Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH2

Here, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-PL1 and Panasonic GH2, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and GH2 (16MP) but both cameras posses the identical sensor measurements (Four Thirds).

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The E-PL1 was released 10 months earlier than the GH2 so they are both of a similar age. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic GH2 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief summary of how the E-PL1 matches up vs the GH2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Panasonic GH2 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera often, you are going to need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1 enjoys outside dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GH2 has proportions of 124mm x 90mm x 76mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 442 grams (0.97 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1 and Panasonic GH2 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have chosen during that time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL1 versus the GH2.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and GH2 is 86 and 70 respectively.

Usually, it can be difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing simply by viewing a spec sheet. The photograph below should offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and GH2.

As you can see, both cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different megapixels. You can expect the Panasonic GH2 to result in extra detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs way more aggressively. The older E-PL1 will be behind in sensor innovation.