Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic FZ28

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic FZ28, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the FZ28 (10MP) is fairly close but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and FZ28 (1/2.3") provide different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1 was revealed 17 months later than the FZ28 making 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 FZ28 being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-PL1 scores versus the FZ28 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Panasonic FZ28 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera often, you need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL1 has got physical dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ28 has sizing of 118mm x 75mm x 89mm (4.6" x 3.0" x 3.5") with a weight of 417 grams (0.92 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic FZ28 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the E-PL1 vs the FZ28.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and FZ28 is 86 and 72 respectively.

More often than not, its difficult to imagine the gap in sensor measurements just by looking through technical specs. The photograph here will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and FZ28.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL1 using its larger sensor is going to make getting bokeh easier and the Olympus E-PL1 will result in extra detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos a bit more aggressively. The newer E-PL1 provides an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.