Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic S5

Here is a in depth analysis of the Olympus E-PL5 versus Panasonic S5, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a big difference between the resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and S5 (24MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and S5 (Full frame) boast totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was introduced 9 years before the S5 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-PL5 scores against the S5 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S5. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Panasonic S5 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL5 has external dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S5 has dimensions of 133mm x 97mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 714 grams (1.57 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Panasonic S5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PL5 versus the S5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and S5 is 88 and 60 respectively.

Usually, it can be tough to envision the gap between sensor sizing only by going over technical specs. The graphic here should provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL5 and S5.

As you have seen, each of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PL5 with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Panasonic S5 will offer you more detail using its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The older E-PL5 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.