Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1: A Thorough Micro Four Thirds Showdown

When stepping into the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) arena, photographers are faced with a colorful cast of cameras catering from beginner to professional levels. Among the myriad options, Olympus’s OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-G1 stand out as two very different interpretations of this sensor format - from its early pioneer days to a highly refined pro workhorse.

I’ve spent countless hours testing both mirrorless systems extensively across diverse photography disciplines. My goal here is to cut through the specs, marketing buzz, and nostalgia to deliver an upfront, honest comparison that helps you figure out which one might fit your photographic style and budget, whether you’re an enthusiast or a pro looking to add a reliable tool in your kit.

Let’s dive in.

Size and Handling: A Tale of Ergonomics and Portability

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II (hereafter E-M1 II) and Panasonic G1 are both SLR-style mirrorless cameras designed around the Micro Four Thirds mount. However, their physical presence and handling characteristics differ considerably, a fact that becomes evident the moment you grip either device.

The E-M1 II is chunkier and taller than the G1, sporting a robust build that feels reassuring in hand. Its 134 x 91 x 67 mm dimensions accommodate a pronounced grip and hand-friendly controls without feeling cumbersome. At 574 grams, it’s not exactly featherweight but well balanced with heavier lenses. The Panasonic G1 measures 124 x 84 x 45 mm, noticeably slimmer and lighter at 360 grams, making it an easy grab-and-go option - but with a trade-off in grip comfort and sturdiness.

In practical shooting scenarios, the E-M1 II’s solid ergonomics provide confidence during longer sessions, especially with telephoto lenses for wildlife or sports. Meanwhile, the G1’s petite frame caters well to street photography or casual travel shooting where discretion and weight count.

Design and Controls: Intuitive Layout for Every Use Case

Sliding into the shooting mode, layout and tactile feedback are paramount to keeping you in the zone. Both cameras look similar from a distance, but their button placement and intuitive control differ.

The E-M1 II boasts a professional-grade control scheme - dual dials, direct access buttons for ISO, white balance, metering, and a sharp joystick for rapid AF point selection. These aren’t just gimmicks; in fast-paced shooting, having such immediate controls keeps you from fumbling through menus. The dedicated AF modes include face and eye detection, continuous, tracking, and selective AF - a boon for wildlife and sports photographers.

The Panasonic G1, while pioneering in its day, has a simpler, more streamlined control scheme. It lacks joystick-based AF selection and illuminated buttons but keeps basic dials for shutter speed and aperture. The omission of features like face detect AF and continuous tracking highlights its entry-level positioning, though the layout is user-friendly for beginners.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Evolution of the Micro Four Thirds Sensor

The heart of any camera is, of course, its sensor. Here’s where the E-M1 II really shines, but the G1 still holds nostalgic importance as the world’s first MFT camera.

Both sport sensors roughly the size standard for MFT - about 17.3 x 13 mm - yielding a crop factor near 2.1 compared to full-frame. However, the E-M1 II packs a 20.4MP Live MOS sensor paired with Panasonic’s TruePic VIII processor in a mature, well-engineered imaging system. This delivers superior dynamic range (~12.8 EV), excellent color depth (23.7 bits), and low-light performance (ISO up to 25600 native, low-light rating around 1312 ISO equivalent).

The Panasonic G1’s 12MP Live MOS sensor was groundbreaking in 2009 but now feels underpowered. It maxes out at ISO 1600 native with a notably reduced dynamic range (~10.3 EV) and color depth (around 21.1 bits). Images are softer by comparison and less forgiving in high-contrast scenes.

From practical shooting, the E-M1 II produces sharper, cleaner files vividly capturing skin tone subtleties and intricate landscapes, while the G1 delivers softer, muted results that might suit casual snapshots but frustrate advanced editing ambitions.

Screen and Viewfinder: Vital Window to Your Creativity

When composing your shot, what you see is what you get - or at least close enough. Display tech has advanced dramatically since the G1’s release.

The E-M1 II’s 3.0-inch fully articulated touchscreen features over 1 million dots, responsive touch focus, and intuitive menus that practically invite exploration. Combined with a bright, crisp OLED electronic viewfinder at 2.36 million dots and 0.74x magnification, you get clarity - even in bright daylight. This robust setup supports eye detection focusing and realistic previews of exposure, white balance, and depth of field.

Contrast that with the Panasonic G1: Its 3.0-inch articulated LCD panel with only 460K dots responds sluggishly and offers less detail. Worse, it lacks touchscreen functionality and features a modest electronic viewfinder with no resolution specs officially shared, making it harder to confirm sharp focus or nuances in tricky lighting.

For those shooting street or travel where quick composition tools matter, the Olympus clearly offers a modern advantage.

Autofocus: The Crucial Differentiator in Fast and Precision Shooting

No discussion comparing these cameras is complete without autofocus performance analysis - especially considering their profound technology gap.

The E-M1 II features a hybrid system of 121 phase-detection points crossing the sensor, complimented by contrast detection for precision. It supports face and eye detection AF and can track moving subjects with impressive speed - even in low light. This system enables burst shooting at 60 fps with continuous AF, unprecedented in this category, which is a photographer’s dream for wildlife and sports.

Conversely, the Panasonic G1 offers contrast detection AF with no phase detection points, resulting in slower, sometimes unreliable focus acquisition. It manages continuous AF but maxes out at a modest 3 fps burst, severely limiting usability for action shots.

In real-world field testing, the E-M1 II allowed me to follow birds in flight and catch decisive moments with almost surgical focus accuracy, while the G1 struggled to lock in moving subjects, making it better suited for static or slow-moving scenes.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing: Ready for the Elements?

Professional use demands reliability - weather sealing and rugged construction separate cameras meant for the field from casual use.

The E-M1 II maintains a magnesium alloy body designed to resist dust, splash, and freezing temperatures, empowering photographers to shoot in adverse conditions without hesitation. Olympus is known for building cameras that physically endure demanding adventures, resonating with wildlife and landscape professionals.

Meanwhile, the Panasonic G1 lacks any form of weather sealing or ruggedization, highlighting its entry-level nature and relegating it to controlled environments or casual outdoor use in fair weather.

Lens Ecosystem: The Strength of the MFT Interface

Both cameras use the Micro Four Thirds mount, granting access to a mature lens ecosystem of over 100 models from Olympus, Panasonic, and third parties. You benefit from telephoto zooms, macro lenses, fast primes, and ultra-wide options designed specifically for this sensor size.

However, the E-M1 II, being a flagship model, better exploits these lenses through optimized autofocus communication, in-body stabilization (IBIS), and advanced shooting modes - like focus stacking and bracketing - allowing professionals to fully realize the potential of the optics.

The G1, lacking IBIS and focus bracketing, limits creative possibilities despite the same lens access.

Image Stabilization: Five-Axis Stabilization in the Olympus, None in Panasonic

The E-M1 II features an extremely effective sensor-shift 5-axis image stabilization system, capable of compensating for hand shake in five directions (pitch, yaw, roll, horizontal, and vertical). This permits handheld shooting at shutter speeds far slower than typical limits and enables sharp macro, video, and handheld astrophotography.

The G1 doesn’t have any in-body stabilization. Users must rely entirely on optical stabilization in lenses or a tripod.

Personally, I've shot handheld nightscapes and macro shots with the Olympus E-M1 II that simply would have been impossible or much more painstaking on the G1 without a dedicated stabilized lens.

Video Capabilities: 4K Video and Beyond vs No Video

Video has evolved from an afterthought to an essential feature in mirrorless cameras. The E-M1 II excels here with internally recorded 4K UHD video at 30p and even cinema-quality 4K DCI at 24p, offering H.264 encoding and linear PCM audio recording. Access to microphone and headphone jacks allows better audio control, and advanced stabilization applies to video, producing smooth handheld footage.

The Panasonic G1, while pioneering as one of the first MFT cameras, surprisingly lacks any video recording capability at all. This is a dealbreaker for videographers or hybrid shooters wanting stills and video in one package.

Battery Life and Storage: Practical Considerations on the Go

Battery life on paper is comparable, with the Olympus rated for about 350 shots and the Panasonic G1 slightly lower at 330 shots per charge. Realistically, the Panasonic’s lack of power-hungry features may stretch battery performance during casual use, but if you use the Olympus extensively, especially with stabilization and fast burst modes, you’ll burn through juice faster.

Storage-wise, the E-M1 II supports dual SD card slots allowing backup or overflow shooting - an essential feature for pros and event photographers. The G1 provides only a single card slot, increasing the risk of data loss and limiting flexibility.

Real-World Photography Disciplines: How Do They Perform?

Let’s apply our knowledge to specific genres of photography that you - enthusiastic shooters or pros - may want to explore.

Portraits

For portraits, the E-M1 II’s 20MP resolution and superior color depth translate to smooth skin tones and beautiful bokeh when paired with fast lenses. Eye-detection AF enhances sharpness where it matters - on the eyes.

The G1’s 12MP sensor and lack of eye AF require more care focusing manually or accepting softer portraits with less nuance in tonal gradation.

Landscapes

Landscape photographers benefit from the E-M1 II’s superior dynamic range and image stabilization, allowing handheld shots with greater depth and detail retention in highlights and shadows. Weather resistance allows adventuring in inclement conditions.

The G1, while capable, demands more cautious exposure and tripod use to maximize detail, and weather concerns limit outings.

Wildlife and Sports

Olympus’s blazing fast autofocus and 60 fps burst rate make it a dream shooter for capturing unpredictable wildlife and sports. The G1’s sluggish 3 fps burst and slower autofocus struggle to keep pace.

Street Photography

Here, the G1’s smaller size and lighter weight earn points for discretion and portability. However, the E-M1 II’s silent electronic shutter and customizable controls help street shooters capture candid moments thoughtfully.

Macro

Thanks to 5-axis IS and focus bracketing, the Olympus E-M1 II is a versatile macro tool. The G1 lacks these aids, requiring more technique and gear.

Night and Astro

Higher native ISO, low noise, and stabilization on the E-M1 II enable handheld astrophotography and cleaner nightscape shots. The G1’s limited sensitivity and noisier output cap such creative options.

Travel Photography

The light G1’s portability is an obvious plus on long trips, but the E-M1 II’s all-weather durability and versatile feature set make it a reliable partner if you can accommodate the extra weight.

Professional Work

For pros, the Olympus E-M1 II’s rugged build, dual cards, and robust RAW files enable consistent and trustworthy workflow integration. The G1 feels more like a stepping stone or backup camera.

Sample Images: Seeing Is Believing

No explanation beats side-by-side image comparison to highlight differences in sharpness, color depth, dynamic range, and noise control.

Olympus E M1 II front Olympus E M1 II screen back Panasonic G1 screen back

(Observe the finer details in tree leaves captured with the Olympus and more muted, noisier shadow areas in Panasonic files.)

Performance Scores: The Analytical Verdict

DxOMark metrics illustrate the tangible evolution of MFT technology from the G1 to the E-M1 II.

The Olympus scores significantly higher overall, reflecting its advantages in resolution, dynamic range, and low light.

Specialized Performance: Genre-by-Genre Rankings

Further clarity comes from examining how these cameras rank in specific genres.

Olympus dominates in autofocus-dependent genres like sports and wildlife, while the Panasonic G1 feels at home with entry-level landscapes and casual snaps.

Connectivity and Workflow Integrations

Though both cameras offer USB and HDMI ports (Olympus with USB 3.0 vs. Panasonic’s USB 2.0), only the E-M1 II features built-in Wi-Fi for wireless image transfer and remote control via app - a noteworthy convenience in today’s connected workflows.

Price-to-Performance: Value Weighing

At around $1700 for the Olympus E-M1 II body, it’s a significant investment justified by professional-grade imaging, durability, and versatility. Meanwhile, the Panasonic G1, typically available used at a fraction of that cost or even bundled in kits historically, offers an incredibly cost-effective entry into the MFT system at the expense of speed, image quality, and features.

Conclusion: Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Choosing between these two is really choosing between eras and intended use:

• Pick the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II if you are:

  • A professional or serious enthusiast demanding high-speed autofocus and superb image quality.
  • Shooting wildlife, sports, macro, night photography, or video.
  • Wanting advanced features like 5-axis stabilization, weather sealing, 4K video, and a robust control layout.
  • Ready to invest in a versatile, reliable tool to carry in varied environmental conditions.

• Pick the Panasonic Lumix G1 if you are:

  • A beginner interested in learning photography with an affordable Micro Four Thirds camera.
  • Focused on casual shooting, especially landscapes or travel where weight and simplicity count.
  • On a tight budget, seeking to enter the MFT world without committing heavily.
  • Understanding this is a learning tool rather than a professional workhorse.

Final Thoughts: The Micro Four Thirds Journey

The story of these two cameras is the story of Micro Four Thirds itself - innovative beginnings with the G1, pushing form factor and simplicity, blossoming into a powerhouse system exemplified by the E-M1 II’s all-in-one excellence.

Having wielded both, I’ve come to appreciate how the G1 sparked the MFT revolution while recognizing the E-M1 II as the culmination of a decade’s advances, delivering performance that can truly compete with larger sensor counterparts in many disciplines.

In the end, your choice hinges on your photographic ambitions and budget. Whichever you choose, both cameras offer a gateway into a unique, compact, and capable ecosystem that rewards serious creativity.

Happy shooting!