Olympus FE-4030 vs Olympus E-PM1

Its time to look more in depth at the Olympus FE-4030 and Olympus E-PM1, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are offered by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the FE-4030 (14MP) and the E-PM1 (12MP) is pretty close but the FE-4030 (1/2.3") and E-PM1 (Four Thirds) offer different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The FE-4030 was unveiled 22 months prior to the E-PM1 which makes them a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus FE-4030 being a Compact camera and the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a in depth comparison, here is a short summary of how the FE-4030 scores against the E-PM1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus FE-4030 and Olympus PEN E-PM1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-4030 Gallery and Olympus E-PM1 Gallery.

When you are going to travel with your camera regularly, you'll need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus FE-4030 provides physical measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs) and the Olympus E-PM1 has measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs).

Look at the Olympus FE-4030 and Olympus E-PM1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the FE-4030 and the E-PM1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FE-4030 and E-PM1 is 95 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, its tough to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions purely by looking through technical specs. The pic underneath will give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the FE-4030 and E-PM1.

As you have seen, each of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The FE-4030 using its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Olympus FE-4030 will provide you with greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The more aged FE-4030 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.