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Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5

Portability
85
Imaging
55
Features
78
Overall
64
Olympus PEN E-PL9 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 front
Portability
96
Imaging
39
Features
31
Overall
35

Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL9
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 6400 (Bump to 25600)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 380g - 117 x 68 x 39mm
  • Introduced February 2018
  • Previous Model is Olympus E-PL8
Panasonic FH5
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-112mm (F3.1-6.5) lens
  • 121g - 94 x 54 x 19mm
  • Launched January 2011
  • Also Known as Lumix DMC-FS18
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Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5 Overview

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.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL9 over the Panasonic FH5

 E-PL9 FH5 
LaunchedFebruary 2018January 2011More recent by 87 months
Focus manually More exact focus
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen dimensions3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution1040k230kCrisper screen (+810k dot)
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Panasonic FH5 over the Olympus E-PL9

 FH5 E-PL9 

Common features in the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic FH5

 E-PL9 FH5 
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen

Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5 Physical Comparison

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. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

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.

Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5 size comparison

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

Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5 Sensor Comparison

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.

Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL9 Portrait photography features
Panasonic FH5 Portrait photography features
73
you can focus manually
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports face detection focusing
supports RAW formats
34
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
features face detection focusing
no manual focus
no manual control
cannot use external flash
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL9 Street photography advice
Panasonic FH5 Street photography advice
84
tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
comes with focus by touch
67
image stabilization (Optical)
features touch focus
lighter than competitors (121 grams)
no moving screen
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL9 as a Sports photography camera
Panasonic FH5 as a Sports photography camera
69
silent mode (1/16,000s)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports tracking autofocus
has no phase detect AF
40
image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
features tracking autofocus
slow frames per second (4.0 fps)
no shutter priority mode
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PL9 Travel photography info
Panasonic FH5 Travel photography info
77
has bluetooth
comes with focus by touch
megapixel count decent (16MP)
has built in flash
does not feature selfie friendly screen
71
lighter than competitors (121g)
features touch focus
megapixel count decent (16MP)
has built in flash
really wide (28mm)
does not have Timelapse recording
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
slow max aperture (f3.1)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PL9 as a Landscape photography camera
Panasonic FH5 as a Landscape photography camera
80
you can focus manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
38
really wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.1)
screen is somewhat small (2.7")
no manual control
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
does not have Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PL9 as a Vlogging camera
Panasonic FH5 as a Vlogging camera
35
touchscreen
image stabilization (Sensor based)
supports face detection focusing
high res video (3840 x 2160 pixels)
does not feature selfie friendly screen
doesn't have external microphone port
33
really wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
features face detection focusing
lighter than competitors (121g)
slow max aperture (f3.1)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
video res low (1280 x 720 pixels)
does not have external microphone port
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Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic FH5
 Olympus PEN E-PL9Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5
General Information
Company Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus PEN E-PL9 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5
Other name - Lumix DMC-FS18
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Introduced 2018-02-08 2011-01-05
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by TruePic VIII Venus Engine IV
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 16MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4608 x 3456 4608 x 3456
Highest native ISO 6400 6400
Highest boosted ISO 25600 -
Lowest native ISO 200 100
RAW files
Lowest boosted ISO 100 -
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 121 11
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 28-112mm (4.0x)
Largest aperture - f/3.1-6.5
Macro focus distance - 5cm
Number of lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.9
Screen
Range of screen Tilting Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inch 2.7 inch
Resolution of screen 1,040 thousand dot 230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 seconds 60 seconds
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/1600 seconds
Maximum silent shutter speed 1/16000 seconds -
Continuous shooting speed 8.6 frames per sec 4.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Change WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 7.60 m (at ISO 200) 3.30 m
Flash options Auto, manual, redeye reduction, slow sync w/redeye reduction, slow sync , slow sync 2nd-curtain, fill-in, off Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution 3840x2160 1280x720
Video format MPEG-4, H.264 Motion JPEG
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 380 gr (0.84 lbs) 121 gr (0.27 lbs)
Physical dimensions 117 x 68 x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") 94 x 54 x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 350 photos 260 photos
Form of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 secs, custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I supported) SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage slots One One
Price at launch $599 $169