Olympus E-PL1s vs Panasonic LS5

Lets take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL1s versus Panasonic LS5, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the LS5 (14MP) is relatively close but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and LS5 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1s was launched 8 months prior to the LS5 which means that they are of a similar generation. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LS5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the E-PL1s grades against the LS5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Panasonic LS5 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry around your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL1s enjoys physical measurements 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 LS5 has sizing 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-PL1s versus Panasonic LS5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the E-PL1s against the LS5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1s and LS5 is 86 and 94 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be tough to see the gap in sensor sizes simply by looking through specifications. The image below may give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1s and LS5.

To sum up, both of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL1s due to its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic LS5 will result in extra detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1s will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.