Olympus E-PL6 vs Panasonic FP5

Here is a extensive review of the Olympus E-PL6 and Panasonic FP5, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the FP5 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and FP5 (1/2.3") posses different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL6 was unveiled 3 years later than the FP5 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FP5 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going straight to a thorough comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-PL6 matches up against the FP5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL6 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery & Panasonic FP5 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry your camera, you should factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL6 features external dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) and the Panasonic FP5 has measurements of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") with a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL6 and Panasonic FP5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the E-PL6 and the FP5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL6 and FP5 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing only by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph here may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL6 and FP5.

Clearly, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL6 using its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF simpler and the Olympus E-PL6 will show more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots way more aggressively. The more modern E-PL6 should have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.