Fujifilm XP120 vs Olympus E-PL10

The Fujifilm FinePix XP120 and the Olympus PEN E-PL10 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2017 and October 2019. The XP120 is a fixed lens compact, while the E-PL10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (XP120) and a Four Thirds (E-PL10) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 15.9 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm XP120		Olympus E-PL10
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
28-140mm f/3.9-4.9		Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		8.6 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Waterproof body (20m)		not weather sealed
210 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
110 x 71 x 28 mm, 203 g		117 x 68 x 39 mm, 380 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm FinePix XP120 and the Olympus PEN E-PL10? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Fujifilm XP120 and the Olympus E-PL10 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The XP120 can be obtained in three different colors (blue, yellow, green), while the E-PL10 is available in four color-versions (black, brown, blue, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-PL10 is somewhat larger (2 percent) than the Fujifilm XP120. It is worth mentioning in this context that the XP120 is splash and dust resistant, while the E-PL10 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the XP120 is water-proof up to 20m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the XP120 has a lens built in, whereas the E-PL10 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the E-PL10 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the XP120 gets 210 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-45S battery, while the E-PL10 can take 350 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-50 power pack. The power pack in the XP120 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm XP120	110 mm	71 mm	28 mm	203 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	EUR 219	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PL10	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Oct 2019	EUR 599	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-H1	140 mm	97 mm	86 mm	673 g	310	Y	Feb 2018	EUR 1 899	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm XP130	110 mm	71 mm	28 mm	207 g	240	Y	Jan 2018	EUR 219	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm XP140	110 mm	71 mm	28 mm	207 g	240	Y	Feb 2019	EUR 199	ebay.com
6.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	EUR 449	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	EUR 599	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-M10 III	122 mm	84 mm	50 mm	410 g	330	n	Aug 2017	EUR 649	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL8	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Sep 2016	EUR 549	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL9	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Feb 2018	EUR 599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus TG-4	112 mm	66 mm	31 mm	247 g	380	Y	Apr 2015	EUR 399	ebay.com
13.		Olympus TG-5	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	250 g	340	Y	May 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
14.		Pentax WG-90	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	194 g	300	Y	Nov 2023	EUR 379	amazon.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	EUR 249	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	EUR 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	EUR 519	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The XP120 was launched at a lower price than the E-PL10, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Fujifilm XP120 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Olympus E-PL10 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-PL10 is 704 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 2.0. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Even though the E-PL10 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This implies that the E-PL10 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 1.33μm for the XP120), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the E-PL10 is much more recent (by 2 years and 9 months) than the XP120, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the XP120 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Fujifilm FinePix XP120 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus PEN E-PL10 are ISO 200 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the XP120 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the E-PL10 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Fujifilm XP120	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	900	49
2.		Olympus E-PL10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
3.		Fujifilm X-H1	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1806	82
4.		Fujifilm XP130	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.1	1000	51
5.		Fujifilm XP140	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/15p	20.7	12.2	1102	52
6.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
7.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
8.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
9.		Olympus E-M10 III	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1120	74
10.		Olympus E-PL8	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	23.0	12.6	1030	73
11.		Olympus E-PL9	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1162	74
12.		Olympus TG-4	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	737	47
13.		Olympus TG-5	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	934	50
14.		Pentax WG-90	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.9	12.8	1570	54
15.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
16.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
17.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the E-PL10 provides a better video resolution than the XP120. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Fujifilm is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The XP120 and the E-PL10 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Fujifilm XP120, the Olympus E-PL10, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Fujifilm XP120	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Olympus E-PL10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
3.		Fujifilm X-H1	3690	Y	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
4.		Fujifilm XP130	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm XP140	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-M10 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus E-PL8	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
11.		Olympus E-PL9	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
12.		Olympus TG-4	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Olympus TG-5	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Pentax WG-90	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
15.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The E-PL10 has a touchscreen, while the XP120 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the E-PL10 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Fujifilm XP120 and the Olympus E-PL10 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the XP120 and the E-PL10 write their files to SDXC cards. The E-PL10 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the XP120 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Fujifilm FinePix XP120 and Olympus PEN E-PL10 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Fujifilm XP120	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Olympus E-PL10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Fujifilm X-H1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
4.		Fujifilm XP130	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm XP140	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus E-M10 III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Olympus E-PL8	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Olympus E-PL9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Olympus TG-4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Olympus TG-5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Pentax WG-90	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the E-PL10 has a hotshoe, which makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun. The XP120 does not feature such an accessory-socket.

Both the XP120 and the E-PL10 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The XP120 was replaced by the Fujifilm XP130, while the E-PL10 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the XP120 and E-PL10 can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm XP120 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PL10 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Fujifilm XP120 or the Olympus E-PL10 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Fujifilm FinePix XP120:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8.6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the E-PL10 requires a separate lens.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the E-PL10).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 20m).
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2017).

Reasons to prefer the Olympus PEN E-PL10:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (350 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 9 months of technical progress since the XP120 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-PL10 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Fujifilm XP120 and the Olympus E-PL10 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the XP120 or the E-PL10 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm XP120	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Jan 2017	EUR 219	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PL10	..	..	4/5	77/100	..	4/5	Oct 2019	EUR 599	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-H1	..	+	5/5	86/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 1 899	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm XP130	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Jan 2018	EUR 219	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm XP140	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	EUR 199	ebay.com
6.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	EUR 449	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	EUR 599	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-M10 III	..	+	5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	EUR 649	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL8	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2016	EUR 549	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL9	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2018	EUR 599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus TG-4	..	+	..	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2015	EUR 399	ebay.com
13.		Olympus TG-5	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
14.		Pentax WG-90	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2023	EUR 379	amazon.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	EUR 249	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	EUR 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	EUR 519	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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