Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic FH6

Following is a extended analysis of the Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic FH6, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the FH6 (14MP) is very comparable but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and FH6 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL8 was introduced 4 years after the FH6 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH6 being a Compact camera.

Before delving through a in-depth comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-PL8 matches up vs the FH6 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH6. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Panasonic FH6 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry around your camera, you will want to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL8 comes with physical 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) and the Panasonic FH6 has dimensions of 96mm x 56mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 119 grams (0.26 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic FH6 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are using during that time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL8 versus the FH6.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and FH6 is 86 and 96 respectively.

Often, it is tough to envision the gap in sensor sizes just by seeing technical specs. The picture here will provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL8 and FH6.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL8 with its larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-PL8 will provide greater detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more recent E-PL8 will have an edge with regard to sensor tech.