Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic G5

Lets look a little more in depth at the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic G5, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a noticeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and G5 (16MP) but they possess the same exact sensor size (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-PL2 was released 17 months before the G5 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic G5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief overview of how the E-PL2 grades vs the G5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery & Panasonic G5 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera regularly, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL2 provides outside dimensions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) while the Panasonic G5 has proportions of 120mm x 83mm x 71mm (4.7" x 3.3" x 2.8") having a weight of 396 grams (0.87 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic G5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Below is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL2 compared to the G5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL2 and G5 is 85 and 74 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to see the gap in sensor sizing simply by researching specifications. The photograph underneath will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL2 and G5.

To sum up, both the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but not the same megapixels. You can anticipate the Panasonic G5 to result in more detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics far more aggressively. The older E-PL2 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.