Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic FP2

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic FP2, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the FP2 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and FP2 (1/2.3") provide different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL5 was announced 2 years after the FP2 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FP2 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-PL5 scores against the FP2 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP2. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Panasonic FP2 Gallery.

If you're intending to travel with your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL5 has outside dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Panasonic FP2 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic FP2 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL5 vs the FP2.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and FP2 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Generally, its difficult to picture the gap in sensor dimensions simply by checking out technical specs. The pic underneath should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL5 and FP2.

As you have seen, the two cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL5 having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Olympus E-PL5 will show extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The younger E-PL5 provides an advantage with regard to sensor tech.