Olympus XZ-1 vs Panasonic GX85

Below is a comprehensive review of the Olympus XZ-1 versus Panasonic GX85, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and GX85 (16MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and GX85 (Four Thirds) posses different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The XZ-1 was released 6 years before the GX85 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GX85 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the XZ-1 grades against the GX85 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery and Panasonic GX85 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you should factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus XZ-1 provides external measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GX85 has measurements of 122mm x 71mm x 44mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs).

Check the Olympus XZ-1 versus Panasonic GX85 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with at that time. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the XZ-1 vs the GX85.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the XZ-1 and GX85 is 88 and 83 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to imagine the difference in sensor measurements just by checking out specifications. The graphic underneath might give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-1 and GX85.

Plainly, each of the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The XZ-1 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Panasonic GX85 will provide more detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The older XZ-1 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.