Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic XS1

In this article, we will be looking at the Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic XS1, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a noticeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-P2 (12MP) and XS1 (16MP) and the E-P2 (Four Thirds) and XS1 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-P2 was unveiled 3 years earlier than the XS1 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic XS1 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick summation of how the E-P2 grades against the XS1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-P2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P2 Gallery & Panasonic XS1 Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera regularly, you need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P2 has exterior dimensions 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 XS1 has dimensions of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") accompanied by a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs).

See the Olympus E-P2 vs Panasonic XS1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the E-P2 versus the XS1.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-P2 and XS1 is 86 and 97 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to visualise the gap in sensor measurements merely by viewing technical specs. The graphic below might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-P2 and XS1.

As you have seen, both of these cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-P2 having a bigger sensor will make getting bokeh easier and the Panasonic XS1 will provide you with greater detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older E-P2 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.