Olympus E-M10 II vs Panasonic FZ82

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II and the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 (labelled Panasonic FZ80 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2015 and January 2017. The E-M10 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the FZ82 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-M10 II) and a 1/2.3-inch (FZ82) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 18 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-M10 II		Panasonic FZ82
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		20-1200mm f/2.8-5.9
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor		18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1166k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens-based stabilization
320 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
120 x 83 x 47 mm, 390 g		130 x 94 x 119 mm, 616 g

Check E-M10 II offers at
ebay.com
Check FZ82 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II and the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82? 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 Olympus E-M10 II and the Panasonic FZ82 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M10 II can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, brown), while the FZ82 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic FZ82 is notably larger (23 percent) than the Olympus E-M10 II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-M10 II nor the FZ82 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the FZ82 has a lens built in, whereas the E-M10 II 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-M10 II and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-M10 II gets 320 shots out of its Olympus BLS-50 battery, while the FZ82 can take 330 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BMB9 power pack. The power pack in the FZ82 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	EUR 599	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic FZ82	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	EUR 349	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
5.		Olympus E-M5 II	124 mm	85 mm	45 mm	469 g	310	Y	Feb 2015	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M10 III	122 mm	84 mm	50 mm	410 g	330	n	Aug 2017	EUR 649	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-P5	122 mm	69 mm	37 mm	420 g	330	n	May 2013	EUR 999	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL8	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Sep 2016	EUR 549	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL9	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Feb 2018	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus PEN-F	125 mm	72 mm	37 mm	427 g	330	n	Jan 2016	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	EUR 429	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GX80	122 mm	71 mm	44 mm	426 g	290	n	Apr 2016	EUR 799	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	EUR 429	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	EUR 449	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

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The FZ82 was launched at a lower price than the E-M10 II, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 Olympus E-M10 II features a Four Thirds sensor and the Panasonic FZ82 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the FZ82 is 88 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 5.6. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the FZ82 offers a higher resolution of 18 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the E-M10 II. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.25μm versus 3.76μm for the E-M10 II). However, it should be noted that the FZ82 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 4 months) than the E-M10 II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic FZ82 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the FZ82 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-M10 II are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-M10 II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the FZ82 uses a BSI-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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
2.		Panasonic FZ82	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
3.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
4.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
5.		Olympus E-M5 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.0	12.5	842	73
6.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
7.		Olympus E-M10 III	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1120	74
8.		Olympus E-P5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.4	895	72
9.		Olympus E-PL5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	889	72
10.		Olympus E-PL7	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.4	873	72
11.		Olympus E-PL8	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	23.0	12.6	1030	73
12.		Olympus E-PL9	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1162	74
13.		Olympus PEN-F	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	23.1	12.4	894	74
14.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
15.		Panasonic GX80	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.9	12.6	662	71
16.		Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
17.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
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 FZ82 provides a better video resolution than the E-M10 II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the E-M10 II offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the FZ82 (2360k vs 1166k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-M10 II and Panasonic FZ82 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.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic FZ82	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Olympus E-M5 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Olympus E-M10 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-P5	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-PL5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
10.		Olympus E-PL7	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
11.		Olympus E-PL8	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
12.		Olympus E-PL9	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
13.		Olympus PEN-F	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic GX80	2765	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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 Olympus E-M10 II has 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 E-M10 II and the FZ82 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II and Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 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.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Panasonic FZ82	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Olympus E-M5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Olympus E-M10 III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Olympus E-P5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Olympus E-PL8	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Olympus E-PL9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Olympus PEN-F	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic GX80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

The FZ82 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the E-M10 II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the E-M10 II was succeeded by the Olympus E-M10 III. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M10 II and FZ82 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M10 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic FZ82 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Olympus E-M10 II better than the Panasonic FZ82 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II:

• 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 detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2360k vs 1166k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.62x vs 0.46x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x83mm vs 130x94mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2015).

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (18 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 6%.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the E-M10 II necessitates an extra lens.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 4 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-M10 II is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 7 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 Olympus E-M10 II and the Panasonic FZ82 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Superzoom 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-M10 II or the FZ82. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	EUR 599	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic FZ82	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 349	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
5.		Olympus E-M5 II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M10 III	..	+	5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	EUR 649	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-P5	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	EUR 999	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL8	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2016	EUR 549	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL9	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2018	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus PEN-F	..	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	EUR 429	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GX80	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2016	EUR 799	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	EUR 429	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	EUR 449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, 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. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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