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Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5

Portability
86
Imaging
47
Features
42
Overall
45
Olympus PEN E-P1 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5 front
Portability
95
Imaging
38
Features
34
Overall
36

Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 Key Specs

Olympus E-P1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 355g - 121 x 70 x 36mm
  • Announced July 2009
  • Updated by Olympus E-P2
Panasonic SZ5
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600 (Raise to 6400)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.1-5.9) lens
  • 136g - 104 x 58 x 21mm
  • Introduced July 2012
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Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 Overview

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.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-P1 over the Panasonic SZ5

 E-P1 SZ5 
Focus manually Very exact focusing

Reasons to pick Panasonic SZ5 over the Olympus E-P1

 SZ5 E-P1 
IntroducedJuly 2012July 2009More modern by 36 months

Common features in the Olympus E-P1 and Panasonic SZ5

 E-P1 SZ5 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen sizing3"3"Equivalent screen size
Screen resolution230k230kThe same screen resolution
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Neither provides Touch friendly screen

Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 Physical Comparison

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. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

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.

Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 size comparison

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

Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 Sensor Comparison

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.

Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-P1 as a Portrait photography camera
Panasonic SZ5 as a Portrait photography camera
60
focusing manually
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with face detection focus
delivers RAW files
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
34
good MP (14MP)
comes with face detection autofocus
focusing manually not possible
manual mode not available
no external flash support
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-P1 Street photography features
Panasonic SZ5 Street photography features
74
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
screen does not articulate
63
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than others (136 grams)
no articulating screen
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-P1 Sports photography information
Panasonic SZ5 Sports photography information
40
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
low frames per second (3.0 fps)
resolution not great (12MP)
bad battery life (300 CIPA)
lack of phase detect auto focus
40
image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (14 megapixels)
comes with tracking autofocus
very slow continuous shooting (2.0 fps)
no shutter priority
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-P1 Travel photography features
Panasonic SZ5 Travel photography features
43
no Time Lapse mode
bad battery life (300 shots)
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
display isn't selfie friendly
70
lighter than others (136 grams)
good MP (14 megapixels)
built-in flash
quite wide (25mm)
long zoom (250mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse function
display isn't selfie friendly
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.1)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus E-P1
Landscape photography with Panasonic SZ5
60
focusing manually
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
good sized screen (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
bad battery life (300 CIPA)
no Time Lapse mode
42
quite wide (25mm)
nice screen size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (14 megapixels)
focusing manually not possible
cannot change lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.1)
manual mode not available
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
doesn't have Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-P1 Vlogging info
Panasonic SZ5 Vlogging info
29
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
comes with face detection focus
display isn't selfie friendly
video resolution low (1280 x 720 resolution)
no external mic support
32
quite wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detection autofocus
lighter than others (136g)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.1)
display isn't selfie friendly
low video resolution (1280 x 720 resolution)
doesn't have external mic jack
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Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic SZ5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-P1 and Panasonic SZ5
 Olympus PEN E-P1Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus PEN E-P1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5
Type Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Announced 2009-07-29 2012-07-18
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Chip TruePic V -
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 14 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4032 x 3024 4320 x 3240
Max native ISO 6400 1600
Max boosted ISO - 6400
Lowest native ISO 100 100
RAW format
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Number of focus points 11 23
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 25-250mm (10.0x)
Maximal aperture - f/3.1-5.9
Macro focus range - 5cm
Amount of lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.9
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display sizing 3 inch 3 inch
Display resolution 230k dot 230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Display technology HyperCrystal LCD with AR(Anti-Reflective) coating TFT Screen LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 secs 8 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/1600 secs
Continuous shooting speed 3.0 frames per second 2.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range no built-in flash 5.60 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash sync 1/180 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1280 x 720p ( 30,25 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 25 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1280x720
Video file format Motion JPEG MPEG-4
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 355 grams (0.78 pounds) 136 grams (0.30 pounds)
Dimensions 121 x 70 x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") 104 x 58 x 21mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 55 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 21.4 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 10.4 not tested
DXO Low light score 536 not tested
Other
Battery life 300 images 250 images
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model BLS-1 -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage slots Single Single
Cost at launch $182 $195