Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FH1

In this write-up, we are matching up the Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FH1, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a big gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and FH1 (12MP) and the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and FH1 (1/2.3") feature different sensor measurements.

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The E-M5 was brought out 2 years after the FH1 which is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick view of how the E-M5 scores versus the FH1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Panasonic FH1 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera, you are going to need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M5 features outer measurements of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Panasonic FH1 has sizing of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FH1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you choose during that time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the E-M5 compared to the FH1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M5 and FH1 is 81 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, its hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizes only by reviewing technical specs. The pic here might give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M5 and FH1.

As you have seen, both of those cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-M5 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-M5 will deliver more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics far more aggressively. The more recent E-M5 should have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.