Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic S1R

Let's look closer at the Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic S1R, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a big gap among the image resolutions of the E-P2 (12MP) and S1R (47MP) and the E-P2 (Four Thirds) and S1R (Full frame) have totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-P2 was released 9 years earlier than the S1R and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S1R being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-P2 scores versus the S1R in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P2 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-P2 Gallery and Panasonic S1R Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-P2 provides outside measurements 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 S1R has specifications of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") along with a weight of 1020 grams (2.25 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic S1R in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use during that time. Following is a front view size comparison of the E-P2 compared to the S1R.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-P2 and S1R is 86 and 54 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to see the contrast in sensor measurements only by viewing specs. The graphic underneath might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P2 and S1R.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-P2 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more challenging and the Panasonic S1R will result in extra detail as a result of its extra 35 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images a bit more aggressively. The older E-P2 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.