Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic FZ200

Below, we are reviewing the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic FZ200, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and FZ200 (12MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and FZ200 (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL5 was unveiled 3 months later than the FZ200 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ200 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go straight into a in depth comparison, below is a quick view of how the E-PL5 matches up against the FZ200 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Panasonic FZ200 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL5 provides outside measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ200 has dimensions of 125mm x 87mm x 110mm (4.9" x 3.4" x 4.3") along with a weight of 588 grams (1.30 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic FZ200 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilising during that time. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL5 vs the FZ200.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and FZ200 is 88 and 65 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to visualize the difference in sensor measurements only by going through technical specs. The graphic below may give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL5 and FZ200.

As you can tell, each of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 with its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-PL5 will provide greater detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images much more aggressively.