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Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FZ300

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 (labelled Panasonic FZ330 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2012 and July 2015. The E-M5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the FZ300 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-M5) and a 1/2.3-inch (FZ300) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 12 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-M5
versus
Panasonic FZ300
Olympus E-M5   Panasonic FZ300
Mirrorless system camera Fixed lens compact camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses 25-600mm f/2.8
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor 12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60i Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 100-6,400
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots) Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 610k dots 3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen Swivel touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second 12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens-based stabilization
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
360 shots per battery charge380 shots per battery charge
122 x 89 x 43 mm, 425 g 132 x 92 x 117 mm, 691 g
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Check FZ300 price at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300? 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.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M5 and the Panasonic FZ300 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-M5 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the FZ300 is only available in black.

Size Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FZ300
Compare E-M5 versus FZ300 top
Comparison E-M5 or FZ300 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic FZ300 is notably larger (12 percent) than the Olympus E-M5. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the FZ300 has a lens built in, whereas the E-M5 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-M5 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-M5 gets 360 shots out of its Olympus BLN-1 battery, while the FZ300 can take 380 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M5 122 mm 89 mm 43 mm 425 g 360 Y Feb 2012 1,299ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic FZ300 132 mm 92 mm 117 mm 691 g 380 Y Jul 2015 599 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon SX60 128 mm 93 mm 114 mm 650 g 340 n Sep 2014 549ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus PEN-F 125 mm 72 mm 37 mm 427 g 330 n Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II 124 mm 85 mm 45 mm 469 g 310 Y Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M1 130 mm 94 mm 63 mm 497 g 350 Y Sep 2013 1,399ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PM2 110 mm 64 mm 34 mm 269 g 360 n Sep 2012 499ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GX7 123 mm 71 mm 55 mm 402 g 350 n Aug 2013 999ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic FZ200 125 mm 87 mm 110 mm 588 g 540 n Jul 2012 599ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GH3 133 mm 93 mm 82 mm 550 g 540 Y Sep 2012 1,299ebay.com
15.
 
Panasonic FZ150 124 mm 82 mm 92 mm 528 g 410 n Aug 2011 499ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic FZ100 124 mm 82 mm 92 mm 540 g 410 n Jul 2010 499ebay.com
17.
 
Sony HX400V 130 mm 93 mm 103 mm 660 g 300 n Feb 2014 499ebay.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 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 FZ300 was launched at a lower price than the E-M5, despite having a lens built in. 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. 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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 Olympus E-M5 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Panasonic FZ300 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the FZ300 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.

Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic FZ300 sensor measures

With 15.9MP, the E-M5 offers a higher resolution than the FZ300 (12MP), but the E-M5 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 1.53μm for the FZ300) due to its larger sensor. However, the FZ300 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 5 months) than the E-M5, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the FZ300 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-M5 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-M5 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic FZ300 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the E-M5 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the FZ300 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.

E-M5 versus FZ300 MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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"). Of the two cameras under review, the E-M5 provides substantially higher image quality than the FZ300, with an overall score that is 33 points higher. This advantage is based on 3.5 bits higher color depth, 1.3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 3.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-M5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i22.812.382671
2.
 
Panasonic FZ300 1/2.3 12.0 4000 30004K/30p19.311.09738
3.
 
Canon SX60 1/2.3 14.2 4608 30721080/60p19.210.812739
4.
 
Olympus PEN-F Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38881080/60p23.112.489474
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.012.584273
6.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
7.
 
Olympus E-M1 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.775773
8.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
9.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
10.
 
Olympus E-PM2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.293272
11.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
12.
 
Panasonic GX7 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60p22.612.271870
13.
 
Panasonic FZ200 1/2.3 12.0 4000 30001080/60p19.110.811437
14.
 
Panasonic GH3 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p22.712.481271
15.
 
Panasonic FZ150 1/2.3 12.0 4000 30001080/60p19.410.913240
16.
 
Panasonic FZ100 1/2.3 14.0 4320 32401080/60i19.410.730639
17.
 
Sony HX400V 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.111.462945
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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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 FZ300 provides a better video resolution than the E-M5. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/60i.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The E-M5 and the FZ300 are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 1440k dots. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic FZ300 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
# image 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-M51440 n3.0 / 610 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s n Y
2.
 
Panasonic FZ3001440 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 12.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Canon SX60922 n3.0 / 922 swivel n 1/2000s 6.4/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus PEN-F2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
6.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-M12360 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
10.
 
Olympus E-PM2optional n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
11.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
12.
 
Panasonic GX72760 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Panasonic FZ2001312 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/4000s 12.0/s Y Y
14.
 
Panasonic GH31746 n3.0 / 614 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
15.
 
Panasonic FZ150202 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/2000s 12.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Panasonic FZ100202 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/2000s 11.0/s Y Y
17.
 
Sony HX400V210 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/4000s 10.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The FZ300 has one, while the E-M5 does not. While the built-in flash of the FZ300 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The FZ300 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the E-M5 does not have a selfie-screen.

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 FZ300 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 Panasonic FZ300 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-M5 and the FZ300 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.

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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-M5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-M5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Panasonic FZ300Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
3.
 
Canon SX60Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
4.
 
Olympus PEN-FYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Olympus E-M1Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
8.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-PM2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
12.
 
Panasonic GX7Ystereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
13.
 
Panasonic FZ200Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
14.
 
Panasonic GH3Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y--
15.
 
Panasonic FZ150Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
16.
 
Panasonic FZ100Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
17.
 
Sony HX400VYstereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
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It is notable that the FZ300 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-M5 does not provide wifi capability.

The FZ300 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the E-M5 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the E-M5 was succeeded by the Olympus E-M5 II. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M5 and FZ300 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic FZ300 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-M5 and the Panasonic FZ300? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Arguments in favor of the Olympus OM-D E-M5:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (15.9 vs 12MP) with a 15% higher linear resolution.
  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (33 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
  • Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (3.5 bits more color depth).
  • More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.3 EV of extra DR).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (3.1 stops ISO advantage).
  • More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
  • More compact: Is smaller (122x89mm vs 132x92mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2012).

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Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.58x).
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 610k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the E-M5 necessitates an extra lens.
  • Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
  • More modern: Reflects 3 years and 5 months of technical progress since the E-M5 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the FZ300 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 9 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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.

E-M5 09:15 FZ300

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M5 and the Panasonic FZ300 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-M5 or the FZ300 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 hands-on reviews by experts 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M54/5+ +..80/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2012 1,299ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic FZ300..+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 599 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon SX603/5+ +..75/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2014 549ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus PEN-F....4/582/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II5/5+ +4.5/581/1005/55/5 Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M15/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2013 1,399ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PM23/5....77/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 499ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GX74/5+..79/1005/55/5 Aug 2013 999ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic FZ2003/5+ +..80/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2012 599ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GH35/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 1,299ebay.com
15.
 
Panasonic FZ1503/5+ +..76/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2011 499ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic FZ100..+....4.5/54.5/5 Jul 2010 499ebay.com
17.
 
Sony HX400V4/5+ +....4/54/5 Feb 2014 499ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods 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? 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.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic FZ300

    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.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-M5 Panasonic FZ300
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Fixed lens compact camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses 25-600mm f/2.8
    Launch Date February 2012 July 2015
    Launch Price USD 1,299 USD 599
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-M5 Panasonic FZ300
    Sensor Technology CMOS BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor 1/2.3" Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 28.0735 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 7.7 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 5.6x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 12 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 4000 x 3000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm 1.53 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2 42.74 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60i Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 6,400 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VI Venus
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 71 38
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.8 19.3
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.3 11.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 826 97
    Screen Specs Olympus E-M5 Panasonic FZ300
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.58x 0.70x
    Viewfinder Resolution 1440k dots 1440k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 610k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Swivel screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-M5 Panasonic FZ300
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 9 shutter flaps/s 12 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/16000s
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens-based stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-M5 Panasonic FZ300
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-M5 Panasonic FZ300
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Olympus BLN-1 Panasonic DMW-BLC12
    Battery Life (CIPA)360 shots per charge380 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 122 x 89 x 43 mm
    (4.8 x 3.5 x 1.7 in)
    132 x 92 x 117 mm
    (5.2 x 3.6 x 4.6 in)
    Camera Weight 425 g (15.0 oz) 691 g (24.4 oz)
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