Olympus FE-47 vs Olympus E-PM2

Its time to look more in depth at the Olympus FE-47 versus Olympus E-PM2, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are designed by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the FE-47 (14MP) and the E-PM2 (16MP) is fairly comparable but the FE-47 (1/2.3") and E-PM2 (Four Thirds) have different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The FE-47 was introduced 4 years earlier than the E-PM2 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus FE-47 being a Compact camera and the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a full comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the FE-47 scores against the E-PM2 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus FE-47 & Olympus PEN E-PM2. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus FE-47 Gallery & Olympus E-PM2 Gallery.

For those who are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus FE-47 offers exterior measurements of 98mm x 61mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") along with a weight of 204 grams (0.45 lbs) and the Olympus E-PM2 has dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") along with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus FE-47 versus Olympus E-PM2 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have at that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the FE-47 versus the E-PM2.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FE-47 and E-PM2 is 93 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to picture the gap in sensor dimensions just by seeing specifications. The picture below might offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-47 and E-PM2.

Plainly, the two cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The FE-47 using its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF harder and the Olympus E-PM2 will provide greater detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos more aggressively. The more aged FE-47 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.