Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic FS42

Below, we are comparing the Olympus E-P1 versus Panasonic FS42, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the FS42 (10MP) is fairly comparable but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and FS42 (1/2.5") feature different sensor sizing.

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The E-P1 was revealed 4 months after the FS42 which means that they are of a similar generation. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going through a thorough comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the E-P1 scores versus the FS42 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Panasonic FS42 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-P1 features external dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FS42 has proportions of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-P1 versus Panasonic FS42 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select at that time. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the E-P1 vs the FS42.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-P1 and FS42 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it is tough to picture the gap in sensor sizes purely by seeing technical specs. The pic underneath will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P1 and FS42.

As you have seen, each of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-P1 with its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-P1 will show extra detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images much more aggressively.