Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic F5

On this page, we will be matching up the Olympus E-PM2 and Panasonic F5, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PM2 (16MP) and the F5 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and F5 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor measurements.

Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

The E-PM2 was unveiled 5 months later than the F5 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic F5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a thorough comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the E-PM2 matches up against the F5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PM2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery & Panasonic F5 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PM2 comes with external measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") along with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Panasonic F5 has measurements of 97mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") along with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PM2 and Panasonic F5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the E-PM2 versus the F5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM2 and F5 is 89 and 96 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to see the difference between sensor sizing only by reading through a spec sheet. The photograph here will give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM2 and F5.

Clearly, both of those cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PM2 with its bigger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus E-PM2 will give you extra detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs a bit more aggressively.