Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic GH2

Following is a in depth comparison of the Olympus E-PL8 and Panasonic GH2, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the GH2 (16MP) is very close and both cameras posses the same sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-PL8 was released 5 years after the GH2 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic GH2 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going into a detailed comparison, here is a concise summary of how the E-PL8 scores vs the GH2 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Panasonic GH2 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you should factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL8 has exterior measurements 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 GH2 has measurements of 124mm x 90mm x 76mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 3.0") with a weight of 442 grams (0.97 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL8 and Panasonic GH2 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL8 and the GH2.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL8 and GH2 is 86 and 70 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be tough to see the gap in sensor sizes only by looking through specifications. The image below should offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL8 and GH2.

To sum up, each of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions and the exact same megapixels and you should expect comparable quality of files though you really should consider the release date of the cameras into account. The more modern E-PL8 will have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.