Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic FZ47

Choosing your next camera is about matching gear to the way you shoot - and sometimes, balancing specs and usability against budget and portability. Today, I’m diving into a detailed comparison between two quite different offerings from Olympus and Panasonic: the entry-level mirrorless Olympus PEN E-PL1s versus the small-sensor superzoom Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47. Both launched around the turn of the last decade, each targets a distinct kind of photographer, but how do they stack up in real-world use?

Having tested thousands of cameras in the field - portraits, landscapes, wildlife, and street photography - I’ll walk you through their strengths and compromises, from sensor tech and autofocus to ergonomics and battery life. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of which suits your style and whether either fits your budget and ambitions.

So, pull up a chair - let's crack open this camera comparison with a solid look at their physical design and handling.

A Tale of Two Designs: Size, Ergonomics, and Handling

First impressions count, and handling often makes or breaks a camera's charm. The Olympus E-PL1s sports a clean, rangefinder-style mirrorless body that's clearly designed with portability in mind - compact and lightweight at just 334 grams. The Panasonic FZ47, in contrast, channels the heftier bridge camera style, often dubbed a "superzoom SLR lookalike," weighing in at nearly 500 grams. This reflects its build around a large, fixed zoom lens and bulkier components.

You can see in the above size comparison that the Olympus has a thinner profile with a simpler grip, while the Panasonic feels a bit more substantial with a pronounced handgrip and a larger lens barrel. For one-handed shooting or travel photography when every gram counts, the Olympus has the edge. But the Panasonic's heft might convey extra confidence in stability, especially with long zoom ranges.

The Olympus uses a traditional Micro Four Thirds mount, letting you swap lenses from a lineup of over 100 options - a playground for enthusiasts or creatives who want to invest in specific glass. Meanwhile, the Panasonic FZ47 features a fixed 25-600mm equivalent zoom - a versatile all-in-one lens that covers everything from wide landscapes to distant wildlife, but without the option to upgrade optics.

If you prefer a minimalist rig that’s ready to shoot out of the box, the Panasonic’s integrated zoom has undeniable appeal. But if you want to master optics and exotic primes or fast lenses for portraits, the Olympus mirrorless offers flexibility you'll appreciate long term.

Moving beyond size, let's peek at control layouts - essential for fast, intuitive handling.

Top-Down Control Layout: Intuitive and User-Friendly?

How readily can you tweak your settings on the fly? Both cameras offer manual, aperture, and shutter priority modes, so you retain creative control. The Olympus's top view reveals a straightforward, minimalist layout with a mode dial, shutter release, and pop-up flash button.

The Panasonic’s larger, Nikon-esque body provides a more pronounced mode dial and extra physical controls, with dedicated rings for zoom and focus - convenient for quick adjustments especially when shooting telephoto. But be mindful: the bridge-style form factor means you’ll rely heavily on electronic viewfinder and LCD outputs for composition, which we’ll examine next.

Sensor Size and Image Quality: The Heart of Your Photos

One of the most significant differences lies under the hood: sensor technology.

The Olympus PEN E-PL1s houses a true Four Thirds CMOS sensor measuring 17.3 x 13 mm, giving a total sensor area of roughly 225 mm², with 12 megapixels resolution. The Panasonic FZ47, relying on a much smaller 1/2.3" CCD sensor at 6.08 x 4.56 mm (about 28 mm²), also sports 12 megapixels.

Without getting too technical - though I love sensor tech details - the larger sensor in the Olympus allows larger individual photosites, resulting in better light sensitivity, improved dynamic range, and generally better image quality, especially in low light.

From my lab and field experience, smaller sensors invariably lose out on detail retention and have higher noise at mid to high ISOs. The Olympus’s 12 MP on a Four Thirds sensor balances resolution and noise control well, ideal for shooting from ISO 100 up to 1600, pushing to 3200 in a pinch. Meanwhile, the Panasonic tops at ISO 1600 natively but starts showing noise artifacts earlier, particularly given the long zoom range where diffraction and sensor physical limits combine.

Dynamic range - the ability to capture details in bright highlights and dark shadows without losing information - is noticeably wider on the Olympus, which benefits landscape and portrait shooters. You get a richer tonal palette to work with in post-processing.

Rear LCD and Viewfinder: Composing Your Shot

When framing your masterpiece, the interface matters.

The Olympus E-PL1s features a fixed 2.7” HyperCrystal LCD with an anti-reflective coating but modest 230K-dot resolution - adequate but not particularly sharp or bright by today’s standards. No touch capabilities here, and no built-in viewfinder (you can add an optional electronic viewfinder, but that’s extra).

The Panasonic FZ47 sports a larger 3-inch LCD panel with 460K dots resolution, nearly doubling the sharpness you get on the E-PL1s. Plus, it incorporates an electronic viewfinder with 100% coverage, invaluable under bright outdoor conditions or for action photography demanding stabilized framing.

In my experience, a crisp LCD or EVF improves shooting confidence and allows quicker composition tweaks. The Panasonic’s superior screen resolution and EVF are major bonuses if you shoot extensively outdoors or crave precise framing.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: Tracking the Action

Autofocus is critical across genres, especially wildlife and sports.

The Olympus uses a contrast-detection autofocus system with 11 points, including face detection and tracking capabilities. It supports continuous AF, helpful for moving subjects. However, the system can struggle slightly in dimmer light or with fast action due to inherent contrast AF speed limits.

The Panasonic FZ47 boasts 23 focus points, centered AF, and face detection as well, but no continuous autofocus in live view mode. It's more tailored toward general-purpose shooting with occasional bursts - at 4 frames per second continuous shooting, it slightly outpaces the Olympus’s 3 fps.

Both cameras lack phase detection AF, which is standard in more modern mirrorless and DSLR bodies, so expect some hunting in low contrast scenes. However, the Panasonic’s well-designed telephoto lens compensates by allowing you to keep your subject framed from afar without changing lenses - a practical benefit especially for wildlife photography.

Lens Options: Flexibility vs Convenience

Choosing interchangeable lenses expands creative potential - but with tradeoffs.

The Olympus’s Micro Four Thirds mount opens up a universe of 107 native lenses from Olympus, Panasonic, and third-party manufacturers. From ultra-wide primes to stabilized telephotos and even macro lenses, you can tailor your rig precisely to your needs.

In contrast, the Panasonic FZ47’s fixed 25-600mm equivalent zoom (f/2.8-5.2 aperture) provides killer versatility out of the box - with super-telephoto reach that would cost a fortune in standalone lenses and still require carrying hefty gear.

If you want a simple all-in-one for vacations, urban exploration, or occasional wildlife, the Panasonic shines. But enthusiasts and professionals craving ultimate image quality, specialized lenses, or creative depth-of-field control will lean toward the Olympus system.

Battery Life and Storage

The Panasonic extends a notable advantage in battery endurance, rated for about 400 shots per charge, compared to the Olympus’s 290 shots. Real-world usage echoes these numbers; the smaller mirrorless bodies tend to consume more power due to sensor and processor demands.

Both accept SD/SDHC cards, but note the Panasonic supports SDXC and includes internal memory storage as a safety net - a nice touch for backup or emergencies.

Video Capabilities: Moving Pictures in Focus

Video might be a secondary concern for some photographers, but it’s worth considering.

The Panasonic FZ47 delivers impressive Full HD 1080p at 30 fps in AVCHD format, making it a robust hybrid camera for photo and video. Optical image stabilization on the lens is a boon in handheld video shooting.

Conversely, the Olympus E-PL1s records at 720p max resolution in Motion JPEG format, which results in larger files with less compression efficiency. No microphone or headphone ports exist on either camera, limiting audio control.

If your videography matters, the Panasonic takes a decisive edge here.

Weather and Durability

Neither camera offers weather sealing, dustproofing, or rugged features, so consider an appropriate case if you shoot outdoors in tougher conditions.

Real-World Image Gallery: Side-by-Side Examples

I always say the proof is in the images. Below, you can see samples from both cameras comparing portrait, landscape, and macro shots.

Olympus E PL1s front Olympus E PL1s screen back Panasonic FZ47 front Panasonic FZ47 screen back

The Olympus E-PL1s consistently delivers smoother skin tones and better background blur (bokeh) thanks to its sensor and lens options, making it preferable for portraiture. The Panasonic’s sample images illustrate punchy telephoto compression and decent sharpness at wide-angle but display increased noise when pushed in low light.

Performance Scores and Genre Suitability

Benchmark ratings help clarify strengths.

Both cameras fare well for their class, with Olympus scoring better in image quality and handling, and Panasonic excelling in zoom versatility and video.

For detailed genre comparisons:

• Portraits: Olympus leads with interchangeable fast-glass and face detection AF.
• Landscape: Olympus shines due to sensor size and dynamic range.
• Wildlife: Panasonic's superzoom is convenient, but autofocus speed limits fast-action capture.
• Sports: Neither excels but Panasonic's faster burst rate edges slightly ahead.
• Street: Olympus's compact size gives a discreet advantage.
• Macro: Olympus with dedicated macro lenses wins.
• Night/Astro: Olympus's sensor and higher ISO performance make it a clear choice.
• Travel: Panasonic's zoom and battery life favor all-in-one travel.
• Professional Work: Olympus, with RAW support and lens versatility, is better suited.

My Recommendations

Go for the Olympus PEN E-PL1s if:

• You want an entry-level interchangeable lens system with solid image quality and creative control.
• Portraits, landscapes, and low-light shooting are priorities.
• You favor compact, lightweight design for street or travel photography.
• You’re willing to invest in lenses over time.

Choose the Panasonic Lumix FZ47 if:

• You need an all-in-one superzoom for convenience, especially wildlife or distant subjects.
• Video at Full HD with optical stabilization is important.
• You prioritize battery life and ergonomics with a decent built-in EVF.
• You’re on a budget and want to avoid investing in multiple lenses.

The Last Word: Which Camera Should You Pick?

While both cameras are now legacy models, their design philosophies live on in modern gear: Olympus’s mirrorless systems continue to prioritize sensor quality and lens interchangeability, whereas Panasonic’s bridge cameras emphasize zoom power and versatility.

If image quality and creative flexibility matter most to you, and you don’t mind swapping lenses, the Olympus PEN E-PL1s remains a compelling choice. For those craving reach, ease of use, and video without fussing over glass, the Panasonic Lumix FZ47 stands out.

Whichever way you lean, these cameras serve distinct photographic appetites. Just remember, shooting experience and practice make the biggest difference - and these cameras are tools to unlock your vision, not limitations.

Happy shooting!