Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic FZ40

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic FZ40, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the FZ40 (14MP) is pretty close but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and FZ40 (1/2.3") use different sensor size.

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The E-P1 was revealed 11 months before the FZ40 so they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting straight into a full comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-P1 scores vs the FZ40 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Panasonic FZ40 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-P1 has got exterior dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ40 has specifications of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs).

See the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic FZ40 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. Below is the front view size comparison of the E-P1 versus the FZ40.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-P1 and FZ40 is 86 and 68 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to visualize the gap in sensor measurements merely by looking through a spec sheet. The visual here will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P1 and FZ40.

As you can see, both the cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-P1 using its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic FZ40 will provide you with greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The older E-P1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.