Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic ZS5

The following is a complete analysis of the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic ZS5, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and ZS5 (12MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and ZS5 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was launched 2 years after the ZS5 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a in depth comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-PL5 grades against the ZS5 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL5 features outside measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS5 has specifications of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic ZS5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL5 versus the ZS5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL5 and ZS5 is 88 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to imagine the gap in sensor dimensions purely by seeing technical specs. The picture underneath will help give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL5 and ZS5.

As you have seen, both of those cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL5 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Olympus E-PL5 will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos much more aggressively. The more modern E-PL5 should have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.