Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic LF1

In this article, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic LF1, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizable difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and LF1 (12MP) and the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and LF1 (1/1.7") use different sensor sizing.

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The E-M5 was manufactured 19 months prior to the LF1 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LF1 being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-M5 scores vs the LF1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery & Panasonic LF1 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to travel with your camera, you are going to need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M5 comes with outer dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Panasonic LF1 has dimensions of 103mm x 62mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.1") and a weight of 192 grams (0.42 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic LF1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the E-M5 vs the LF1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and LF1 is 81 and 92 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to imagine the contrast in sensor dimensions only by looking through a spec sheet. The pic below might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 and LF1.

Clearly, the two cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-M5 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-M5 will render greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots a little more aggressively. The more aged E-M5 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.