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Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1

Portability
58
Imaging
48
Features
76
Overall
59
Olympus E-5 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 front
Portability
97
Imaging
40
Features
26
Overall
34

Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1 Key Specs

Olympus E-5
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 800g - 143 x 117 x 75mm
  • Revealed February 2011
  • Earlier Model is Olympus E-3
Panasonic XS1
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-120mm (F2.8-6.9) lens
  • 103g - 94 x 54 x 14mm
  • Announced January 2013
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Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1 Overview

Its time to look closer at the Olympus E-5 and Panasonic XS1, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the E-5 (12MP) and XS1 (16MP) and the E-5 (Four Thirds) and XS1 (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-5 was released 23 months before the XS1 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic XS1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-5 matches up versus the XS1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-5 over the Panasonic XS1

 E-5 XS1 
Manual focus More exact focusing
Display typeFully ArticulatedFixed Fully Articulating display
Display dimension3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution920k230kClearer display (+690k dot)
Selfie screen Easy selfies

Reasons to pick Panasonic XS1 over the Olympus E-5

 XS1 E-5 
AnnouncedJanuary 2013February 2011More modern by 23 months

Common features in the Olympus E-5 and Panasonic XS1

 E-5 XS1 
Touch friendly display Neither comes with Touch friendly display

Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1 Physical Comparison

If you're looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-5 comes with outer dimensions of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") along with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) while the Panasonic XS1 has specifications of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") with a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-5 and Panasonic XS1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you select at that moment. The following is the front view proportions comparison of the E-5 compared to the XS1.

Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1 size comparison

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-5 and XS1 is 58 and 97 respectively.

Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it is very tough to visualize the gap between sensor sizes just by reading through a spec sheet. The picture below may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-5 and XS1.

Clearly, both of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-5 because of its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic XS1 will resolve extra detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-5 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.

Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-5 Portrait photography info
Panasonic XS1 Portrait photography info
60
has manual focus
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
offers face detection autofocus
exports RAW formats
MP count low (12MP)
30
MP count good (16MP)
lack of manual focus
manual exposure not available
no external flash support
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-5 Street photography factors
Panasonic XS1 Street photography factors
71
screen articulates fully
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
environment sealing
64
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competitors in class (103 grams)
no moving screen
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus E-5
Sports photography with Panasonic XS1
59
great max shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
environment sealing
supports phase detect autofocus
very slow continuous shooting (5.0 frames/s)
MP count low (12MP)
41
built in image stabilization (Optical)
MP count good (16 megapixels)
includes tracking focus
max fps low (1.0 frames/s)
no shutter priority
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-5 Travel photography features
Panasonic XS1 Travel photography features
56
environment sealing
has built in flash
selfie friendly display
does not have Time Lapse function
MP count low (12 megapixels)
69
lighter than competitors in class (103g)
MP count good (16MP)
built-in flash
fairly wide (24mm)
does not have Time Lapse function
does not posses selfie friendly display
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-5 as a Landscape photography camera
Panasonic XS1 as a Landscape photography camera
65
has manual focus
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
good sized screen (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
environment sealing
two card slots
MP count low (12MP)
does not have Time Lapse function
39
fairly wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
MP count good (16MP)
lack of manual focus
can't swap lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
small screen (2.7 inch)
manual exposure not available
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
does not have Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-5 Vlogging features
Panasonic XS1 Vlogging features
64
selfie friendly display
image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers face detection autofocus
comes with external mic socket
low quality video (1280 x 720 pxls)
31
fairly wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competitors in class (103g)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
does not posses selfie friendly display
low video resolution (1280 x 720 pxls)
does not have mic socket
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Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic XS1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-5 and Panasonic XS1
 Olympus E-5Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus E-5 Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1
Category Advanced DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Revealed 2011-02-03 2013-01-07
Physical type Mid-size SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Chip TruePic V+ -
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 -
Max resolution 4032 x 3024 4608 x 3456
Max native ISO 6400 6400
Min native ISO 100 100
RAW format
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Total focus points 11 -
Cross type focus points 11 -
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 24-120mm (5.0x)
Max aperture - f/2.8-6.9
Macro focusing distance - 5cm
Total lenses 45 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.9
Screen
Display type Fully Articulated Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3 inches 2.7 inches
Display resolution 920 thousand dots 230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display technology HyperCrystal transmissive LCD TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentaprism) None
Viewfinder coverage 100% -
Viewfinder magnification 0.58x -
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60s 60s
Fastest shutter speed 1/8000s 1/1600s
Continuous shutter rate 5.0 frames/s 1.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Change WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 18.00 m (at ISO 200) 4.40 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Fastest flash synchronize 1/250s -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1280x720
Video file format Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 800 grams (1.76 pounds) 103 grams (0.23 pounds)
Dimensions 143 x 117 x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") 94 x 54 x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating 56 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 21.6 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.5 not tested
DXO Low light rating 519 not tested
Other
Battery life 870 shots 260 shots
Type of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID BLM-5 -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage Compact Flash (Type I or II)/SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots Dual 1
Pricing at release $1,700 $130