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Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4

Portability
86
Imaging
47
Features
43
Overall
45
Olympus PEN E-PL1 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 front
Portability
66
Imaging
53
Features
88
Overall
67

Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 334g - 115 x 72 x 42mm
  • Introduced May 2010
  • Refreshed by Olympus E-PL1s
Panasonic GH4
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • 4096 x 2160 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 560g - 133 x 93 x 84mm
  • Revealed February 2014
  • Succeeded the Panasonic GH3
  • Later Model is Panasonic GH5
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Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4 Overview

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL1 and Panasonic GH4, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference among the resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and GH4 (16MP) but they come with the exact same sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

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The E-PL1 was brought out 4 years earlier than the GH4 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic GH4 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a in depth comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the E-PL1 matches up against the GH4 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL1 over the Panasonic GH4

 E-PL1 GH4 

Reasons to pick Panasonic GH4 over the Olympus E-PL1

 GH4 E-PL1 
RevealedFebruary 2014May 2010More recent by 45 months
Display typeFully ArticulatedFixed Fully Articulating display
Display dimension3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution1036k230kCrisper display (+806k dot)
Selfie screen Easy selfies
Touch friendly display Easily navigate

Common features in the Olympus E-PL1 and Panasonic GH4

 E-PL1 GH4 
Manually focus Very precise focusing

Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4 Physical Comparison

For anybody who is aiming to lug around your camera, you need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 comes with outer measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Panasonic GH4 has dimensions of 133mm x 93mm x 84mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.3") with a weight of 560 grams (1.23 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL1 and Panasonic GH4 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are employing during that time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PL1 versus the GH4.

Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4 size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and GH4 is 86 and 66 respectively.

Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4 Sensor Comparison

Often, it's tough to see the contrast in sensor measurements only by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1 and GH4.

As you can see, both of these cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same megapixels. You should anticipate the Panasonic GH4 to render greater detail having its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The older E-PL1 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.

Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 as a Portrait photography camera
Panasonic GH4 as a Portrait photography camera
60
focusing manually
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
offers face detect focus
saves RAW formats
MP count low (12 megapixels)
71
focusing manually
good megapixels (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with face detection focusing
saves RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Street photography details
Panasonic GH4 Street photography details
74
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
screen does not articulate
71
screen can move to multiple angles
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
provides touch to focus
weather proof
lighter than competitors in class (560 grams)
good ISO range (25,600)
no image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Sports photography info
Panasonic GH4 Sports photography info
44
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
offers tracking focus
slow fps (3.0 fps)
MP count low (12 megapixels)
bad battery (290 per charge)
lack of phase detect auto focus
62
high shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
good megapixels (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with tracking autofocus
weather proof
no image stabilization
lacks phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus E-PL1
Travel photography with Panasonic GH4
51
built-in flash
no Time Lapse function
bad battery (290 CIPA)
MP count low (12MP)
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
77
lighter than competitors in class (560 grams)
weather proof
provides touch to focus
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
flash built-in
selfie friendly screen
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Landscape photography advice
Panasonic GH4 Landscape photography advice
55
focusing manually
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
screen is small (2.7 inches)
MP count low (12MP)
bad battery (290 per charge)
no Time Lapse function
72
focusing manually
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen is a good size (3")
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
good ISO range (25,600)
saves RAW files
weather proof
no image stabilization
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 as a Vlogging camera
Panasonic GH4 as a Vlogging camera
29
image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers face detect focus
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
low quality video (1280 x 720 pxls)
no mic port
71
selfie friendly screen
touch screen
comes with face detection focusing
high quality video (4096 x 2160 pxls)
does have external microphone jack
lighter than competitors in class (560g)
no image stabilization
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Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL1 and Panasonic GH4
 Olympus PEN E-PL1Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4
General Information
Make Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus PEN E-PL1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Pro Mirrorless
Introduced 2010-05-17 2014-02-07
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Chip Truepic V Venus Engine IX
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds Four Thirds
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 17.3 x 13mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 224.9mm²
Sensor resolution 12MP 16MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4032 x 3024 4608 x 3456
Highest native ISO 3200 25600
Minimum native ISO 100 200
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Number of focus points 11 49
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds
Amount of lenses 107 107
Crop factor 2.1 2.1
Screen
Range of display Fixed Type Fully Articulated
Display size 2.7 inch 3 inch
Display resolution 230k dot 1,036k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display tech HyperCrystal LCD AR (Anti-Reflective) coating OLED
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 2,359k dot
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.67x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60s 60s
Maximum shutter speed 1/2000s 1/8000s
Continuous shooting speed 3.0 frames/s 12.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 10.00 m 17.00 m (at ISO 200)
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) Auto, auto/redeye reduction, forced on, forced on/redeye reduction, slow sync, slow sync/redeye reduction, forced off
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Maximum flash sync 1/160s 1/250s
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 4096 x 2160 (24p), 3840 x 2160 (24p, 25p, 30p), 1920 x 1080 (24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p), 1280 x 720 (24p, 25p, 30p), 640 x 480 (25p, 30p)
Highest video resolution 1280x720 4096x2160
Video data format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 334 grams (0.74 lb) 560 grams (1.23 lb)
Dimensions 115 x 72 x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") 133 x 93 x 84mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.3")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 54 74
DXO Color Depth score 21.5 23.2
DXO Dynamic range score 10.1 12.8
DXO Low light score 487 791
Other
Battery life 290 photos 500 photos
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model BLS-1 DMW-BLF19
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 secs (single or three-shot))
Time lapse feature
Storage media SD/SDHC card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots One One
Retail pricing $288 $1,500