Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic S2

Here is a extensive comparison of the Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic S2, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-5 (12MP) and the S2 (14MP) is pretty comparable but the E-5 (Four Thirds) and S2 (1/2.3") posses different sensor dimensions.

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The E-5 was brought out 11 months prior to the S2 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic S2 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the E-5 grades against the S2 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-S2. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-5 Gallery & Panasonic S2 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-5 comes with exterior dimensions of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S2 has sizing of 98mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") having a weight of 112 grams (0.25 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic S2 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are employing at the time. The following is a front view size comparison of the E-5 compared to the S2.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-5 and S2 is 58 and 96 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to imagine the difference in sensor sizing simply by going through specs. The visual below may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-5 and S2.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-5 because of its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic S2 will produce greater detail having its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older E-5 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.