Olympus E-P5 vs Panasonic XS1

Below is a in depth overview of the Olympus E-P5 vs Panasonic XS1, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-P5 (16MP) and the XS1 (16MP) is fairly close but the E-P5 (Four Thirds) and XS1 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-P5 was unveiled 9 months later than the XS1 and they are both of a similar age. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic XS1 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a full comparison, below is a short summary of how the E-P5 grades versus the XS1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P5 Gallery & Panasonic XS1 Gallery.

When you are intending to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-P5 has external dimensions of 122mm x 69mm x 37mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 420 grams (0.93 lbs) whilst the Panasonic XS1 has measurements of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") accompanied by a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-P5 vs Panasonic XS1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-P5 against the XS1.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the E-P5 and XS1 is 85 and 97 respectively.

Often, its tough to visualise the difference in sensor measurements simply by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic below will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P5 and XS1.

Clearly, the two cameras have got the exact same MP but not the same sensor measurements. The E-P5 offers the larger sensor which should make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult. The fresher E-P5 will have an edge with regard to sensor technology.