Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic LS5

Following is a detailed comparison of the Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic LS5, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the LS5 (14MP) is fairly close but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and LS5 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizes.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The E-PL1 was unveiled 14 months earlier than the LS5 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LS5 being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-PL1 matches up versus the LS5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Panasonic LS5 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry around your camera regularly, you will have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 features external measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Panasonic LS5 has dimensions of 97mm x 62mm x 27mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.1") and a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL1 vs Panasonic LS5 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are using at that moment. Underneath is the front view size comparison of the E-PL1 vs the LS5.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and LS5 is 86 and 94 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to picture the gap in sensor sizes just by viewing specifications. The picture underneath will offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1 and LS5.

To sum up, both of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL1 having a larger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh simpler and the Panasonic LS5 will result in extra detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.