Olympus E-M10 II vs Panasonic LX15

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX15 (labelled Panasonic LX10 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2015 and September 2016. The E-M10 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the LX15 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-M10 II) and an one-inch (LX15) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 20 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 LX15
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		24-72mm f/1.4-2.8
15.9 MP, Four Thirds Sensor		20 MP, 1" Sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25600		ISO 125-12800 (80-25600)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD, 1040k dots		3.0" LCD, 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
320 shots per battery charge		260 shots per battery charge
120 x 83 x 47 mm, 390 g		106 x 60 x 42 mm, 310 g

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 DMC-LX15? 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 Olympus E-M10 II and the Panasonic LX15 are illustrated 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M10 II can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, brown), while the LX15 is available in two color-versions (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic LX15 is considerably smaller (36 percent) than the Olympus E-M10 II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-M10 II nor the LX15 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the LX15 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 BLS-50 battery, while the LX15 can take 260 images on a single charge of its DMW-BLH7 power pack. The power pack in the LX15 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, just use the right or left arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Olympus E-M10 II»	4.7 in	3.3 in	1.9 in	13.8 oz	320	n	Aug 2015	649	-		Olympus E-M10 II
	Panasonic LX15«	4.2 in	2.4 in	1.7 in	10.9 oz	260	n	Sep 2016	699			Panasonic LX15
	Canon G7 X Mark II« »	4.2 in	2.4 in	1.7 in	11.3 oz	265	n	Feb 2016	699	-		Canon G7 X Mark II
	Canon G5 X« »	4.4 in	3.0 in	1.7 in	12.5 oz	210	n	Oct 2015	799	-		Canon G5 X
	Olympus E-PL9« »	4.6 in	2.7 in	1.5 in	13.4 oz	350	n	Feb 2018	549			Olympus E-PL9
	Olympus E-M10 III« »	4.8 in	3.3 in	2.0 in	14.5 oz	330	n	Aug 2017	649			Olympus E-M10 III
	Olympus E-PL8« »	4.5 in	2.6 in	1.5 in	12.6 oz	350	n	Sep 2016	549	-		Olympus E-PL8
	Olympus PEN-F« »	4.9 in	2.8 in	1.5 in	15.1 oz	330	n	Jan 2016	1,199			Olympus PEN-F
	Olympus E-M10« »	4.7 in	3.2 in	1.8 in	14.0 oz	320	n	Jan 2014	699	-		Olympus E-M10
	Olympus E-PL7« »	4.5 in	2.6 in	1.5 in	12.6 oz	350	n	Aug 2014	599	-		Olympus E-PL7
	Olympus E-P5« »	4.8 in	2.7 in	1.5 in	14.8 oz	330	n	May 2013	999	-		Olympus E-P5
	Olympus E-PL6« »	4.4 in	2.5 in	1.5 in	11.5 oz	360	n	May 2013	599	-		Olympus E-PL6
	Olympus E-PL5« »	4.4 in	2.5 in	1.5 in	11.5 oz	360	n	Sep 2012	599	-		Olympus E-PL5
	Panasonic TZ200« »	4.4 in	2.6 in	1.8 in	12.0 oz	370	n	Feb 2018	799			Panasonic TZ200
	Panasonic TZ90« »	4.4 in	2.6 in	1.6 in	11.4 oz	380	n	Apr 2017	449	-		Panasonic TZ90
	Panasonic GX85« »	4.8 in	2.8 in	1.7 in	15.0 oz	290	n	Apr 2016	799			Panasonic GX85
	Panasonic TZ100« »	4.4 in	2.6 in	1.7 in	11.0 oz	300	n	Jan 2016	699	-		Panasonic TZ100
Convert to Metric
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. 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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-M10 II features a Four Thirds sensor and the Panasonic LX15 an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the LX15 is 48 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 2.7. The sensor in the E-M10 II has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the LX15 offers a 3:2 aspect. The LX15 has the particularity of featuring a switch that allows to toggle between multiple aspect ratios, while maintaining the same field of view and full image resolution.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the LX15 offers a higher resolution of 20 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 2.41μm versus 3.76μm for the E-M10 II). However, it should be noted that the LX15 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year) 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 the E-M10 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic LX15 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the LX15 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inch or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inch or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inch or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-M10 II are 23 x 17.3 inch or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inch or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inch 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 DMC-LX15 are ISO 125 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-25600.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the LX15 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. For example, the E-M10 II has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the LX15 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-M10 II, the Panasonic LX15, and comparable cameras.

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 and the Panasonic LX15 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 E-M10 II and the LX15 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 DMC-LX15 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

It is notable that the E-M10 II has a hotshoe, while the LX15 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

The LX15 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the E-M10 II has been discontinued (but it 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 two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Olympus and Panasonic websites.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-M10 II and the Panasonic LX15? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• 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.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (320 versus 260) on a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2015).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX15:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 14%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Flexible image proportions: Has a multi-aspect sensor that allows for alternative image shapes.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• 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.
• More compact: Is smaller (106x60mm vs 120x83mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the E-M10 II).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the match-up finishes in a tie (10 points each). 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 Olympus E-M10 II and the Panasonic LX15 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Travel-Zoom 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 LX15. 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 where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). 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.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Olympus E-M10 II»	+ +	80/100	5/5	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	649	-		Olympus E-M10 II
	Panasonic LX15«	+ +	81/100	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	699			Panasonic LX15
	Canon G7 X Mark II« »	+ +	81/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	699	-		Canon G7 X Mark II
	Canon G5 X« »	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	-		Canon G5 X
	Olympus E-PL9« »	+	-	4.5/5	-	4/5	Feb 2018	549			Olympus E-PL9
	Olympus E-M10 III« »	+	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	649			Olympus E-M10 III
	Olympus E-PL8« »	-	-	4.5/5	-	4/5	Sep 2016	549	-		Olympus E-PL8
	Olympus PEN-F« »	-	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,199			Olympus PEN-F
	Olympus E-M10« »	-	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	699	-		Olympus E-M10
	Olympus E-PL7« »	+	-	5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	599	-		Olympus E-PL7
	Olympus E-P5« »	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	999	-		Olympus E-P5
	Olympus E-PL6« »	-	-	-	-	-	May 2013	599	-		Olympus E-PL6
	Olympus E-PL5« »	+ +	-	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	599	-		Olympus E-PL5
	Panasonic TZ200« »	+ +	81/100	4.5/5	-	4.5/5	Feb 2018	799			Panasonic TZ200
	Panasonic TZ90« »	+ +	-	4/5	-	4/5	Apr 2017	449	-		Panasonic TZ90
	Panasonic GX85« »	+ +	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2016	799			Panasonic GX85
	Panasonic TZ100« »	+ +	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	699	-		Panasonic TZ100
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (-) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

Specifications: Olympus E-M10 II vs Panasonic LX15

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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