Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic GF8

Below, we will be looking at the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic GF8, one is a Pro DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and GF8 (16MP) but they use the exact same sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was introduced 13 years prior to the GF8 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic GF8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E-1 scores vs the GF8 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF8. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Panasonic GF8 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to travel with your camera, you will have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-1 enjoys outer dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") and a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GF8 has specifications of 107mm x 65mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 266 grams (0.59 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic GF8 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Following is the front view scale comparison of the E-1 against the GF8.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-1 and GF8 is 59 and 90 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to picture the gap between sensor dimensions simply by looking at technical specs. The picture below may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-1 and GF8.

As you have seen, both of those cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit different MP. You should expect the Panasonic GF8 to give you extra detail using its extra 11 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-1 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.