Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic GF5

Below is a thorough comparison of the Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic GF5, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a significant difference between the resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and GF5 (12MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor size (Four Thirds).

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The E-M5 was manufactured very close to the GF5 so they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic GF5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the E-M5 matches up vs the GF5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Panasonic GF5 Gallery.

In case you're looking to lug around your camera regularly, you'll need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-M5 enjoys external dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Panasonic GF5 has specifications of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic GF5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using at the time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the E-M5 against the GF5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and GF5 is 81 and 89 respectively.

Often, it can be hard to see the difference between sensor measurements purely by going over specifications. The graphic underneath should offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 and GF5.

To sum up, both the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You should count on the Olympus E-M5 to offer you more detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures more aggressively.