Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic GH4

Here is a extended overview of the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic GH4, former being a Pro DSLR while the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a substantial gap among the image resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and GH4 (16MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was released 11 years before the GH4 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic GH4 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-1 grades against the GH4 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Panasonic GH4 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera regularly, you have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-1 has physical measurements of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") along with a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) and the Panasonic GH4 has proportions of 133mm x 93mm x 84mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.3") with a weight of 560 grams (1.23 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic GH4 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the E-1 versus the GH4.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-1 and GH4 is 59 and 66 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizing purely by going through a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-1 and GH4.

Clearly, each of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You can count on the Panasonic GH4 to show greater detail as a result of its extra 11MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older E-1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.