Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic S2

Lets look more closely at the Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic S2, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PM1 (12MP) and the S2 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and S2 (1/2.3") have different sensor size.

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The E-PM1 was announced very close to the S2 so they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S2 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a complete comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the E-PM1 grades against the S2 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-S2. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Panasonic S2 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera often, you have to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PM1 provides physical measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Panasonic S2 has measurements of 98mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 112 grams (0.25 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic S2 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have at that moment. The following is a front view size comparison of the E-PM1 against the S2.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and S2 is 89 and 96 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to visualize the difference between sensor sizes merely by looking at specifications. The pic underneath may provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM1 and S2.

To sum up, the 2 cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PM1 using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic S2 will resolve extra detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop images more aggressively.