Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic GH4

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.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Panasonic GH4 Gallery.

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.

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.

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

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.