Olympus E-P5 vs Panasonic LX100 II

The Olympus PEN E-P5 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2013 and August 2018. The E-P5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the LX100 II is a fixed lens compact. Both cameras are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 16.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-P5		Panasonic LX100 II
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		24-75mm f/1.7-2.8
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor		16.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600		ISO 200-25,600
Viewfinder optional		Electronic viewfinder (2764k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots		3.0" LCD – 1240k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens-based stabilization
330 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
122 x 69 x 37 mm, 420 g		115 x 66 x 65 mm, 392 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus PEN E-P5 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-P5 and the Panasonic LX100 II. 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-P5 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the LX100 II 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 LX100 II is notably smaller (10 percent) than the Olympus E-P5. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-P5 nor the LX100 II are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the LX100 II has a lens built in, whereas the E-P5 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-P5 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-P5 gets 330 shots out of its Olympus BLN-1 battery, while the LX100 II can take 300 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLG10 power pack. The power pack in the LX100 II 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-P5	122 mm	69 mm	37 mm	420 g	330	n	May 2013	999	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
3.		Leica D-LUX 7	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M1	130 mm	94 mm	63 mm	497 g	350	Y	Sep 2013	1,399	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-M5	122 mm	89 mm	43 mm	425 g	360	Y	Feb 2012	1,299	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	699	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	649	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-P3	122 mm	69 mm	34 mm	369 g	330	n	Jun 2011	799	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PM2	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	269 g	360	n	Sep 2012	499	ebay.com
12.		Olympus PEN-F	125 mm	72 mm	37 mm	427 g	330	n	Jan 2016	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH2	124 mm	90 mm	76 mm	442 g	330	n	Sep 2010	899	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GX7	123 mm	71 mm	55 mm	402 g	350	n	Aug 2013	999	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GX9	124 mm	72 mm	47 mm	407 g	260	n	Feb 2018	849	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX100	115 mm	66 mm	55 mm	393 g	300	n	Sep 2014	899	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic ZS70	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. 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 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. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the LX100 II is 18 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 2.0 (E-P5) and 2.2. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3. The LX100 II 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 LX100 II offers a slightly higher resolution of 16.8 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the E-P5. 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 3.32μm versus 3.76μm for the E-P5). However, it should be noted that the LX100 II is much more recent (by 5 years and 3 months) than the E-P5, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the LX100 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Olympus PEN E-P5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 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 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.		Olympus E-P5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.4	895	72
2.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
3.		Leica D-LUX 7	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.9	12.8	1002	72
4.		Olympus E-M1	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	23.0	12.7	757	73
5.		Olympus E-M5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	22.8	12.3	826	71
6.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
7.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
8.		Olympus E-P3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.8	10.1	536	51
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-PM2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.2	932	72
12.		Olympus PEN-F	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	23.1	12.4	894	74
13.		Panasonic GH2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	21.2	11.3	655	60
14.		Panasonic GX7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.6	12.2	718	70
15.		Panasonic GX9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1163	74
16.		Panasonic LX100	Four Thirds	12.7	4112	3088	4K/30p	22.3	12.5	553	67
17.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the LX100 II provides a better video resolution than the E-P5. It can shoot movie 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. For example, the LX100 II has an electronic viewfinder (2764k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-P5 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-P5 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-4. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-P5, the Panasonic LX100 II, 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.		Olympus E-P5	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
3.		Leica D-LUX 7	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
4.		Olympus E-M1	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
5.		Olympus E-M5	1440	n	3.0 / 610	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/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 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-P3	optional	n	3.0 / 614	fixed	Y	1/4000s	3.0/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-PM2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
12.		Olympus PEN-F	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic GH2	1534	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic GX7	2760	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic GX9	2760	n	3.0 / 1240	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic LX100	2764	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
17.		Panasonic ZS70	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	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 difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The E-P5 has one, while the LX100 II does not. While the built-in flash of the E-P5 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 LX100 II 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 Olympus E-P5 and the Panasonic LX100 II 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-P5 and the LX100 II 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 PEN E-P5 and Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II 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-P5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Leica D-LUX 7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Olympus E-M1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Olympus E-M5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Olympus E-P3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Olympus E-PM2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus PEN-F	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Panasonic GH2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic GX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Panasonic GX9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Panasonic LX100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Panasonic ZS70	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

Both the E-P5 and the LX100 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-P5 was replaced by the Olympus E-P7, while the LX100 II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-P5 and LX100 II can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-P5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic LX100 II Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Olympus E-P5 better than the Panasonic LX100 II or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Olympus PEN E-P5:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in May 2013).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Flexible image proportions: Has a multi-aspect sensor that allows for alternative image shapes.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1240k vs 1037k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the E-P5 necessitates an extra lens.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the E-P5).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 3 months of technical progress since the E-P5 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the LX100 II is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 6 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-P5 and the Panasonic LX100 II 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-P5 or the LX100 II. 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.

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.		Olympus E-P5	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	999	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
3.		Leica D-LUX 7	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M1	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	1,399	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-M5	4/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2012	1,299	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	699	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	649	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-P3	..	83/100	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	799	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PM2	3/5	..	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	499	ebay.com
12.		Olympus PEN-F	..	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH2	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2010	899	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GX7	4/5	+	..	79/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2013	999	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GX9	4/5	+	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	849	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	899	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic ZS70	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price 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

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