Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic FZ200

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Olympus E-PM2 and Panasonic FZ200, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a large difference between the image resolutions of the E-PM2 (16MP) and FZ200 (12MP) and the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and FZ200 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizing.

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The E-PM2 was released 11 months after the FZ200 so they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ200 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a concise summary of how the E-PM2 scores vs the FZ200 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PM2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery & Panasonic FZ200 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera often, you need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM2 provides outside dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ200 has specifications of 125mm x 87mm x 110mm (4.9" x 3.4" x 4.3") accompanied by a weight of 588 grams (1.30 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PM2 and Panasonic FZ200 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you use during that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the E-PM2 against the FZ200.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-PM2 and FZ200 is 89 and 65 respectively.

Usually, its tough to picture the difference between sensor sizes simply by going over technical specs. The image below may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PM2 and FZ200.

As you have seen, both cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PM2 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-PM2 will deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots more aggressively. The more modern E-PM2 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.