Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic FH2

Lets look more closely at the Olympus E-P2 and Panasonic FH2, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-P2 (12MP) and the FH2 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the E-P2 (Four Thirds) and FH2 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizing.

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The E-P2 was unveiled 8 months earlier than the FH2 and they are of a similar age. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH2 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the E-P2 scores against the FH2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH2. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-P2 Gallery & Panasonic FH2 Gallery.

When you are going to carry around your camera often, you will want to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P2 offers outer dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") along with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) and the Panasonic FH2 has sizing of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") and a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-P2 and Panasonic FH2 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use during that time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the E-P2 against the FH2.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-P2 and FH2 is 86 and 96 respectively.

Often, it is tough to visualize the gap between sensor sizes just by looking at specifications. The picture below should give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P2 and FH2.

To sum up, the two cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-P2 using its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic FH2 will give you more detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos much more aggressively. The more aged E-P2 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.