Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FH5

The following is a detailed assessment of the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic FH5, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and FH5 (16MP) and the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and FH5 (1/2.3") posses different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL2 was unveiled 2 months after the FH5 and they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a detailed comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the E-PL2 matches up versus the FH5 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery & Panasonic FH5 Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL2 has external measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) while the Panasonic FH5 has specifications of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic FH5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at that time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the E-PL2 vs the FH5.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL2 and FH5 is 85 and 96 respectively.

Normally, its hard to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by checking out a spec sheet. The pic underneath should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL2 and FH5.

As you can see, the two cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL2 using its larger sensor is going to make getting bokeh simpler and the Panasonic FH5 will show extra detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos way more aggressively.