Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH1

Lets examine more in depth at the Olympus E-PL9 versus Panasonic FH1, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the E-PL9 (16MP) and FH1 (12MP) and the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and FH1 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL9 was announced 8 years later than the FH1 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-PL9 matches up versus the FH1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL9 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery and Panasonic FH1 Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL9 has got physical measurements of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") with a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FH1 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL9 versus Panasonic FH1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at that moment. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the E-PL9 and the FH1.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL9 and FH1 is 85 and 95 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to envision the contrast in sensor measurements merely by seeing specifications. The graphic underneath should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL9 and FH1.

Plainly, both of the cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL9 using its larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-PL9 will show more detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The more modern E-PL9 will have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.