Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic FS15

Lets look closer at the Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic FS15, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a large gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and FS15 (12MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and FS15 (1/2.3") come with different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was released 3 years later than the FS15 and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FS15 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going straight into a in depth comparison, below is a concise summation of how the E-PL5 grades against the FS15 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Panasonic FS15 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL5 has got outer measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) and the Panasonic FS15 has proportions of 97mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") having a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic FS15 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you select at the time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL5 versus the FS15.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL5 and FS15 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to imagine the contrast between sensor measurements just by reading through technical specs. The photograph below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL5 and FS15.

As you have seen, each of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 due to its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Olympus E-PL5 will resolve extra detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a little more aggressively. The younger E-PL5 provides an advantage in sensor tech.