Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic LX5

Its time to look more in depth at the Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic LX5, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PM1 (12MP) and the LX5 (10MP) is pretty close but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and LX5 (1/1.63") offer totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PM1 was announced around the same time to the LX5 and they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LX5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a in depth comparison, here is a short highlight of how the E-PM1 matches up versus the LX5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Panasonic LX5 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera often, you have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM1 offers external measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Panasonic LX5 has specifications of 110mm x 65mm x 43mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic LX5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the E-PM1 compared to the LX5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM1 and LX5 is 89 and 88 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing only by looking through a spec sheet. The visual here might give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PM1 and LX5.

Clearly, both the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PM1 using its bigger sensor will make shooting bokeh easier and the Olympus E-PM1 will render extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs way more aggressively.