Olympus PEN E-PM2 vs Panasonic Lumix G95: A Hands-On Comparison for Enthusiasts and Pros

Choosing the right mirrorless camera can be tricky - especially when two solid Micro Four Thirds contenders like the Olympus PEN E-PM2 and Panasonic Lumix G95 line up side-by-side. Having spent years testing hundreds of cameras across nearly every genre, I’m excited to dive deep into how these two compare in practical shooting scenarios, technical performance, and value for your investment. Whether you’re an eager enthusiast or a professional weighing your next system, understanding the nuances here can save you headaches down the road.

Let’s unpack everything from sensor tech and ergonomics to autofocus behavior and handling in wild situations. Sound good? Let’s get started.

Getting a Feel for the Bodies: Size and Ergonomics Matter

When it comes to a camera, how it fits your hand and integrates into your workflow can make or break the experience. The Olympus E-PM2 is quintessentially compact and lightweight, designed with an entry-level enthusiast in mind, while the Panasonic G95 leans into a more advanced, robust build.

At 110 x 64 x 34 mm and weighing just 269 grams, the Olympus E-PM2 offers an ultra-portable footprint. It’s perfect for street shooting or casual travel where discreetness and pocketability count. The rangefinder-style design is minimalist, lacking an integrated electronic viewfinder (EVF), so you’re mostly relying on the LCD for composition. Those with smaller hands or who prioritize ease of carry will appreciate this.

Flip to the Panasonic G95, and you’re looking at a physically larger SLR-style body sized at 130 x 94 x 77 mm and tipping the scales at 536 grams. It’s heavier, yes, but that bulk brings advantages: better grip comfort, more physical controls, and crucially, a built-in EVF with 0.74x magnification and 2360k-dot resolution. I find that in bright outdoor conditions, the G95’s EVF becomes indispensable - something the PEN E-PM2 can’t replicate without adding an external accessory.

Control-wise, the G95 offers more dedicated dials and buttons, fostering faster adjustments on the fly - very handy when shooting sports or wildlife. The E-PM2 feels more pared-down, leaning on menus and touchscreen methods, which is fine for beginners, but can slow you down when timing is essential.

Sensor Tech and Image Quality: Small Sensor, Big Expectations

Both cameras use the Micro Four Thirds sensor standard, but there are meaningful differences beyond just the sensor size. Let’s look closer.

The Olympus E-PM2 features a 16MP CMOS sensor with an anti-aliasing filter and a native ISO range of 200-25600. Its DxOMark score is 72, with a good color depth of 22.7 bits and a respectable dynamic range of 12.2 EV stops. Low-light ISO performance is decent, rating around 932 by DxOMark standards.

Contrast that with the G95’s newer 20.3MP MOS sensor, notably without an anti-aliasing filter, allowing for sharper detail rendition. Panasonic hasn’t been tested by DxOMark here, but in my hands, the G95’s sensor delivers crisper images with more detail and slightly better high ISO noise suppression, thanks to improved processing via its Venus Engine.

What this means practically is that for landscape photography or studio portraits where resolution and detail matter, the G95 produces cleaner, more detailed RAW and JPEG files. Skin tones with the G95 are also slightly more nuanced and lifelike - likely thanks to improved color processing and no low-pass filter. The E-PM2 still holds up well for casual shooting but can show a bit more softness, especially wide-open.

The LCD and Viewfinder Experience: Composition and Review Made Easy

Neither the best sensor nor controls matter if you can’t see what you’re shooting clearly.

Here, the differences become quite stark. The E-PM2 sports a 3-inch fixed touchscreen with a modest 460k-dot resolution. It’s functional but feels a bit dated compared to modern screens. Manual focus and Live View autofocus are manageable but lack some finesse.

In contrast, the G95 offers a fully articulated 3-inch touchscreen with 1,240k dots, making it bright, sharp, and flexible for awkward angles, vlogging-style selfie shots, or macro work close to the ground. The touchscreen sensitivity and responsiveness are excellent, enhancing user experience massively.

Don’t overlook the built-in EVF on the G95 - a serious advantage outdoors or under bright conditions when LCD visibility plummets. Quick eye-level framing with 100% coverage ensures what you see is what you get - perfect for fast-moving subjects or complex scenes.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: Tracking Subjects That Won’t Sit Still

If you shoot wildlife, sports, or any fast-moving subject, autofocus sophistication and burst speed will make or break your success.

The Olympus E-PM2 employs a contrast-detection AF system with 35 focus points. While it has face detection and can track subjects to an extent, it’s inherently slower and less reliable in continuous autofocus (AF-C) modes.

The Panasonic G95, albeit still contrast-detection based without phase sensors, upgrades to 49 focus points with improved algorithms. It supports face recognition and offers selectable AF areas, center AF, and multi-area AF modes. Additionally, it features focus bracketing and focus stacking - useful tools for macro and landscape shooters.

Burst shooting clocks at 8fps on the E-PM2 and 9fps on the G95 - relatively close, but the G95 includes electronic shutter modes pushing up to 1/16,000s (useful for bright light action). The E-PM2 maxes out at 1/4000s mechanical shutter, lacking electronic shutter capabilities.

In practice, the G95 nails faster acquisition and smoother tracking, which I noticed when photographing birds in flight or children playing. The E-PM2 would occasionally hunt or miss the focus on erratic subjects.

Flash and Low-Light Handling: Flash Flexibility and Image Stabilization

Neither camera sports a built-in flash powerhouse, but their respective approach differs.

The E-PM2 doesn’t have a built-in flash but typically bundles a small external FL-LM1 flash with a 7m range. It covers our basic flash needs but lacks advanced modes.

The G95 includes a built-in pop-up flash with a 6.4m range at ISO 100, plus expanded flash modes including red-eye reduction and slow sync. For serious flash shooters, both support external flashes via hot shoe.

Image stabilization (IS) on both is sensor-based, but the G95 boasts an advanced 5-axis IS system, which I found noticeably more effective for hand-held low-light and video shooting. The E-PM2’s IS works but is less aggressive and can’t fully compensate for challenging situations or long telephotos.

Video Capabilities: The G95 as a Clear Leader

For multimedia enthusiasts, video is a crucial facet. The Olympus E-PM2 gets you started with Full HD 1080p at 30fps in MPEG-4 or Motion JPEG formats - respectable for 2013 tech, but lacking in frame rate options or performance in modern workflows.

The Panasonic G95 leaps forward with native 4K UHD video at 30fps, 100 Mbps bitrate, plus Full HD at higher frame rates (60fps). It supports both MP4 and AVCHD formats, allowing better flexibility in post-production. Furthermore, it features 4K Photo mode - a handy capability to extract stills from high-res video.

Audio-wise, the G95 includes microphone and headphone jacks, essential for professional sound monitoring - absent on the E-PM2 entirely.

If you want to vlog, document, or shoot cinematic sequences, the G95 is a no-brainer.

Battery Life and Storage: Shooting Time on the Go

Battery life is a real-world concern that sometimes gets overlooked.

The Olympus E-PM2 delivers approximately 360 shots per charge - a bit above average for an entry-level mirrorless - but its smaller battery means limited endurance if you’re out all day.

The Panasonic G95 rates at around 290 shots per charge, surprisingly shorter but somewhat justified by its EVF use and 4K video consumption. Importantly, the G95 supports SD cards with UHS-II speeds, improving buffer performance and faster write times, beneficial when shooting burst sequences or 4K video.

Both cameras use a single SD slot, so no dual card redundancy here.

The Lens Ecosystem: Same Mount, Different Usability

Both cameras use the Micro Four Thirds mount, which is a boon - over 100 native lenses are available, spanning primes, zooms, ultra-fast lenses, and specialist optics.

Choosing between these cameras isn’t about lens availability; it comes down to your preference for kit ergonomics and feature sets.

Olympus lenses tend to be compact and sometimes favor optical stabilization complementing sensor IS. Panasonic lenses often match well with the G95’s video prowess and IS system. So consider lenses as a separate, equally important investment tuned to your goals.

Protecting Your Gear: Build Quality and Weather Resistance

Here, the G95 flexes its muscles with weather-sealed construction - dust and splash-proof magnesium alloy body designed for outdoor shooting stress.

The E-PM2 lacks any environmental sealing, warning against harsh conditions without extra weather protection. If your photography often leads into the elements, this is a strong point for the Panasonic.

Across Photography Genres: Practical Strengths and Weaknesses

Now that we’ve established technical facts, how do these cameras hold up under diverse photographic scenarios?

Olympus E PM2 front Olympus E PM2 screen back Panasonic G95 front Panasonic G95 screen back

Portrait Photography

• Olympus E-PM2: Handles skin tones decently, but slightly softer output and less sophisticated autofocus means you’ll need to watch your focus carefully, especially with shallow depth-of-field lenses.
• Panasonic G95: Superior detail and crisp eye detection make portraiture easier and more accurate; 20MP resolution helps with post-crop flexibility.

Landscape Photography

• Olympus E-PM2: Dynamic range is solid for its class, but the lower resolution limits large print or heavy cropping options.
• Panasonic G95: Better dynamic range and resolution, plus weather sealing, make it the better companion in challenging outdoor environments.

Wildlife and Sports

• Olympus E-PM2: Limited AF speed and frame rate make it a stretch for anything fast but manageable for static wildlife.
• Panasonic G95: Faster AF, higher burst speeds, and better tracking are significant assets when tracking movement.

Street Photography

• Olympus E-PM2: The compact body and quiet operation overshadow the lack of EVF, making it a stealthy street shooter.
• Panasonic G95: Bulkier but with quick manual controls and articulated screen - tradeoffs depend on your style.

Macro Photography

• Olympus E-PM2: Supports manual focus and basic IS, sufficient for entry-level macro.
• Panasonic G95: Offers focus stacking and bracketing modes plus better IS - major pluses for advanced close-up work.

Night and Astrophotography

• Olympus E-PM2: Decent noise control and IS help, but limited manual exposure refinement restricts long exposure options.
• Panasonic G95: Better IS, broader ISO flexibility, and improved electronic shutter speeds make it more suited for astrophotography.

Video Work

• No contest - the G95’s 4K capabilities combined with audio I/O make it ideal for aspiring videographers.

Travel Photography

• Olympus E-PM2: Lightweight, pocketable, and easy to carry all day.
• Panasonic G95: Weighs more but offers more “all-in-one” power, especially if you shoot mixed stills and video.

Professional Use

• The G95’s weather sealing, better EVF, and enhanced AF features make it more reliable for professional gigs.

Performance and Scores at a Glance

For an at-a-glance breakdown of strengths and weaknesses, here’s a performance scorecard:

You’ll notice the G95 rates higher in image quality and handling, while the E-PM2 excels in portability and affordability.

How They Score Across Photography Types

Breaking it down by genre:

Notice the Panthers G95 dominates wildlife, sports, video, and landscape categories, while the PEN E-PM2 holds ground in street and travel genres thanks to its size.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Is Right for You?

I’ve always believed the best camera is the one that fits your style, budget, and aspirations.

• Go for the Olympus PEN E-PM2 if:

  • You want an affordable, lightweight mirrorless for casual photography, travel, and street shooting.
  • You prefer simplicity over bells and whistles.
  • Your shooting rarely requires video or extreme autofocus.

• Opt for the Panasonic Lumix G95 if:

  • You’re a serious enthusiast or pro needing enhanced image quality, video capabilities, and ruggedness.
  • You shoot a wide variety of subjects including sports, wildlife, and landscapes.
  • You want weather sealing and built-in EVF convenience.
  • Video and advanced focus modes like bracketing and stacking are important.

In my testing, the G95’s improvements in autofocus accuracy, video specs, and build quality truly elevate the experience - though you pay for it with size and price.

Wrapping Up

Both cameras reflect the strengths and challenges of their generation and target users. The Olympus PEN E-PM2 remains a charming, compact choice for those prioritizing lightweight gear and straightforward shooting. The Panasonic G95, with its advanced features and robust build, is a powerhouse for those who demand more from their kit.

If you’re leaning toward a reliable all-rounder that doesn't shy away from crunch-time performance, the G95 is worth the premium. But if budget, portability, and an uncomplicated experience top your list, the E-PM2 will serve you well.

Either way, the Micro Four Thirds system’s vast lens selection and accessories ensure you’re in capable company. Choose based on where and how you shoot most - then get outdoors and create!

Happy shooting!

Appendix: Summary Specs Comparison

Remember to consider your own shooting needs when deciding. Each camera has a story to tell; which one matches yours?