Olympus FE-5010 vs Olympus E-M1

Following is a complete analysis of the Olympus FE-5010 versus Olympus E-M1, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Pro Mirrorless and both of them are sold by Olympus. There is a crucial difference among the image resolutions of the FE-5010 (12MP) and E-M1 (16MP) and the FE-5010 (1/2.3") and E-M1 (Four Thirds) come with different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The FE-5010 was introduced 5 years prior to the E-M1 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus FE-5010 being a Compact camera and the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting in to a in-depth comparison, below is a quick summary of how the FE-5010 scores vs the E-M1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus FE-5010 and Olympus OM-D E-M1. The whole galleries are available at Olympus FE-5010 Gallery and Olympus E-M1 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus FE-5010 offers physical measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 130 grams (0.29 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-M1 has proportions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus FE-5010 versus Olympus E-M1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the FE-5010 and the E-M1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the FE-5010 and E-M1 is 96 and 71 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to picture the difference in sensor sizes only by viewing a spec sheet. The picture below will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-5010 and E-M1.

As you can see, the 2 cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The FE-5010 with its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field tougher and the Olympus E-M1 will result in extra detail using its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will let you crop photos much more aggressively. The more aged FE-5010 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.