Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic ZS5

In this article, we will be looking at the Olympus E-PL2 versus Panasonic ZS5, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the ZS5 (12MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and ZS5 (1/2.3") come with different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL2 was launched 8 months after the ZS5 and they are of a similar age. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short overview of how the E-PL2 scores against the ZS5 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery & Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL2 enjoys external measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS5 has sizing of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL2 versus Panasonic ZS5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use during that time. Here is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL2 compared to the ZS5.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL2 and ZS5 is 85 and 92 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions purely by checking out a spec sheet. The image here may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL2 and ZS5.

Clearly, both of those cameras offer the same exact megapixel count albeit different sensor dimensions. The E-PL2 has the bigger sensor which should make obtaining shallow depth of field easier. The more recent E-PL2 provides an advantage in sensor technology.