Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FH22

In this write-up, we will be matching up the Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FH22, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the FH22 (14MP) is pretty similar but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and FH22 (1/2.3") use different sensor size.

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The E-M5 was released 2 years later than the FH22 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH22 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a in depth comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-M5 scores vs the FH22 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH22. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-M5 Gallery & Panasonic FH22 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M5 provides physical dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FH22 has proportions of 100mm x 57mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 170 grams (0.37 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FH22 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the E-M5 and the FH22.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and FH22 is 81 and 94 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to imagine the difference between sensor sizing just by going over specifications. The photograph here might give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 and FH22.

To sum up, both cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-M5 because of its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus E-M5 will deliver more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The more recent E-M5 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.