Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic GM5

Lets examine more closely at the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic GM5, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and GM5 (16MP) but they use the same exact sensor dimensions (Four Thirds).

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The E-PL2 was manufactured 4 years before the GM5 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before going through a in-depth comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-PL2 grades versus the GM5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Panasonic GM5 Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera often, you need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL2 enjoys outer dimensions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GM5 has proportions of 99mm x 60mm x 36mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.4") with a weight of 211 grams (0.47 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL2 and Panasonic GM5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL2 against the GM5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL2 and GM5 is 85 and 91 respectively.

Quite often, it's hard to see the difference between sensor measurements purely by looking at a spec sheet. The graphic below should give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL2 and GM5.

As you can see, both the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same MP. You should expect the Panasonic GM5 to give you greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots far more aggressively. The older E-PL2 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.