Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic GH4

Here, we will be comparing the Olympus E-420 versus Panasonic GH4, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and GH4 (16MP) but both cameras posses the identical sensor size (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-420 was revealed 6 years prior to the GH4 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic GH4 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a complete comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the E-420 matches up vs the GH4 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-420 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-420 Gallery and Panasonic GH4 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-420 has outside dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") having a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GH4 has specifications of 133mm x 93mm x 84mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.3") along with a weight of 560 grams (1.23 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-420 versus Panasonic GH4 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select at that moment. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the E-420 against the GH4.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-420 and GH4 is 77 and 66 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizes just by going through technical specs. The image below should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-420 and GH4.

As you have seen, both of the cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same resolution. You should count on the Panasonic GH4 to show more detail because of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The more aged E-420 will be behind in sensor tech.