Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic SZ5

The following is a thorough assessment of the Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic SZ5, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PM1 (12MP) and the SZ5 (14MP) is very comparable but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and SZ5 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PM1 was launched 7 months prior to the SZ5 so they are of a similar generation. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ5 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the E-PM1 matches up versus the SZ5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Panasonic SZ5 Gallery.

For those who are planning to travel with your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM1 features outside dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Panasonic SZ5 has specifications of 104mm x 58mm x 21mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8") with a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic SZ5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at the time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the E-PM1 and the SZ5.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and SZ5 is 89 and 95 respectively.

Usually, its hard to envision the difference in sensor dimensions just by seeing specs. The pic underneath should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM1 and SZ5.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM1 featuring a larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic SZ5 will show more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics way more aggressively. The more aged E-PM1 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.