Olympus PEN-F vs Panasonic LF1

The following is a comprehensive review of the Olympus PEN-F versus Panasonic LF1, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the PEN-F (20MP) and LF1 (12MP) and the PEN-F (Four Thirds) and LF1 (1/1.7") boast different sensor sizing.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The PEN-F was unveiled 2 years after the LF1 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus PEN-F being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LF1 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple view of how the PEN-F matches up against the LF1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN-F and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1. The full galleries are provided at Olympus PEN-F Gallery and Panasonic LF1 Gallery.

If you're looking to travel with your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus PEN-F offers outside measurements of 125mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.5") with a weight of 427 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Panasonic LF1 has dimensions of 103mm x 62mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.1") with a weight of 192 grams (0.42 lbs).

Look at the Olympus PEN-F versus Panasonic LF1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the PEN-F and the LF1.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the PEN-F and LF1 is 84 and 92 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very hard to picture the gap in sensor dimensions simply by going through technical specs. The pic here will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the PEN-F and LF1.

As you can tell, both of these cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The PEN-F having a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus PEN-F will show more detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The younger PEN-F provides an edge when it comes to sensor tech.