Olympus PEN-F vs Panasonic LX5

Following is a extended analysis of the Olympus PEN-F vs Panasonic LX5, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap among the sensor resolutions of the PEN-F (20MP) and LX5 (10MP) and the PEN-F (Four Thirds) and LX5 (1/1.63") feature totally different sensor measurements.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The PEN-F was introduced 4 years after the LX5 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus PEN-F being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LX5 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the PEN-F matches up against the LX5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN-F and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus PEN-F Gallery and Panasonic LX5 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus PEN-F provides outside measurements of 125mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 427 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Panasonic LX5 has proportions of 110mm x 65mm x 43mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus PEN-F vs Panasonic LX5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have chosen at the time. Following is the front view size comparison of the PEN-F against the LX5.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the PEN-F and LX5 is 84 and 88 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to see the difference in sensor sizes purely by researching specifications. The picture underneath will provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the PEN-F and LX5.

To sum up, the 2 cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The PEN-F using its larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus PEN-F will result in extra detail using its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images somewhat more aggressively. The more recent PEN-F will have an edge in sensor technology.