Nikon W300 vs Olympus E-PM2

The Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Olympus PEN E-PM2 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2017 and September 2012. The W300 is a fixed lens compact, while the E-PM2 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (W300) and a Four Thirds (E-PM2) 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

Nikon W300		Olympus E-PM2
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24-120mm f/2.8-4.9		Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 125-1,600 (125 - 6,400)		ISO 100-25,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed touchscreen
7 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
Lens-based stabilization		In-body stabilization
Waterproof body (30m)		not weather sealed
280 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
112 x 66 x 29 mm, 231 g		110 x 64 x 34 mm, 269 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Olympus PEN E-PM2? 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

The physical size and weight of the Nikon W300 and the Olympus E-PM2 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The W300 can be obtained in three different colors (black, orange, yellow), while the E-PM2 is available in four color-versions (black, silver, red, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-PM2 is somewhat smaller (5 percent) than the Nikon W300. It is worth mentioning in this context that the W300 is splash and dust resistant, while the E-PM2 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W300 is water-proof up to 30m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the W300 has a lens built in, whereas the E-PM2 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-PM2 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the W300 gets 280 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL12 battery, while the E-PM2 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-5 power pack. The power pack in the W300 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PM2	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	269 g	360	n	Sep 2012	499	ebay.com
3.		Leica X-U Typ 113	140 mm	79 mm	88 mm	635 g	450	Y	Jan 2016	2,950	ebay.com
4.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
5.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
6.		Olympus TG-5	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	250 g	340	Y	May 2017	449	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-P5	122 mm	69 mm	37 mm	420 g	330	n	May 2013	999	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL6	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	May 2013	599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PM1	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	265 g	330	n	Jun 2011	499	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
13.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
16.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The W300 was launched at a lower price than the E-PM2, 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. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon W300 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Olympus E-PM2 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-PM2 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-PM2 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This implies that the E-PM2 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 1.33μm for the W300), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the W300 is much more recent (by 4 years and 8 months) than the E-PM2, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The Nikon Coolpix W300 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 125-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus PEN E-PM2 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the W300 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the E-PM2 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
2.		Olympus E-PM2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.2	932	72
3.		Leica X-U Typ 113	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.8	13.0	1614	80
4.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
5.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
6.		Olympus TG-5	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	934	50
7.		Olympus E-PL7	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.4	873	72
8.		Olympus E-P5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.4	895	72
9.		Olympus E-PL6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.5	12.0	717	68
10.		Olympus E-PL5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	889	72
11.		Olympus E-PM1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	21.0	10.3	499	52
12.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
13.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
14.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
15.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
16.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
17.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the W300 provides a higher video resolution than the E-PM2. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The W300 and the E-PM2 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. That said, the E-PM2 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-4. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon W300 and Olympus E-PM2 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Olympus E-PM2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
3.		Leica X-U Typ 113	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Olympus TG-5	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Olympus E-PL7	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
8.		Olympus E-P5	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-PL6	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
10.		Olympus E-PL5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
11.		Olympus E-PM1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The W300 has one, while the E-PM2 does not. While the built-in flash of the W300 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the W300 and the E-PM2 write their files to SDXC cards. The E-PM2 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the W300 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 Nikon Coolpix W300 and Olympus PEN E-PM2 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.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Olympus E-PM2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Leica X-U Typ 113	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Olympus TG-5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Olympus E-P5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus E-PL6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-PM1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the W300 offers wifi support, while the E-PM2 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the W300 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the W300 and the E-PM2 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Nikon and Olympus. Further information on the features and operation of the W300 and E-PM2 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PM2 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Nikon W300 better than the Olympus E-PM2 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix W300:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 460k dots).
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the E-PM2 requires a separate lens.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the E-PM2).
• 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 30m).
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 8 months of technical progress since the E-PM2 launch.

Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-PM2:

• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (360 versus 280) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2012).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the W300 comes out slightly ahead of the E-PM2 (13 : 12 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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 Nikon W300 and the Olympus E-PM2 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 W300 or the E-PM2 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PM2	3/5	..	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	499	ebay.com
3.		Leica X-U Typ 113	3.5/5	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	Jan 2016	2,950	ebay.com
4.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
5.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
6.		Olympus TG-5	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	449	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-P5	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	999	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL6	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2013	599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PM1	..	86/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	499	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
13.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
16.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price 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

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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