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Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Portability
86
Imaging
55
Features
76
Overall
63
Olympus PEN E-PL8 front
 
Olympus XZ-2 iHS front
Portability
85
Imaging
37
Features
67
Overall
49

Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Key Specs

Olympus E-PL8
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 357g - 115 x 67 x 38mm
  • Released September 2016
  • Earlier Model is Olympus E-PL7
  • Renewed by Olympus E-PL9
Olympus XZ-2 iHS
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-112mm (F1.8-2.5) lens
  • 346g - 113 x 65 x 48mm
  • Announced December 2012
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Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Overview

Lets look a little more closely at the Olympus E-PL8 versus Olympus XZ-2 iHS, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are created by Olympus. There exists a sizeable gap between the resolutions of the E-PL8 (16MP) and XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") use different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL8 was launched 3 years after the XZ-2 iHS which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a more detailed comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-PL8 scores versus the XZ-2 iHS when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL8 over the Olympus XZ-2 iHS

 E-PL8 XZ-2 iHS 
AnnouncedSeptember 2016December 2012More modern by 46 months
Display resolution1037k920kCrisper display (+117k dot)

Reasons to pick Olympus XZ-2 iHS over the Olympus E-PL8

 XZ-2 iHS E-PL8 

Common features in the Olympus E-PL8 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS

 E-PL8 XZ-2 iHS 
Focus manually Dial precise focusing
Display typeTiltingTiltingTilting display
Display sizing3"3"Equivalent display measurements
Selfie screen Neither comes with selfie screen
Touch display Easily navigate

Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Physical Comparison

When you are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL8 comes with exterior dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") along with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) while the Olympus XZ-2 iHS has dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") with a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL8 versus Olympus XZ-2 iHS in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL8 compared to the XZ-2 iHS.

Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS size comparison

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL8 and XZ-2 iHS is 86 and 85 respectively.

Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Sensor Comparison

Typically, it's difficult to picture the difference between sensor sizes purely by checking technical specs. The pic underneath will offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL8 and XZ-2 iHS.

As you can tell, both of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-PL8 due to its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-PL8 will resolve greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop photos a little more aggressively. The fresher E-PL8 provides an edge when it comes to sensor technology.

Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL8 Portrait photography advice
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Portrait photography advice
73
focusing manually
MP count good (16MP)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
comes with face detect autofocus
exports RAW formats
46
focusing manually
includes face detection focusing
delivers RAW formats
sensor resolution low (12MP)
very small sensor size (1/1.7")
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL8 Street photography information
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Street photography information
84
has a tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
comes with touch focus
above average ISO range (25,600)
66
tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
delivers RAW formats
very small sensor size (1/1.7")
more heavy than average in class (346g)
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus E-PL8
Sports photography with Olympus XZ-2 iHS
67
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
MP count good (16MP)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
comes with tracking focus
does not have phase detect autofocus
43
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
includes tracking autofocus
great battery life (340 CIPA)
sensor resolution low (12MP)
very small sensor size (1/1.7")
no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PL8 Travel photography information
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Travel photography information
72
comes with touch focus
MP count good (16MP)
doesn't have a selfie friendly display
61
great battery life (340 per charge)
built-in flash
reasonably wide (28mm)
very good max aperture (f1.8)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
more heavy than average in class (346g)
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PL8 Landscape photography highlights
Olympus XZ-2 iHS Landscape photography highlights
80
focusing manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is good (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
MP count good (16MP)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
above average ISO range (25,600)
exports RAW formats
55
focusing manually
reasonably wide (28mm)
very good max aperture (f1.8)
nice screen size (3 inches)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
delivers RAW formats
great battery life (340 CIPA)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
very small sensor size (1/1.7")
doesn't have Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus E-PL8
Vlogging with Olympus XZ-2 iHS
36
touch screen
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
comes with face detect autofocus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
doesn't have a selfie friendly display
missing microphone socket
36
reasonably wide (28mm)
very good max aperture (f1.8)
touchscreen capability
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
includes face detection focusing
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
includes external microphone port
screen is not selfie friendly
more heavy than average in class (346g)
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Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL8 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS
 Olympus PEN E-PL8Olympus XZ-2 iHS
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Olympus
Model type Olympus PEN E-PL8 Olympus XZ-2 iHS
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Released 2016-09-19 2012-12-18
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Chip TruePic VII -
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/1.7"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 41.5mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 12MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3
Peak resolution 4608 x 3456 3968 x 2976
Highest native ISO 25600 12800
Min native ISO 200 100
RAW support
Min enhanced ISO 100 -
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Total focus points 81 35
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 28-112mm (4.0x)
Maximal aperture - f/1.8-2.5
Macro focusing distance - 1cm
Amount of lenses 107 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 4.8
Screen
Screen type Tilting Tilting
Screen diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 1,037 thousand dot 920 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) Electronic (optional)
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60 seconds 60 seconds
Fastest shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 8.0 frames/s -
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance no built-in flash 8.60 m (ISO 800)
Flash modes no built-in flash Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Wireless
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video data format H.264, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 357 grams (0.79 pounds) 346 grams (0.76 pounds)
Dimensions 115 x 67 x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") 113 x 65 x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested 49
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 20.4
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 11.3
DXO Low light rating not tested 216
Other
Battery life 350 pictures 340 pictures
Type of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID - Li-90B
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, custom) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots One One
Launch pricing $500 $450