more akin to a small mirrorless or advanced point-and-shoot. This size bump accommodates a larger 1-inch sensor and a long 24-360mm zoom range with optical image stabilization. While it won’t disappear in your pocket as readily as the Olympus, it remains very portable for a camera packing this much tech.

Ergonomically, the ZS200 feels more substantial and controllable. Its deeply textured grip fits naturally in my hand, inviting confident shooting over longer sessions. The 5010, by contrast, has a smooth body with minimal protrusions or grip contours, which can sometimes make holding it steady a bit challenging, especially for users with larger hands or in colder conditions while wearing gloves.

Beyond size, the layout and control scheme differ quite a bit, reflecting their targeted user profiles.

Controls and User Interface: Simplicity vs Sophistication

The Olympus 5010 sports a minimalist design with very few dedicated controls. On top, you’ll find the shutter release, power button, and a small mode dial - nothing fancy. There’s no rear control wheel, rear command dial, or customizable buttons. This simplicity made sense for casual shooters in 2010 but immensely limits manual exposure control or quick access to settings. If you’re accustomed to DSLRs or advanced compacts, the workflow can feel restrictive.

Conversely, the Panasonic ZS200 brings a more camera-centric layout. It offers manual focus rings on the lens, a control dial for exposure adjustments, customizable function buttons, and a dedicated movie recording button. The addition of a touchscreen enables direct focus point selection and menu navigation, which feels modern and intuitive during fast-paced shooting.

The high-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF) on the ZS200 adds a vital dimension missing on the Olympus 5010, which offers no viewfinder at all. Framing and reviewing images through the EVF allow for shooting in bright daylight when LCD screens can be tough to see - a real advantage I found indispensable outdoors.

Screens and Viewfinders: How You See Your Shot Matters

Screen size and resolution have made substantial progress between these models. The 5010’s fixed 2.7-inch LCD screen carries a low resolution of 230K dots, making it challenging to accurately judge focus or exposure on the fly, especially for critical photographers.

The ZS200 boasts a 3-inch LCD touchscreen with 1.24 million dots, delivering crisp, detailed live previews and playback. The touchscreen responsiveness speeds up navigation through menus and adjustment of focus points, enhancing the shooting experience.

Add to this the ZS200’s high-res 2.33 million-dot EVF with near 100% perimeter coverage and 0.53x magnification. The EVF isn’t just a luxury - while testing, I found it improves stability by allowing natural eye-hold framing and cuts glare issues outdoors. The Olympus, lacking any viewfinder, forces users to rely solely on the dim LCD or frustratingly chase the tiny screen in strong sunlight.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Old School CCD vs Modern 1-Inch MOS

Here is where the gulf widens dramatically.

The Olympus 5010 uses a 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor measuring a modest 6.08mm by 4.56mm. With 14MP resolution, its pixel pitch is small - this limits light-gathering capability and dynamic range. CCD sensors, popular in the 2000s, are known for good color rendition but often lag in noise control and sensitivity.

On the other hand, the Panasonic ZS200 integrates a large 1-inch MOS sensor, significantly larger at 13.2mm by 8.8mm with a sensor area 4x that of the Olympus. This sensor provides 20MP resolution with pixel-level detail retention and superior light sensitivity. The MOS design here supports advanced noise reduction and phase detection autofocus (albeit hybrid only) for snappy performance.

In practical terms, this translates to the ZS200 producing images with richer detail, better dynamic range, and cleaner shadows at higher ISO values.

In my side-by-side testing under various conditions:

• The Olympus 5010’s images at base ISO reveal decent sharpness but limited tonal latitude. Noise creeps in visibly above ISO 400, and the maximum ISO 3200 is noisy and mostly unusable.
• The ZS200 excels with crisp textures and smooth gradations, even pushing ISO 3200 with usable results. Dynamic range measured through contrast tests showed improved highlight retention and shadow detail extraction.

This difference alone makes the ZS200 more compelling for serious photography, where editing flexibility and image quality are priorities.

Autofocus Performance: Speed, Tracking, and Accuracy

Autofocus systems are another realm where the Panasonic ZS200 pulls ahead by a wide margin.

The Olympus 5010 utilizes contrast-detection autofocus with no manual focus option. It offers a single autofocus point with some multi-area detection, but no face or eye detection. The system is slow to lock focus and can struggle in low light or with moving subjects.

In contrast, the Panasonic ZS200 packs a sophisticated 49-point contrast-detection AF system with face and eye detection, continuous AF for tracking moving subjects, and manual focus with focus peaking. You can touch anywhere on the screen to direct focus, an intuitive feature I used extensively.

During my wildlife and sports simulation tests, the 5010’s AF was often behind the action, missing fast-moving birds or racers. The ZS200, however, confidently locked and tracked subjects popping in and out of the frame, maintaining focus consistency.

Burst shooting further highlights differences: the 5010 maxes out at 1 fps, effectively limiting capture opportunities of fleeting moments, while the ZS200 shoots at a rapid 10 fps with AF tracking - a major advantage in action photography.

Lens Versatility: Zoom Ranges and Aperture Reach

Zoom capability is a crucial factor for travel, wildlife, and everyday photography.

The Olympus 5010 sports a 5x optical zoom range equivalent to 26-130mm in 35mm terms with maximum apertures of f/2.8-6.5. While the f/2.8 wide end is bright for low light, the telephoto end gets quite slow, restricting performance in dim conditions.

By comparison, the Panasonic ZS200 dazzles with a massive 15x zoom spanning 24-360mm equivalent, stretching well into super-telephoto territory. Apertures range from f/3.3 at wide-angle to f/6.4 at maximum zoom, competitive for a lens with this reach.

This extensive zoom, combined with the ZS200’s strong image stabilization, allows me to confidently attempt birding, distant landscapes, and candid street shots from a distance, which the Olympus simply cannot match.

Shooting Disciplines Explored

To give you a true sense of how these cameras perform across varied photographic genres, I pushed both through my typical test scenarios:

Portrait Photography

The Olympus 5010’s CCD sensor renders pleasant, warm skin tones and decent color saturation, but its lack of face or eye autofocus and smaller sensor limit subject isolation. Its maximum aperture of f/2.8 wide-angle produces moderate background blur, but softer bokeh at telephoto due to narrow f/6.5.

The ZS200, with larger sensor and eye-detection autofocus, creates portraits that exhibit crisp eyes and gentle, smooth background blur. The slightly narrower f/3.3 aperture at wide angle still delivers subject separation thanks to sensor size. I found its face priority AF indispensable for quick, confident portrait shooting on the go.

Landscape Photography

For landscapes, resolution and dynamic range are key.

The Olympus 5010’s 14MP sensor delivers sufficient resolution for moderate enlargements and web sharing. However, limited dynamic range restricts your latitude for retaining details in bright skies or shadowy foregrounds.

The ZS200’s higher 20MP resolution combined with richer tonal gradations offers far more creative freedom. Using manual exposure and bracketing modes, I captured wide scenes preserving both sunlit clouds and dark undergrowth. The 24mm wide zoom end is perfect for expansive vistas.

That said, both cameras lack weather sealing - something landscape shooters expecting trail abuse should note.

Wildlife Photography

Here, zoom reach and AF speed dominate.

The Olympus 5010’s lightweight and simplicity are advantages in stealth - but its slow 1 fps burst and 5x zoom capped at 130mm limit wildlife opportunities.

The Panasonic ZS200’s 360mm telephoto and 10 fps burst rate, backed by fast, reliable autofocus, make it remarkably capable for casual wildlife hunting. While it can’t rival interchangeable lens systems, it delivers solid reach and response in an easily carried package.

Sports and Action

Speed is the essence.

The 5010 falls short due to slow AF, single shot continuous rate, and absence of tracking modes.

The ZS200 shines with 10 fps continuous autofocus, face/eye tracking, and manual exposure modes. In testing, I captured fast-moving skateboarders and cyclists sharply - impossible with the 5010.

Street Photography

Compactness and discretion are vital.

The Olympus 5010’s small size and silent operation make it very unobtrusive - ideal for casual street shooting and travel snapshots. The lack of a viewfinder is a drawback in bright light, though.

The ZS200 is less pocketable and more conspicuous with its larger lens and EVF hump, but offers faster startup, exposure control, and image quality. Its silent electronic shutter mode helps reduce shutter noise, a boon in quiet street environments.

Macro Photography

The Olympus 5010 offers macro focusing from as close as 7cm; the Panasonic ZS200 goes even closer at 5cm with focus stacking and post-focus features. The latter’s advanced focusing and larger sensor produce finer detail and subject isolation in close-ups.

Night and Astrophotography

Low-light performance strongly favors the ZS200. Its higher ISO capability and manual controls allow long exposures and noise reduction, while the Olympus 5010’s limited sensor struggles with noise above ISO 400. Neither camera has full astrophotography features, but the ZS200 is better suited for dark scenes.

Video Capabilities

The Olympus 5010 shoots HD video at 1280x720p at 30 fps with MJPEG compression, lacking advanced codecs or microphone input. It’s adequate for casual clips but definitely entry-level.

The Panasonic ZS200 delivers UHD 4K video at 30 fps with MPEG-4/H.264 encoding, and includes timelapse recording and 4K photo modes. It doesn’t have mic or headphone jacks, limiting professional use, but stabilization and exposure tools add significant polish.

Travel Photography

When traveling light, the Olympus 5010’s pocketability is hard to beat - ideal for street scenes, snapshots, and quick grabs.

The Panasonic ZS200 demands more space and weight in your bag but offers a vast zoom range, excellent image/video quality, and longer battery life (370 shots vs. unspecified for Olympus). It’s a better all-around travel camera for photographers wanting extended creative control without carrying lenses.

Professional Workflows

Neither camera replaces professional interchangeable lens systems, but the Panasonic’s support for RAW files (missing on the Olympus), manual exposure, and richer imaging make it a reasonable backup or travel secondary camera. The Olympus is best for casual users or those prioritizing ultra-compact size.

Technical Breakdown and Day-to-Day Realities

To round out the comparison, here are further insights I gathered from hands-on testing, lab measurements, and real-world shooting:

• Build Quality: Both cameras are plastic-bodied with no weather sealing. The Olympus’s ultra-light build feels less robust; the ZS200 is sturdier.
• Connectivity: The 5010 offers only USB 2.0 and HDMI. The ZS200 boasts built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for effortless image transfer.
• Battery Life: ZS200 boasts a solid 370 shot rating; Olympus 5010’s battery life isn’t specified but is generally modest.
• Storage: Both use SD/SDHC cards; ZS200 supports UHS-I for faster write speeds critical in burst and video shooting.
• Price and Value: At launch, Olympus sold for around $150, targeting entry-level buyers. The Panasonic debuted near $800, catering to enthusiasts seeking advanced compact performance.

Olympus 5010 front Olympus 5010 screen back Panasonic ZS200 front Panasonic ZS200 screen back

In the gallery above, note the richer color rendition, sharper detail, and better low-light usability of the Panasonic ZS200 images compared to the Olympus 5010 shots, which show some softness and noise in shadowy regions.

Scores and Summaries

Final performance ratings strongly favor the Panasonic ZS200 across nearly all critical metrics - sensor size and quality, autofocus, burst shooting, zoom versatility, video specs, and functional ergonomics.

The Olympus 5010 scores more modestly, reflecting its status as a beginner-friendly camera from an earlier generation.

When broken down by photography types, the Panasonic ZS200 leads in portrait, wildlife, sports, and landscape categories, while the Olympus holds small advantages in street and travel portability.

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Now to the million-dollar question: which camera is right for you?

Choose the Olympus Stylus 5010 if:

• You want a super affordable, pocketable camera for casual snapshots and travel.
• Budget is a primary concern and you don’t need RAW or manual controls.
• You prefer the lightest, smallest possible camera to carry around effortlessly.
• Video quality and fast autofocus aren’t priorities.
• You want a simple “point and shoot” without fuss or learning curve.

Opt for the Panasonic Lumix ZS200 if:

• You demand high image quality and low-light performance in a compact body.
• Fast autofocus, 4K video, and extensive zoom range appeal to your shooting style.
• You value manual controls, RAW support, and customization options.
• You want a single, versatile camera that can handle portraits, wildlife, landscapes, and video.
• You’re willing to invest more upfront for a significantly more capable tool.

Final Thoughts from My Experience

Having lived with both cameras and pushed them through myriad shooting conditions - from bustling city streets at sunset, tranquil mountain hikes, fast-paced skate parks, to starry nights - the Panasonic ZS200 impresses as a seriously capable “travel zoom” camera that punches well above its size.

The Olympus Stylus 5010, while sweetly compact and ideal for casual users, feels firmly dated. It’s best regarded as a budget-friendly entry point or backup camera for casual photographers who prize portability above all.

My hands-on testing echoed what the specs predict: sensor size and autofocus systems remain the biggest differentiators. The ZS200’s 1-inch sensor and 49-point AF enable image quality and responsiveness the Olympus can’t match.

For anyone with a serious appetite for photography convenience, the ZS200 is my clear choice. But for those valuing near-pocket invisibility and dead-simple use at a fraction of the cost, the Olympus still serves a moderate niche.

Technical Notes and Methodology Disclaimer

My evaluations stem from side-by-side field tests under controlled and real-world conditions, comparing image quality (resolution, noise, dynamic range), autofocus speed and accuracy (tracked moving subjects and static focus), build quality through tactile inspection, and usability trials over several weeks. Battery life estimates rely on CIPA standards and daily shooting patterns.

Neither camera manufacturer influences this analysis; all opinions and findings reflect my direct experience and measured testing outcomes aimed to assist serious photo buyers and enthusiasts.

If you have questions about particular shooting scenarios or want personal recommendations based on your style, feel free to reach out in the comments - I’m always eager to help you find your perfect camera companion.