Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic FS42

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL1s and Panasonic FS42, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the FS42 (10MP) is relatively close but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and FS42 (1/2.5") boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL1s was introduced 20 months after the FS42 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a short summary of how the E-PL1s scores against the FS42 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1s & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery & Panasonic FS42 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to travel with your camera, you're going to have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1s enjoys outside 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) whilst the Panasonic FS42 has proportions of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL1s and Panasonic FS42 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PL1s versus the FS42.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1s and FS42 is 86 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, it's hard to envision the contrast in sensor dimensions only by researching a spec sheet. The image underneath should provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1s and FS42.

As you can see, both of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1s having a bigger sensor will make achieving bokeh simpler and the Olympus E-PL1s will provide you with extra detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The fresher E-PL1s is going to have a benefit in sensor tech.