Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic GH5

In this article, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-420 and Panasonic GH5, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a noticeable gap among the resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and GH5 (20MP) but they use the same exact sensor dimensions (Four Thirds).

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The E-420 was launched 9 years before the GH5 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic GH5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight into a full comparison, below is a concise summation of how the E-420 scores vs the GH5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-420 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH5. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-420 Gallery & Panasonic GH5 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera, you will need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-420 enjoys exterior dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") and a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Panasonic GH5 has proportions of 139mm x 98mm x 87mm (5.5" x 3.9" x 3.4") and a weight of 725 grams (1.60 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-420 and Panasonic GH5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you select at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-420 against the GH5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-420 and GH5 is 77 and 59 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing only by checking out specs. The photograph below may give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-420 and GH5.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same resolution. You can count on the Panasonic GH5 to provide greater detail utilizing its extra 10MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older E-420 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.