Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic GH5S: A Hands-On Expert’s Comprehensive Mirrorless Camera Comparison

If you are in the market for a mirrorless camera, the Olympus PEN E-P1 and Panasonic Lumix GH5S stand out as two very different beasts, born almost a decade apart and targeted at quite distinct user groups. Having personally tested each extensively over the years, I want to provide an honest, technically informed but approachable comparison to help you make the best choice for your photography style and budget.

These aren’t direct competitors in the usual sense - they represent entry-level retro charm vs. professional video-and-photo power - but put side by side, they reveal fascinating contrasts. Let’s dig into everything from sensor tech and image quality to ergonomics and real-world shooting scenarios.

Size, Build, and Handling: Retro Charm Meets Pro Substance

Well before you press the shutter, the first impression comes from how a camera feels in your hands. The Olympus E-P1 embraces a compact, rangefinder-style design that harkens back to the film era, perfect for lightweight portability and street shooting. Meanwhile, the GH5S’s SLR-style body is significantly larger and stockier, built for heavy-duty professional use.

At 121×70×36 mm and only 355 grams, the Olympus E-P1 is a nimble little club for cheapskate street photographers or travelers who don’t want their gear weighing them down. On the other hand, the Panasonic GH5S measures 139×98×87 mm and weighs nearly double at 660 grams, delivering a much more substantial grip and excellent balance with larger lenses.

The GH5S also boasts extensive weather sealing for dust and moisture resistance - something completely absent on the E-P1, whose plastic-and-metal build feels delicate in comparison. If you’re shooting outdoors in demanding conditions, that’s a huge point for Panasonic.

Control Layout and User Interface: Classic Simplicity vs. Pro Customization

The Olympus PEN E-P1 keeps things minimalistic, favoring clean lines over a cluttered interface. Its top plate sports a simple dial and few buttons, while the back features a small 3-inch fixed HyperCrystal LCD with a comparatively modest 230k-dot resolution.

Contrast that with the Panasonic GH5S’s sprawling command center, equipped with dedicated dials for shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation, plus customizable function buttons and dual SD card slots for pros who need double redundancy.

Note the GH5S’s raft of control clubs for your thumbs vs. the E-P1’s spartan setup.

The 3.2-inch fully articulated touchscreen on the GH5S (1620k-dot) is night-and-day better for high-angle or low-angle shooting and intuitive menu navigation - something that can make a huge difference on fast-paced shoots or video work.

Sensor and Image Quality: Old School vs. Cutting-Edge Sensitivity

Let’s get down to image quality, the heart of any camera comparison. Both the E-P1 and GH5S use Micro Four Thirds sensors measuring 17.3 x 13 mm, but the similarities pretty much stop there.

The Olympus E-P1 features a 12MP CMOS sensor with an anti-alias filter and TruePic V processor. Released in 2009, it delivers sharp images with solid color accuracy but quite average dynamic range and low-light performance by today’s standards. The DxOMark scores confirm this: an overall 55 points, 21.4 bits color depth, and 10.4 EV dynamic range. ISO tops out at 6400 natively, though image noise beyond ISO 800 quickly becomes noticeable.

By comparison, the Panasonic GH5S sports a newer 10MP sensor designed without an anti-aliasing filter to maximize sharpness and detail resolution. Its real strength lies in high-ISO performance - with a staggering native ISO range of 160-51200, expandable down to 80 and up to 204800. This camera is built to thrive in extremely dim environments, such as events, wildlife at dusk, or night sky shots.

The GH5S also supports 12-bit RAW for excellent post-processing flexibility - perfect for professional workflows.

LCD and Viewfinder Experience: A Tale of Two Displays

While the Olympus E-P1 lacks an electronic viewfinder entirely, relying solely on its LCD for composition, the Panasonic GH5S integrates a high-resolution 3680k-dot EVF with 100% frame coverage and high magnification (0.76x). This makes framing fast-moving subjects or working under bright sunlight much more comfortable on the GH5S.

The E-P1’s 3-inch fixed LCD is serviceable, but the small resolution and poor visibility in intense daylight or shade makes it less usable for precise manual focus or video monitoring. The GH5S’s fully articulated touchscreen shines here - not just for grid overlays or focus peaking, but for video directors needing LCD monitoring flexibility.

Autofocus and Burst Performance: Speed vs. Slow and Steady

If you’re into wildlife or sports photography, autofocus and frame rate capabilities are paramount. The E-P1’s contrast-detection AF system has 11 focus points and supports face detection, but lacks phase detection and advanced tracking. Continuous shooting sticks to a poky 3 fps, demonstrating its roots as an entry-level enthusiast camera.

The GH5S incorporates 225 AF points with contrast detection plus advanced algorithms, plus face and eye detection tracking that performs admirably in dynamic scenes. It also features customizable AF approaches like focus bracketing, focus stacking, and post-focus modes unheard of a decade earlier in the Olympus.

Burst speed? The GH5S pulls 12 fps continuous shooting, a solid pro-grade punch.

Sample Gallery: Image Quality in Different Genres

Here’s a comparison of raw sample images from both cameras, shot under the same conditions with excellent glass.

Olympus E P1 front Olympus E P1 screen back Panasonic GH5S front Panasonic GH5S screen back

• The Olympus E-P1 produces pleasing colors and fine detail in controlled lighting but struggles in low light with grainier shadows.
• The GH5S’s output is cleaner at high ISO, with better highlight retention and deeper dynamic range, giving more room to recover shadows.

Diving Into Photography Genres: Which Camera Excels Where?

Portrait Photography

The Olympus E-P1’s 12MP sensor delivers decent skin tones and natural color reproduction, but its old AF system limits reliable eye detection to good lighting only. The smaller sensor and anti-alias filter contribute to good bokeh, especially combined with the expansive Micro Four Thirds lens ecosystem (107 lenses and counting).

The GH5S, despite lower resolution (10 MP), produces sharper, more detailed portraits with greater dynamic range and excellent color depth. Eye AF and face detection work well, and though it’s less about creamy bokeh (due to sensor design and absence of AA filter), the GH5S’s pro lenses can compensate with fast apertures.

Landscape Photography

Resolution isn’t the GH5S’s main draw, but its superior dynamic range and noise control make it a landscape champ, especially under tricky lighting. Olympus’s E-P1 can deliver solid landscapes too but falls short with shadows and highlights. Plus, weather sealing absent on the E-P1 makes the GH5S a better companion for rugged outdoor adventures.

Wildlife & Sports

Handing the baton to the GH5S is a no-brainer here - fast AF, 12 fps burst, and incredible high ISO performance make it the far better choice for capturing crisp action and elusive animals in low light.

The E-P1’s AF speed and tracking just aren’t up to these tasks.

Street Photography

The Olympus E-P1, with its compact size, retro flair, and quiet operation, is a street shooter’s dream: discreet and unobtrusive. The GH5S, larger and more conspicuous, might intimidate candid subjects and isn’t the ideal grab-and-go tool.

Macro Photography

Neither camera specializes in macro - but with the right lens, the GH5S’s focus stacking and bracketing modes give it an edge in achieving tack-sharp focus series most macro shooters covet.

Night and Astro Photography

Thanks to its high ISO range and low noise, the GH5S opens up great possibilities for nightscapes and astrophotography. The E-P1 can handle long exposures but noise control is weak beyond ISO 800-1600, limiting its nighttime usability.

Video Capabilities

This is where the GH5S truly flexes muscles - capable of 4K DCI 60p recording, high bitrate video with H.264 and H.265 codecs, plus microphone and headphone ports for monitoring. Olympus’s E-P1 offers only basic 720p video at 30fps in Motion JPEG - adequate for simple clips but irrelevant for serious video work.

Travel Photography

The Olympus E-P1 wins on size and weight, perfect for the light packer who prioritizes photo quality over video and doesn’t need professional features. The GH5S offers broader versatility but demands more kit and a heavier pack.

Professional Use

The dual memory slots, weather sealing, superior video and photo specs, and rapid burst rate make GH5S a clear professional’s tool. Olympus’ model is best suited to enthusiasts or secondary casual use.

Technical Highlights and Features Recap

Price and Value Considerations

The Olympus E-P1 retails refurbished or used around $180 - a steal for beginners or hobbyists seeking a stylish and capable entry point to mirrorless photography. Granted, it comes with plenty of compromises, notably in speed, video, and low-light ability, but for its era it punches above its weight and remains a valid choice for casual shooters focused on stills.

Compare that to the Panasonic GH5S’s approximate $2500 price tag. This is a serious investment aimed firmly at professionals and prosumers demanding the latest tech, rugged build, and video prowess. It’s not a casual buy but rather a tool that can pay for itself with commercial shoots and high-end content production.

Overall Performance Scores and Genre Breakdown

To give perspective, here are performance ratings from our hands-on testing, factoring image quality, autofocus, usability, and build quality.

And for deeper genre-specific context:

Note the Olympus excels at street and casual travel, GH5S dominates wildlife, sports, video, and professional applications.

Summing Up: Which Camera is Right for You?

Olympus PEN E-P1 Is For You If:

• You want a retro-styled, pocketable mirrorless camera
• Budget constraints mandate an entry-level price point
• You primarily shoot portraits, street, travel, or landscapes in good lighting conditions
• You value ease of use and simplicity
• Video is a non-priority

Panasonic GH5S Is Your Best Bet If:

• You need cutting-edge low-light and video performance
• You are a professional or semi-pro requiring weather sealing and dual cards
• You shoot sports, wildlife, events, or control-demanding video projects
• You want extensive AF options, high burst rates, and customizable control layouts
• Your budget allows for a significant investment

Final Thoughts From the Field

When I first picked up the Olympus E-P1, I loved its nostalgic appeal and surprising image quality for its generation, especially with the rich Micro Four Thirds lens lineup. It’s the kind of camera you'd pack for a weekend city break or use as a fun walk-around tool. But time hasn’t been kind to its autofocus speed and video capabilities.

The Panasonic GH5S, in contrast, feels like a powerhouse honed by years of professional feedback and technological progress. It's less charming with its bulk but wins hands-down for delivering top-tier image quality and versatility in challenging conditions. It’s a favorite of mine when shooting low-light performances, wildlife, or any gig where pro video matters.

Choosing between the two ultimately comes down the classic tradeoff: compact legacy versus bleeding-edge performance. For enthusiasts and budget-conscious buyers, the Olympus E-P1 remains a charming introduction. For demanding pros or serious content creators, the GH5S is worth every penny.

Happy shooting!

Images courtesy of manufacturer and test samples from my extensive personal archives.