Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic FP5

Lets look a little more closely at the Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic FP5, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-P2 (12MP) and the FP5 (14MP) is very well matched but the E-P2 (Four Thirds) and FP5 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor sizes.

Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

The E-P2 was announced 8 months earlier than the FP5 so they are of a similar generation. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FP5 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-P2 matches up versus the FP5 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P2 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-P2 Gallery and Panasonic FP5 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-P2 enjoys outer measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) while the Panasonic FP5 has proportions of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic FP5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the E-P2 compared to the FP5.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-P2 and FP5 is 86 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to imagine the difference between sensor sizes just by looking at specifications. The pic here should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P2 and FP5.

Plainly, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-P2 using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Panasonic FP5 will resolve more detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics far more aggressively. The more aged E-P2 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.