Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic FS42

On this page, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-PL1 versus Panasonic FS42, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the FS42 (10MP) is relatively well matched but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and FS42 (1/2.5") offer different sensor size.

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The E-PL1 was manufactured 14 months later than the FS42 which makes them a generation apart from one another. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick summary of how the E-PL1 scores vs the FS42 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Panasonic FS42 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry your camera, you're going to have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1 has exterior measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Panasonic FS42 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL1 versus Panasonic FS42 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the E-PL1 against the FS42.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and FS42 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to imagine the contrast between sensor sizing only by looking at a spec sheet. The visual here will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1 and FS42.

As you can see, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 due to its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-PL1 will give greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more recent E-PL1 provides an advantage with regard to sensor tech.