Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Panasonic GX8

Following is a comprehensive assessment of the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Panasonic GX8, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and GX8 (20MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and GX8 (Four Thirds) provide different sensor sizing.

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The XZ-2 iHS was manufactured 3 years earlier than the GX8 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GX8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a full comparison, here is a quick view of how the XZ-2 iHS matches up against the GX8 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-2 iHS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery & Panasonic GX8 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you should think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS offers physical measurements of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") along with a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GX8 has dimensions of 133mm x 78mm x 63mm (5.2" x 3.1" x 2.5") having a weight of 487 grams (1.07 lbs).

See the Olympus XZ-2 iHS versus Panasonic GX8 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are using at that moment. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the XZ-2 iHS vs the GX8.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-2 iHS and GX8 is 85 and 74 respectively.

Typically, it can be tough to visualize the contrast in sensor sizes only by checking out specs. The picture below may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-2 iHS and GX8.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The XZ-2 iHS because of its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Panasonic GX8 will produce more detail due to its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged XZ-2 iHS will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.