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Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2

Portability
81
Imaging
52
Features
70
Overall
59
Olympus OM-D E-M5 front
 
Olympus PEN E-PL2 front
Portability
85
Imaging
48
Features
47
Overall
47

Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2 Key Specs

Olympus E-M5
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 425g - 122 x 89 x 43mm
  • Announced April 2012
  • Newer Model is Olympus E-M5 II
Olympus E-PL2
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 362g - 114 x 72 x 42mm
  • Released February 2011
  • Older Model is Olympus E-PL1s
  • Refreshed by Olympus E-PL3
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Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2 Overview

Here is a in depth assessment of the Olympus E-M5 versus Olympus E-PL2, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are offered by Olympus. There is a crucial difference among the image resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and E-PL2 (12MP) but they use the exact same sensor size (Four Thirds).

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The E-M5 was launched 15 months later than the E-PL2 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going through a detailed comparison, below is a simple view of how the E-M5 matches up vs the E-PL2 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-M5 over the Olympus E-PL2

 E-M5 E-PL2 
ReleasedApril 2012February 2011Fresher by 15 months
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution610k460kSharper screen (+150k dot)
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL2 over the Olympus E-M5

 E-PL2 E-M5 

Common features in the Olympus E-M5 and Olympus E-PL2

 E-M5 E-PL2 
Manual focus Dial exact focusing
Screen dimension3"3"Identical screen size
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen

Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2 Physical Comparison

For those who are planning to carry your camera, you're going to have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M5 offers exterior dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Olympus E-PL2 has sizing of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M5 versus Olympus E-PL2 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. The following is the front view size comparison of the E-M5 vs the E-PL2.

Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2 size comparison

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 and E-PL2 is 81 and 85 respectively.

Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2 Sensor Comparison

Often, its tough to see the contrast in sensor sizing merely by looking through specifications. The graphic underneath will help give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 and E-PL2.

Plainly, each of these cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Olympus E-M5 to provide you with more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs much more aggressively. The younger E-M5 will have an edge in sensor innovation.

Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
Photography Glossary

Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Portrait photography information
Olympus E-PL2 Portrait photography information
71
has manual focus
decent megapixels (16MP)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
offers face detection autofocus
exports RAW files
60
focusing manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with face detect focus
delivers RAW formats
low MP (12MP)
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Street photography advice
Olympus E-PL2 Street photography advice
82
has a tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
offers touch focus
weather proofing
very good ISO range (25,600)
73
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
fixed screen
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus E-M5
Sports photography with Olympus E-PL2
67
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
offers tracking autofocus
weather proofing
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
45
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with tracking focus
continuous shooting slow (3.0 frames/s)
low MP (12MP)
terrible battery life (280 shots)
has no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Travel photography details
Olympus E-PL2 Travel photography details
66
weather proofing
offers touch focus
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
missing Time Lapse recording
screen isn't selfie friendly
51
has built in flash
no Time Lapse mode
terrible battery life (280 CIPA)
low MP (12 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Landscape photography advice
Olympus E-PL2 Landscape photography advice
73
has manual focus
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
decent megapixels (16MP)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
very good ISO range (25,600)
exports RAW files
weather proofing
missing Time Lapse recording
61
focusing manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
low MP (12MP)
terrible battery life (280 CIPA)
no Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus E-M5
Vlogging with Olympus E-PL2
34
touchscreen
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
offers face detection autofocus
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
screen isn't selfie friendly
missing external mic port
29
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
comes with face detect focus
screen is not selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 pxls)
no mic jack
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Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL2 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-M5 and Olympus E-PL2
 Olympus OM-D E-M5Olympus PEN E-PL2
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Olympus
Model type Olympus OM-D E-M5 Olympus PEN E-PL2
Type Advanced Mirrorless Entry-Level Mirrorless
Announced 2012-04-30 2011-02-11
Body design SLR-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Processor Chip TruePic VI Truepic V
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds Four Thirds
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 17.3 x 13mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 224.9mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 12MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3
Highest Possible resolution 4608 x 3456 4032 x 3024
Maximum native ISO 25600 6400
Min native ISO 200 100
RAW images
Min enhanced ISO 100 -
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points 35 11
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds
Total lenses 107 107
Focal length multiplier 2.1 2.1
Screen
Range of screen Tilting Fixed Type
Screen sizing 3 inches 3 inches
Screen resolution 610k dot 460k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Screen technology Touch control in electrostatic capacitance type OLED monitor HyperCrystal LCD AR(Anti-Reflective) coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic Electronic (optional)
Viewfinder resolution 1,440k dot -
Viewfinder coverage 100 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.58x -
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60 seconds 60 seconds
Fastest shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 9.0 frames/s 3.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance no built-in flash 10.00 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync (2), Manual (3 levels) Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels)
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash sync 1/250 seconds 1/160 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video format H.264, Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 425 gr (0.94 lbs) 362 gr (0.80 lbs)
Dimensions 122 x 89 x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") 114 x 72 x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating 71 55
DXO Color Depth rating 22.8 21.4
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.3 10.2
DXO Low light rating 826 573
Other
Battery life 360 photos 280 photos
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID BLN-1 BLS-5
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC
Storage slots One One
Launch pricing $799 $0