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Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42

Portability
85
Imaging
48
Features
47
Overall
47
Olympus PEN E-PL2 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 front
Portability
95
Imaging
33
Features
10
Overall
23

Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL2
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 362g - 114 x 72 x 42mm
  • Announced February 2011
  • Earlier Model is Olympus E-PL1s
  • Newer Model is Olympus E-PL3
Panasonic FS42
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.5" Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1000 (Push to 6400)
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 33-132mm (F2.8-5.9) lens
  • 132g - 98 x 55 x 22mm
  • Revealed April 2009
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Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42 Overview

On this page, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic FS42, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the FS42 (10MP) is relatively close but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and FS42 (1/2.5") offer different sensor size.

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The E-PL2 was unveiled 23 months after the FS42 which makes them a generation away from each other. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-PL2 grades vs the FS42 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL2 over the Panasonic FS42

 E-PL2 FS42 
RevealedFebruary 2011April 2009More modern by 23 months
Focus manually Dial accurate focus
Screen dimensions3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution460k230kSharper screen (+230k dot)

Reasons to pick Panasonic FS42 over the Olympus E-PL2

 FS42 E-PL2 

Common features in the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic FS42

 E-PL2 FS42 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Neither has selfie screen
Touch screen Neither has Touch screen

Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42 Physical Comparison

If you're going to carry around your camera, you'll have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL2 has external measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) while the Panasonic FS42 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic FS42 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you use at that moment. Underneath is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL2 against the FS42.

Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42 size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL2 and FS42 is 85 and 95 respectively.

Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42 Sensor Comparison

Generally, it's tough to visualize the gap in sensor sizes purely by looking through specifications. The pic below may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL2 and FS42.

To sum up, both cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL2 using its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-PL2 will render greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The younger E-PL2 provides a benefit in sensor tech.

Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 Portrait photography highlights
Panasonic FS42 Portrait photography highlights
60
you can focus manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with face detection focus
delivers RAW formats
megapixel count low (12MP)
19
no manual focus
manual mode not possible
cannot use external flash
low megapixels (10 megapixels)
sensor size is very small (1/2.5")
has no RAW support
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 Street photography highlights
Panasonic FS42 Street photography highlights
73
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
no moving screen
47
screen does not articulate
does not have image stabilization
sensor size is very small (1/2.5")
has no RAW support
low maximum ISO (1,000)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 Sports photography advice
Panasonic FS42 Sports photography advice
45
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with tracking autofocus
max frames per second low (3.0 frames/s)
megapixel count low (12 megapixels)
terrible battery life (280 CIPA)
has no phase detect auto focus
16
continuous shooting slow (2.0 frames per second)
lack of shutter priority mode
does not have image stabilization
low megapixels (10MP)
sensor size is very small (1/2.5")
has no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 Travel photography advice
Panasonic FS42 Travel photography advice
51
has built in flash
missing Timelapse mode
terrible battery life (280 per charge)
megapixel count low (12 megapixels)
display is not selfie friendly
51
built-in flash
lack of Time Lapse mode
low megapixels (10 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
wide angle not fantastic (33mm)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 as a Landscape photography camera
Panasonic FS42 as a Landscape photography camera
61
you can focus manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
megapixel count low (12MP)
terrible battery life (280 shots)
missing Timelapse mode
22
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not fantastic (33mm)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
tiny screen (2.5")
manual mode not possible
does not have image stabilization
low megapixels (10MP)
sensor size is very small (1/2.5")
low maximum ISO (1,000)
has no RAW support
lack of Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 Vlogging details
Panasonic FS42 Vlogging details
29
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
comes with face detection focus
display is not selfie friendly
low quality video (1280 x 720 pxls)
missing external microphone jack
22
wide angle not fantastic (33mm)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
screen is not selfie friendly
does not have image stabilization
low video resolution (640 x 480 resolution)
lack of external mic port
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Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FS42 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic FS42
 Olympus PEN E-PL2Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42
General Information
Brand Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus PEN E-PL2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42
Type Entry-Level Mirrorless Ultracompact
Announced 2011-02-11 2009-04-17
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Ultracompact
Sensor Information
Powered by Truepic V -
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.5"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 5.744 x 4.308mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 24.7mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 10 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4032 x 3024 3648 x 2736
Max native ISO 6400 1000
Max boosted ISO - 6400
Lowest native ISO 100 80
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
AF continuous
AF single
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points 11 -
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 33-132mm (4.0x)
Maximum aperture - f/2.8-5.9
Macro focusing range - 5cm
Number of lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 6.3
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inch 2.5 inch
Resolution of screen 460 thousand dot 230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Screen technology HyperCrystal LCD AR(Anti-Reflective) coating -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60s 60s
Highest shutter speed 1/4000s 1/2000s
Continuous shooting speed 3.0fps 2.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 10.00 m 6.30 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/160s -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 640x480
Video format Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 362g (0.80 lbs) 132g (0.29 lbs)
Physical dimensions 114 x 72 x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") 98 x 55 x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 55 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 21.4 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.2 not tested
DXO Low light rating 573 not tested
Other
Battery life 280 images -
Battery form Battery Pack -
Battery ID BLS-5 -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC SD/SDHC card, Internal
Storage slots One One
Cost at launch $0 $580