Olympus FE-5010 vs Panasonic GH4

Here is a thorough assessment of the Olympus FE-5010 and Panasonic GH4, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference between the image resolutions of the FE-5010 (12MP) and GH4 (16MP) and the FE-5010 (1/2.3") and GH4 (Four Thirds) feature totally different sensor sizes.

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The FE-5010 was revealed 6 years prior to the GH4 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus FE-5010 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GH4 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go through a in depth comparison, below is a quick summary of how the FE-5010 scores against the GH4 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus FE-5010 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-5010 Gallery and Panasonic GH4 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry your camera regularly, you have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus FE-5010 features exterior measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") and a weight of 130 grams (0.29 lbs) and the Panasonic GH4 has dimensions of 133mm x 93mm x 84mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.3") and a weight of 560 grams (1.23 lbs).

Look at the Olympus FE-5010 and Panasonic GH4 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you use at that moment. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the FE-5010 vs the GH4.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the FE-5010 and GH4 is 96 and 66 respectively.

Usually, it is hard to envision the contrast between sensor sizing merely by going over technical specs. The graphic below will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-5010 and GH4.

As you can tell, both of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The FE-5010 using its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Panasonic GH4 will deliver extra detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos far more aggressively. The older FE-5010 is going to be behind in sensor tech.