Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FX78

Let's look much closer at the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic FX78, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the FX78 (12MP) is very well matched but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and FX78 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL2 was released within a month of the FX78 so they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FX78 being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a full comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-PL2 scores versus the FX78 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Panasonic FX78 Gallery.

When you are aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL2 has physical measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) while the Panasonic FX78 has measurements of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic FX78 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select at that moment. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL2 against the FX78.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL2 and FX78 is 85 and 95 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to see the contrast between sensor measurements purely by reading through technical specs. The photograph underneath will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL2 and FX78.

As you have seen, the two cameras posses the exact same megapixel count but not the same sensor measurements. The E-PL2 includes the larger sensor which is going to make achieving shallow DOF simpler.