Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic FS42

Let's look a little more closely at the Olympus E-P2 and Panasonic FS42, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-P2 (12MP) and the FS42 (10MP) is fairly similar but the E-P2 (Four Thirds) and FS42 (1/2.5") come with different sensor size.

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The E-P2 was brought out 13 months later than the FS42 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting through a detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-P2 scores vs the FS42 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P2 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-P2 Gallery and Panasonic FS42 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry your camera frequently, you should consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P2 has outside dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) and the Panasonic FS42 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-P2 and Panasonic FS42 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are employing at the time. The following is the front view size comparison of the E-P2 against the FS42.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-P2 and FS42 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be hard to imagine the gap between sensor sizing simply by reviewing specs. The visual underneath will help offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P2 and FS42.

All in all, both of those cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-P2 because of its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-P2 will deliver extra detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics much more aggressively. The younger E-P2 should have an advantage in sensor innovation.