Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic ZS100

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Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic ZS100

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4/3 224.9mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M5 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M5.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.1 megapixels
25.00mm - 250.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Panasonic ZS100 Review.
How does it shoot? Panasonic ZS100 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the ZS100.
Compare Panasonic ZS100 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Panasonic ZS100 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M5 II
Compare E-M5 vs E-M5 II

Succeeded by the Panasonic ZS200
Compare ZS100 vs ZS200

Compare OLYMPUS E-M5 II vs PANASONIC ZS200

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Differences

Olympus E-M5 advantages over Panasonic ZS100

Larger sensor
4/3 vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.75 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Fast startup
~1.10 vs 2.3 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
E-M5 test data on DxO Mark ZS100 test data on DxO Mark

826 vs 559 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

360 vs 300 shots
Capture more photos
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
More viewfinder magnification
0.58x vs 0.46x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder

Panasonic ZS100 advantages over Olympus E-M5

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Less expensive
$398* vs $900
Save money for lenses or accessories
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
9 years vs 13 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
More dots on screen
1040k vs 614k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
Shoots 1080p video
Yes vs No
You'll want this if you shoot video
Less shutter lag
0.10 vs 0.28 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
20.1 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Faster JPEG shooting
9.9 fps vs 8.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 17 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Both provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
External Mic Jack
Neither provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read E-M5 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read ZS100 User Reviews

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Panasonic ZS100 (Black)

Panasonic ZS100 (Black)
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Review Excerpt

Attractive body design; Well-built, weather-sealed body; Excellent image quality; Excellent image stabilization; Very fast autofocus.
Exposure compensation dial changes easily; Small buttons; No in-camera chromatic aberration correction; Bundled flash is weak; Video compression artifacts with rapidly-moving subjects.
Read our Olympus E-M5 Review

Compact camera body; versatile 10x zoom lens; relatively good high ISO performance; fast autofocus; many good 4K video and photo features.
Soft lens at longer focal lengths; no tilting display; small electronic viewfinder; slippery finish on the camera body.
Read our Panasonic ZS100 Review

The Competition

Compared to Olympus E-M1

Olympus E-M5

Olympus E-M1

$900
4/3

Thinner
Shoots 60p video

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
Fast startup

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-M1

Panasonic ZS100

Olympus E-M1

$498
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

$1099
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic ZS100 vs Olympus E-M1

Compared to Panasonic G3

Olympus E-M5

Panasonic G3

$900
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Higher effective ISO

$700
4/3

Internal flash
More viewfinder magnification

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic G3

Panasonic ZS100

Panasonic G3

$498
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$700
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic ZS100 vs Panasonic G3

Compared to Olympus E-P5

Olympus E-M5

Olympus E-P5

$900
4/3

Eye-level viewfinder
More telephoto lens reach

$1249
4/3

Focus peaking
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-P5

Panasonic ZS100

Olympus E-P5

$498
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
Shoot 4K video

$1249
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic ZS100 vs Olympus E-P5

Compared to Panasonic GX7

Olympus E-M5

Panasonic GX7

$900
4/3

Higher effective ISO
More telephoto lens reach

$648
4/3

Focus peaking
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic GX7

Panasonic ZS100

Panasonic GX7

$498
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
Higher max flash sync

$648
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic ZS100 vs Panasonic GX7

Compared to Sony RX100 VI

Olympus E-M5

Sony RX100 VI

$900
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$949
1 inch

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX100 VI

Panasonic ZS100

Sony RX100 VI

$498
1 inch

Less expensive
More telephoto lens reach

$949
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Tiltable Screen

Compare Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX100 VI

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