Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FZ40

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic FZ40, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the FZ40 (14MP) is very close but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and FZ40 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL9 was released 7 years after the FZ40 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple view of how the E-PL9 grades versus the FZ40 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL9 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery & Panasonic FZ40 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera frequently, you should factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL9 features outside dimensions of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") having a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ40 has proportions of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") and a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL9 and Panasonic FZ40 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PL9 vs the FZ40.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL9 and FZ40 is 85 and 68 respectively.

In many cases, it is tough to see the difference in sensor dimensions merely by looking through specifications. The picture here should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL9 and FZ40.

To sum up, both cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL9 due to its larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Olympus E-PL9 will provide you with extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics much more aggressively. The fresher E-PL9 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.