Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic S5

Following is a in depth review of the Olympus E-PL1 versus Panasonic S5, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap between the image resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and S5 (24MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and S5 (Full frame) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1 was announced 11 years before the S5 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a in depth comparison, below is a short highlight of how the E-PL1 matches up against the S5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S5. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Panasonic S5 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL1 has outside dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S5 has sizing of 133mm x 97mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") having a weight of 714 grams (1.57 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL1 versus Panasonic S5 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL1 against the S5.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and S5 is 86 and 60 respectively.

Sometimes, it is hard to see the contrast between sensor sizes just by going over specs. The picture underneath may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1 and S5.

All in all, both of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL1 having a tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Panasonic S5 will deliver more detail with its extra 12MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop pics a little more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.