Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FZ1000 II

In this write-up, we are evaluating the Olympus E-M5 versus Panasonic FZ1000 II, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the FZ1000 II (20MP) is very similar but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and FZ1000 II (1") use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-M5 was brought out 7 years before the FZ1000 II which is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ1000 II being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the E-M5 matches up versus the FZ1000 II when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M5 & Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery & Panasonic FZ1000 II Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to travel with your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M5 features outer 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) whilst the Panasonic FZ1000 II has proportions of 136mm x 97mm x 132mm (5.4" x 3.8" x 5.2") having a weight of 808 grams (1.78 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M5 versus Panasonic FZ1000 II in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the E-M5 compared to the FZ1000 II.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and FZ1000 II is 81 and 55 respectively.

Generally, its tough to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions only by reviewing a spec sheet. The picture below will help offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M5 and FZ1000 II.

Clearly, both of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-M5 because of its larger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic FZ1000 II will offer more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images a little more aggressively. The more aged E-M5 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.