Olympus XZ-1 vs Panasonic ZS70

Here is a in depth analysis of the Olympus XZ-1 versus Panasonic ZS70, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizeable gap among the image resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and ZS70 (20MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and ZS70 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor size.

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The XZ-1 was launched 7 years before the ZS70 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a short introduction of how the XZ-1 scores versus the ZS70 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus XZ-1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery and Panasonic ZS70 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera often, you should factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-1 has got outer dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS70 has sizing of 112mm x 67mm x 41mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 322 grams (0.71 lbs).

Examine the Olympus XZ-1 versus Panasonic ZS70 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is a front view scale comparison of the XZ-1 compared to the ZS70.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the XZ-1 and ZS70 is 88 and 87 respectively.

Quite often, it's tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizing purely by seeing a spec sheet. The visual below may offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the XZ-1 and ZS70.

Clearly, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The XZ-1 featuring a bigger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic ZS70 will produce more detail utilizing its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The older XZ-1 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.