A potelyt.com – Photography & Imaging Resources
ad

When you use links on apotelyt.com to buy products,
the site may earn a commission.

PW

Olympus E-M5 vs Zeiss ZX1

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 and the Zeiss ZX1 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2012 and September 2018. The E-M5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the ZX1 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-M5) and a full frame (ZX1) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Zeiss provides 37.4 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-M5
versus
Zeiss ZX1
Olympus E-M5   Zeiss ZX1
Mirrorless system camera Fixed lens compact camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses 35mm f/2.8
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor 37.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60i Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 80-51,200
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots) Electronic viewfinder (6221k dots)
3.0" LCD – 610k dots 4.3" LCD – 2765k dots
Tilting touchscreen Fixed touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second 3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationno shake reduction
Weathersealed bodynot weather sealed
360 shots per battery charge250 shots per battery charge
122 x 89 x 43 mm, 425 g 142 x 93 x 46 mm, 800 g
logo
Check E-M5 offers at
ebay.com
logo
Check ZX1 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and the Zeiss ZX1? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

ad

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M5 and the Zeiss ZX1 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M5 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the ZX1 is only available in black.

Size Olympus E-M5 vs Zeiss ZX1
Compare E-M5 versus ZX1 top
Comparison E-M5 or ZX1 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Zeiss ZX1 is notably larger (22 percent) than the Olympus E-M5. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-M5 is splash and dust resistant, while the ZX1 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the ZX1 has a lens built in, whereas the E-M5 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the E-M5 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-M5 gets 360 shots out of its Olympus BLN-1 battery, while the ZX1 can take 250 images on a single charge of its Zeiss DD-PS1A power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

scroll hint
Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M5 122 mm 89 mm 43 mm 425 g 360 Y Feb 2012 US$ 1 299ebay.com
2.
 
Zeiss ZX1 142 mm 93 mm 46 mm 800 g 250 n Sep 2018 US$ 5 999ebay.com
3.
 
Leica M10 139 mm 80 mm 39 mm 660 g 210 Y Jan 2017 US$ 6 599ebay.com
4.
 
Leica Q Typ 116 130 mm 80 mm 93 mm 640 g 300 n Jun 2015 US$ 4 249ebay.com
5.
 
Leica Q2 130 mm 80 mm 92 mm 718 g 370 Y Mar 2019 US$ 4 999 amazon.com
6.
 
Olympus E-M1 130 mm 94 mm 63 mm 497 g 350 Y Sep 2013 US$ 1 399ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 II 124 mm 85 mm 45 mm 469 g 310 Y Feb 2015 US$ 1 099ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 US$ 999ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 US$ 599ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2 110 mm 64 mm 34 mm 269 g 360 n Sep 2012 US$ 499ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus PEN-F 125 mm 72 mm 37 mm 427 g 330 n Jan 2016 US$ 1 199ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic FZ1000 137 mm 99 mm 131 mm 831 g 360 n Jun 2014 US$ 899ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GH3 133 mm 93 mm 82 mm 550 g 540 Y Sep 2012 US$ 1 299ebay.com
15.
 
Panasonic GX7 123 mm 71 mm 55 mm 402 g 350 n Aug 2013 US$ 999ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX1R II 113 mm 65 mm 72 mm 507 g 220 n Oct 2015 US$ 3 299ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-M5 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Zeiss ZX1 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the ZX1 is 284 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.0. The sensor in the E-M5 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the ZX1 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Olympus E-M5 and Zeiss ZX1 sensor measures

With 37.4MP, the ZX1 offers a higher resolution than the E-M5 (15.9MP), but the ZX1 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.81μm versus 3.76μm for the E-M5) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the ZX1 is a much more recent model (by 6 years and 7 months) than the E-M5, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Zeiss ZX1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the ZX1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 37.4 x 25 inches or 95.1 x 63.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 30 x 20 inches or 76.1 x 50.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 25 x 16.6 inches or 63.4 x 42.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-M5 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Zeiss ZX1 are ISO 80 to ISO 51200 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

E-M5 versus ZX1 MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

scroll hint
Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-M5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i22.812.382671
2.
 
Zeiss ZX1 Full Frame 37.4 7488 49924K/30p25.214.1275994
3.
 
Leica M10 Full Frame 23.8 5952 3992none24.413.2213386
4.
 
Leica Q Typ 116 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.312.7222185
5.
 
Leica Q2 Full Frame 46.7 8368 55844K/30p26.413.5249196
6.
 
Olympus E-M1 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.775773
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.012.584273
8.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
9.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
10.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.293272
12.
 
Olympus PEN-F Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38881080/60p23.112.489474
13.
 
Panasonic FZ1000 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.111.751764
14.
 
Panasonic GH3 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p22.712.481271
15.
 
Panasonic GX7 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60p22.612.271870
16.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
17.
 
Sony RX1R II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53041080/60p25.813.9320497
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the ZX1 provides a better video resolution than the E-M5. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/60i.

ad

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the ZX1 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the E-M5 (6221k vs 1440k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-M5 and Zeiss ZX1 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

scroll hint
Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Olympus E-M51440 n3.0 / 610 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s n Y
2.
 
Zeiss ZX16221 n4.3 / 2765 fixed Y 1/1000s 3.0/s n n
3.
 
Leica M10optical n3.0 / 1037 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s n n
4.
 
Leica Q Typ 1163680 n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/2000s 10.0/s n Y
5.
 
Leica Q23680 n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/2000s 10.0/s n Y
6.
 
Olympus E-M12360 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
10.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2optional n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
12.
 
Olympus PEN-F2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
13.
 
Panasonic FZ10002359 n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/4000s 12.0/s Y Y
14.
 
Panasonic GH31746 n3.0 / 614 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
15.
 
Panasonic GX72760 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony RX1R II2360 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/4000s 5.0/s n n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the ZX1 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The E-M5 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the ZX1 uses an internal SSD.

ad

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Zeiss ZX1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

scroll hint
Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-M5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Zeiss ZX1Ystereo / mono---3.1YYY
3.
 
Leica M10Y- / -----Y--
4.
 
Leica Q Typ 116Ystereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
5.
 
Leica Q2Ystereo / mono----Y-Y
6.
 
Olympus E-M1Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
8.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
12.
 
Olympus PEN-FYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
13.
 
Panasonic FZ1000Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
14.
 
Panasonic GH3Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y--
15.
 
Panasonic GX7Ystereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
16.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
17.
 
Sony RX1R IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-

It is notable that the ZX1 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-M5 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the E-M5 and the ZX1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-M5 was replaced by the Olympus E-M5 II, while the ZX1 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M5 and ZX1 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Zeiss ZX1 Manual.

ad

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Olympus E-M5 better than the Zeiss ZX1 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

ilogo

Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M5:

  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/1000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
  • More compact: Is smaller (122x89mm vs 142x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (360 versus 250) on a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2012).

ilogo

Advantages of the Zeiss ZX1:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (37.4 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 56%.
  • Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
  • Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
  • More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
  • More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (6221k vs 1440k dots).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.58x).
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (4.3" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2765k vs 610k dots).
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the E-M5 necessitates an extra lens.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • More prestigious: Has the Zeiss luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
  • More modern: Reflects 6 years and 7 months of technical progress since the E-M5 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the ZX1 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 9 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-M5 09:18 ZX1

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M5 and the Zeiss ZX1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-M5 or the ZX1 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

scroll hint
Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M54/5+ +..80/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2012 US$ 1 299ebay.com
2.
 
Zeiss ZX13/5....83/1004/54/5 Sep 2018 US$ 5 999ebay.com
3.
 
Leica M104.5/5......4/54.5/5 Jan 2017 US$ 6 599ebay.com
4.
 
Leica Q Typ 1165/5....80/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2015 US$ 4 249ebay.com
5.
 
Leica Q2....4.5/584/1004.5/54/5 Mar 2019 US$ 4 999 amazon.com
6.
 
Olympus E-M15/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2013 US$ 1 399ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 II5/5+ +4.5/581/1005/55/5 Feb 2015 US$ 1 099ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 US$ 999ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 US$ 599ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PM23/5....77/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 US$ 499ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus PEN-F....4/582/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 US$ 1 199ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic FZ10004/5+ +..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2014 US$ 899ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GH35/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 US$ 1 299ebay.com
15.
 
Panasonic GX74/5+..79/1005/55/5 Aug 2013 US$ 999ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX1R II5/5....82/100..4.5/5 Oct 2015 US$ 3 299ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

logo
Check E-M5 offers at
ebay.com
logo
Check ZX1 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

~
    loader
    ad

    Specifications: Olympus E-M5 vs Zeiss ZX1

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-M5 Zeiss ZX1
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Fixed lens compact camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses 35mm f/2.8
    Launch Date February 2012 September 2018
    Launch Price USD 1,299 USD 5,999
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-M5 Zeiss ZX1
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 36.0 x 24.0 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 864 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 43.3 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 37.4 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 7488 x 4992 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm 4.81 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2 4.33 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60i Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 80 - 51,200 ISO
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 71 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.8 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.3 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 826 ..
    Screen Specs Olympus E-M5 Zeiss ZX1
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.58x 0.74x
    Viewfinder Resolution 1440k dots 6221k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 4.3inch
    LCD Resolution 610k dots 2765k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Fixed screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-M5 Zeiss ZX1
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 9 shutter flaps/s 3 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/8000s
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationno handshake reduction
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SSD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single SSD
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-M5 Zeiss ZX1
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.1
    HDMI Port mini HDMI no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-M5 Zeiss ZX1
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodynot weather sealed
    Battery Type Olympus BLN-1 Zeiss DD-PS1A
    Battery Life (CIPA)360 shots per charge250 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 122 x 89 x 43 mm
    (4.8 x 3.5 x 1.7 in)
    142 x 93 x 46 mm
    (5.6 x 3.7 x 1.8 in)
    Camera Weight 425 g (15.0 oz) 800 g (28.2 oz)
    logo
    Check E-M5 offers at
    ebay.com
    logo
    Check ZX1 offers at
    ebay.com

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

    You are here Home  »  CAM-parator  »  Olympus E-M5 vs Zeiss ZX1