Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FP5

Below is a in depth analysis of the Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic FP5, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Ultracompact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the FP5 (14MP) is fairly similar but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and FP5 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-M5 was introduced 17 months later than the FP5 making them a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FP5 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the E-M5 scores against the FP5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-M5 Gallery & Panasonic FP5 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera, you'll have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-M5 has got physical measurements of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Panasonic FP5 has specifications of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") with a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

See the Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic FP5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-M5 vs the FP5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and FP5 is 81 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to see the contrast between sensor measurements purely by reviewing technical specs. The photograph underneath might offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M5 and FP5.

As you can tell, both of these cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-M5 with its larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-M5 will offer you more detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics way more aggressively. The more recent E-M5 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.