Olympus 5010 vs Panasonic G9

The following is a thorough review of the Olympus 5010 versus Panasonic G9, one is a Ultracompact and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a significant difference between the sensor resolutions of the 5010 (14MP) and G9 (20MP) and the 5010 (1/2.3") and G9 (Four Thirds) boast totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The 5010 was launched 8 years before the G9 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 5010 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic G9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple overview of how the 5010 grades vs the G9 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus 5010 and Panasonic Lumix DC-G9. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus 5010 Gallery and Panasonic G9 Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus 5010 comes with outside dimensions of 95mm x 56mm x 20mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.8") with a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs) whilst the Panasonic G9 has dimensions of 137mm x 97mm x 92mm (5.4" x 3.8" x 3.6") having a weight of 658 grams (1.45 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus 5010 versus Panasonic G9 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Following is a front view size comparison of the 5010 against the G9.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the 5010 and G9 is 96 and 62 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to see the gap between sensor dimensions simply by reading through technical specs. The image below might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the 5010 and G9.

As you can tell, both of the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The 5010 featuring a tinier sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field harder and the Panasonic G9 will give you greater detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The more aged 5010 is going to be behind in sensor technology.