Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FH2

Let's look much closer at the Olympus E-M5 versus Panasonic FH2, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the FH2 (14MP) is very similar but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and FH2 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 was revealed 17 months later than the FH2 making them a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH2 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-M5 grades versus the FH2 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH2. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Panasonic FH2 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M5 has got exterior dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Panasonic FH2 has sizing of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M5 versus Panasonic FH2 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at that time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the E-M5 against the FH2.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 and FH2 is 81 and 96 respectively.

Oftentimes, its tough to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements just by reading technical specs. The photograph below should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M5 and FH2.

As you have seen, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-M5 using its larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Olympus E-M5 will offer you more detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more recent E-M5 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.