Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic FX78

Following is a thorough comparison of the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic FX78, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and FX78 (12MP) and the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and FX78 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was revealed 2 years after the FX78 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FX78 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a short highlight of how the E-M1 scores versus the FX78 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Panasonic FX78 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera, you will need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 has external dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") and a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FX78 has dimensions of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic FX78 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you use at that time. The following is the front view proportions comparison of the E-M1 versus the FX78.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 and FX78 is 71 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reading specs. The picture here should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M1 and FX78.

All in all, both of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 with its bigger sensor will make getting bokeh less difficult and the Olympus E-M1 will offer more detail because of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs far more aggressively. The younger E-M1 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.