Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic TS5

Let's take a deeper look at the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic TS5, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Waterproof by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and TS5 (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and TS5 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PM1 was announced 19 months before the TS5 making them a generation away from each other. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic TS5 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-PM1 scores against the TS5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Panasonic TS5 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera frequently, you need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM1 comes with outside dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) while the Panasonic TS5 has dimensions of 110mm x 67mm x 29mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.1") with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic TS5 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilising at the time. Following is a front view measurements comparison of the E-PM1 against the TS5.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and TS5 is 89 and 91 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizes simply by seeing a spec sheet. The picture below may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM1 and TS5.

As you can see, both of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PM1 having a larger sensor will make shooting bokeh easier and the Panasonic TS5 will provide more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics way more aggressively. The more aged E-PM1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.