Olympus E-P5 vs Panasonic FZ2500

Its time to examine more closely at the Olympus E-P5 and Panasonic FZ2500, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-P5 (16MP) and the FZ2500 (20MP) is very well matched but the E-P5 (Four Thirds) and FZ2500 (1") enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-P5 was launched 4 years prior to the FZ2500 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ2500 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving through a detailed comparison, below is a simple summary of how the E-P5 scores versus the FZ2500 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-P5 Gallery & Panasonic FZ2500 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera regularly, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-P5 has got exterior dimensions of 122mm x 69mm x 37mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.5") along with a weight of 420 grams (0.93 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ2500 has specifications of 138mm x 102mm x 135mm (5.4" x 4.0" x 5.3") and a weight of 915 grams (2.02 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-P5 and Panasonic FZ2500 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are employing at that moment. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the E-P5 and the FZ2500.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-P5 and FZ2500 is 85 and 53 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to envision the gap between sensor sizes purely by reading through specifications. The image below might give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P5 and FZ2500.

To sum up, both the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-P5 because of its larger sensor will make getting bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic FZ2500 will give you greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images a little more aggressively. The more aged E-P5 is going to be behind in sensor technology.