Olympus FE-45 vs Olympus E-PM2

Lets look more closely at the Olympus FE-45 vs Olympus E-PM2, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are built by Olympus. There exists a considerable gap between the sensor resolutions of the FE-45 (10MP) and E-PM2 (16MP) and the FE-45 (1/2.3") and E-PM2 (Four Thirds) offer different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The FE-45 was revealed 5 years earlier than the E-PM2 and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus FE-45 being a Compact camera and the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a complete comparison, here is a short view of how the FE-45 grades versus the E-PM2 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus FE-45 & Olympus PEN E-PM2. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-45 Gallery & Olympus E-PM2 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera regularly, you will have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus FE-45 has physical measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") along with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Olympus E-PM2 has proportions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") along with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Look at the Olympus FE-45 vs Olympus E-PM2 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are using at that time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the FE-45 vs the E-PM2.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FE-45 and E-PM2 is 95 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to imagine the contrast between sensor sizing purely by looking at technical specs. The photograph here might offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the FE-45 and E-PM2.

As you can tell, both of those cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The FE-45 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Olympus E-PM2 will give extra detail because of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures more aggressively. The older FE-45 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.