Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic GX8

In this write-up, we are comparing the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic GX8, one is a Pro DSLR and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and GX8 (20MP) but they come with the same exact sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The E-1 was revealed 12 years before the GX8 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic GX8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting through a comprehensive comparison, below is a short highlight of how the E-1 scores versus the GX8 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Panasonic GX8 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-1 offers outer dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") with a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) and the Panasonic GX8 has sizing of 133mm x 78mm x 63mm (5.2" x 3.1" x 2.5") along with a weight of 487 grams (1.07 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic GX8 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select during that time. Here is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-1 and the GX8.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-1 and GX8 is 59 and 74 respectively.

Typically, it can be hard to see the gap between sensor sizes only by reading a spec sheet. The pic here will help give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-1 and GX8.

As you can see, each of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Panasonic GX8 to offer you greater detail because of its extra 15MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more aged E-1 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.