Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic FH27

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic FH27, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the FH27 (16MP) is pretty close but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and FH27 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL5 was announced 21 months after the FH27 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH27 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a full comparison, below is a simple summation of how the E-PL5 scores vs the FH27 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH27. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Panasonic FH27 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you should consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL5 has got outer measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Panasonic FH27 has sizing of 99mm x 57mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") with a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic FH27 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Underneath is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL5 and the FH27.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL5 and FH27 is 88 and 94 respectively.

Usually, it is hard to picture the difference in sensor dimensions merely by viewing specifications. The image here might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL5 and FH27.

To sum up, both of those cameras posses the exact same MP albeit different sensor dimensions. The E-PL5 provides the bigger sensor which will make getting bokeh simpler. The fresher E-PL5 provides an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.