Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-PL9 versus Panasonic FH5, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the FH5 (16MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and FH5 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL9 was introduced 7 years later than the FH5 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a full comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-PL9 matches up against the FH5 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL9 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery and Panasonic FH5 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL9 comes with external measurements of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") along with a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FH5 has specifications of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") and a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL9 versus Panasonic FH5 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at that moment. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL9 vs the FH5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL9 and FH5 is 85 and 96 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to visualise the difference in sensor measurements merely by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph here should offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL9 and FH5.

As you can see, each of these cameras provide the same MP albeit not the same sensor measurements. The E-PL9 includes the bigger sensor which is going to make obtaining shallow depth of field less difficult. The fresher E-PL9 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor tech.