Olympus XZ-1 vs Panasonic S5

In this write-up, we will be looking at the Olympus XZ-1 versus Panasonic S5, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a large difference between the resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and S5 (24MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and S5 (Full frame) use different sensor sizing.

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The XZ-1 was revealed 10 years prior to the S5 which is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic S5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a simple summation of how the XZ-1 matches up against the S5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus XZ-1 & Panasonic Lumix DC-S5. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery & Panasonic S5 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera frequently, you should factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-1 has exterior measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) while the Panasonic S5 has sizing of 133mm x 97mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") having a weight of 714 grams (1.57 lbs).

Examine the Olympus XZ-1 versus Panasonic S5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are working with at that time. Following is the front view size comparison of the XZ-1 against the S5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the XZ-1 and S5 is 88 and 60 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizes simply by reading through specs. The pic here may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the XZ-1 and S5.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The XZ-1 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting bokeh trickier and the Panasonic S5 will give you extra detail because of its extra 14 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The more aged XZ-1 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.