Olympus FE-4030 vs Panasonic GF5

The following is a in depth overview of the Olympus FE-4030 and Panasonic GF5, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the FE-4030 (14MP) and the GF5 (12MP) is very close but the FE-4030 (1/2.3") and GF5 (Four Thirds) provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The FE-4030 was manufactured 3 years before the GF5 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus FE-4030 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GF5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the FE-4030 scores vs the GF5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus FE-4030 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-4030 Gallery & Panasonic GF5 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera regularly, you're going to have to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus FE-4030 provides outside measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GF5 has measurements of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check the Olympus FE-4030 and Panasonic GF5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the FE-4030 compared to the GF5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the FE-4030 and GF5 is 95 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to envision the gap in sensor dimensions just by viewing specifications. The image below might offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-4030 and GF5.

To sum up, the 2 cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The FE-4030 due to its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field harder and the Olympus FE-4030 will provide you with extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more aged FE-4030 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.