Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5

Lets examine more in depth at the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the SZ5 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and SZ5 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor size.

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The E-P1 was manufactured 4 years earlier than the SZ5 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ5 being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief view of how the E-P1 matches up vs the SZ5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Panasonic SZ5 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry around your camera regularly, you're going to have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P1 provides outer dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") and a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Panasonic SZ5 has sizing of 104mm x 58mm x 21mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8") having a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs).

See the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are using at the time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the E-P1 versus the SZ5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-P1 and SZ5 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to see the difference in sensor sizes merely by checking out a spec sheet. The picture underneath may give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P1 and SZ5.

As you can see, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-P1 featuring a bigger sensor will make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic SZ5 will provide more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The more aged E-P1 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.