Olympus E-P5 vs Panasonic FZ80

Below, we are reviewing the Olympus E-P5 vs Panasonic FZ80, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-P5 (16MP) and the FZ80 (18MP) is fairly well matched but the E-P5 (Four Thirds) and FZ80 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-P5 was brought out 4 years before the FZ80 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go through a more detailed comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-P5 scores versus the FZ80 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-P5 Gallery & Panasonic FZ80 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera often, you need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-P5 has physical 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 FZ80 has proportions of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") along with a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-P5 vs Panasonic FZ80 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the E-P5 against the FZ80.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-P5 and FZ80 is 85 and 63 respectively.

Generally, its hard to see the contrast between sensor sizes purely by looking at specs. The image here will give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P5 and FZ80.

All in all, both the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-P5 because of its larger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic FZ80 will give more detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos much more aggressively. The more aged E-P5 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.