Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic FZ2500

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic FZ2500, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-P1 (12MP) and FZ2500 (20MP) and the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and FZ2500 (1") enjoy different sensor sizing.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The E-P1 was unveiled 8 years before the FZ2500 and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ2500 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving through a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-P1 scores against the FZ2500 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P1 Gallery & Panasonic FZ2500 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry your camera often, you'll have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-P1 comes with outside measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") and a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ2500 has proportions of 138mm x 102mm x 135mm (5.4" x 4.0" x 5.3") along with a weight of 915 grams (2.02 lbs).

See the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic FZ2500 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-P1 and the FZ2500.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-P1 and FZ2500 is 86 and 53 respectively.

Sometimes, its tough to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing just by going over a spec sheet. The graphic here will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-P1 and FZ2500.

As you can see, the 2 cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-P1 using its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FZ2500 will offer greater detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older E-P1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.