Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic GF1

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-M5 versus Panasonic GF1, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and GF1 (12MP) but they come with the exact same sensor size (Four Thirds).

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The E-M5 was brought out 2 years later than the GF1 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic GF1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-M5 grades versus the GF1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Panasonic GF1 Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera, you have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M5 enjoys outside dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Panasonic GF1 has proportions of 119mm x 71mm x 36mm (4.7" x 2.8" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-M5 versus Panasonic GF1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the E-M5 vs the GF1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and GF1 is 81 and 85 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's tough to see the contrast between sensor measurements only by going over a spec sheet. The photograph below may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M5 and GF1.

Clearly, the 2 cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Olympus E-M5 to offer greater detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more recent E-M5 will have an edge in sensor innovation.