Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic FH20

Let's look closer at the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic FH20, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the FH20 (14MP) is fairly close but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and FH20 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was launched 2 years later than the FH20 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-PL5 scores against the FH20 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Panasonic FH20 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera frequently, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL5 offers external dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) and the Panasonic FH20 has specifications of 100mm x 56mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic FH20 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select during that time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL5 compared to the FH20.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL5 and FH20 is 88 and 93 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to see the contrast in sensor sizing simply by looking through a spec sheet. The visual below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL5 and FH20.

Clearly, both cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL5 due to its larger sensor will make achieving bokeh simpler and the Olympus E-PL5 will render greater detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images a little more aggressively. The fresher E-PL5 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.