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Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic GH5s

The Olympus PEN E-PL5 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2012 and January 2018. Both the E-PL5 and the GH5s are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 9.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-PL5
versus
Panasonic GH5s
Olympus E-PL5   Panasonic GH5s
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor 9.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/30p Video 4K/60p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 160-51,200 (80 - 204,800)
Viewfinder optional Electronic viewfinder (3680k dots)
3.0" LCD – 460k dots 3.2" LCD – 1620k dots
Tilting touchscreen Swivel touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second 12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
360 shots per battery charge440 shots per battery charge
111 x 64 x 38 mm, 325 g 139 x 98 x 87 mm, 660 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus PEN E-PL5 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-PL5 and the Panasonic GH5s 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-PL5 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the GH5s is only available in black.

Size Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic GH5s
Compare E-PL5 versus GH5s top
Comparison E-PL5 or GH5s rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic GH5s is considerably larger (92 percent) than the Olympus E-PL5. Moreover, the GH5s is substantially heavier (103 percent) than the E-PL5. It is noteworthy in this context that the GH5s is splash and dust-proof, while the E-PL5 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the E-PL5 gets 360 shots out of its Olympus BLS-5 battery, while the GH5s can take 440 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLF19 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 599ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic GH5s 139 mm 98 mm 87 mm 660 g 440 Y Jan 2018 2,499 amazon.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL3 110 mm 64 mm 37 mm 313 g 300 n Jun 2011 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n May 2013 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Sep 2016 549ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Feb 2018 599ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2 110 mm 64 mm 34 mm 269 g 360 n Sep 2012 499ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic FZ300 132 mm 92 mm 117 mm 691 g 380 Y Jul 2015 599 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic G2 124 mm 84 mm 74 mm 428 g 360 n Mar 2010 599ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic G6 122 mm 85 mm 71 mm 390 g 340 n Apr 2013 599ebay.com
15.
 
Panasonic GH3 133 mm 93 mm 82 mm 550 g 540 Y Sep 2012 1,299ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic GH4 133 mm 93 mm 84 mm 560 g 500 Y Feb 2014 1,499ebay.com
17.
 
Panasonic GH5 139 mm 98 mm 87 mm 725 g 410 Y Jan 2017 1,999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-PL5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 76 percent) than the GH5s, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

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 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. 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic GH5s sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-PL5 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 9.9 MP of the GH5s. This megapixels advantage translates into a 25 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-PL5 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 4.77μm for the GH5s). Moreover, it should be noted that the GH5s is much more recent (by 5 years and 3 months) than the E-PL5, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the GH5s has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-PL5 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-PL5 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 GH5s are 18.4 x 13.5 inches or 46.7 x 34.3 cm for good quality, 14.7 x 10.8 inches or 37.4 x 27.4 cm for very good quality, and 12.3 x 9 inches or 31.2 x 22.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus PEN E-PL5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s are ISO 160 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-204800.

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.

E-PL5 versus GH5s MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
2.
 
Panasonic GH5s Four Thirds 9.9 3680 27004K/60p23.112.8115474
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
5.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
6.
 
Olympus E-PL3 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 30241080/60i20.910.349952
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.512.071768
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.6103073
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8116274
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.293272
12.
 
Panasonic FZ300 1/2.3 12.0 4000 30004K/30p19.311.09738
13.
 
Panasonic G2 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000720/30p21.210.349353
14.
 
Panasonic G6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.311.563961
15.
 
Panasonic GH3 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p22.712.481271
16.
 
Panasonic GH4 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.212.879174
17.
 
Panasonic GH5 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.913.080777
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 can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the GH5s provides a better video resolution than the E-PL5. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the GH5s has an electronic viewfinder (3680k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PL5 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-PL5 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-3. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic GH5s along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
  empty 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-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
2.
 
Panasonic GH5s3680 n3.2 / 1620 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n n
3.
 
Olympus E-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-PL3optional n3.0 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 5.5/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2optional n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
12.
 
Panasonic FZ3001440 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 12.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Panasonic G21440 n3.0 / 460 swivel Y 1/4000s 2.6/s Y n
14.
 
Panasonic G61440 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
15.
 
Panasonic GH31746 n3.0 / 614 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
16.
 
Panasonic GH42359 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s Y n
17.
 
Panasonic GH53680 n3.2 / 1620 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the E-PL5 and the GH5s is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-PL5 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the GH5s offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

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 GH5s 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 GH5s 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-PL5 and the GH5s write their files to SDXC cards. The GH5s features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-PL5 only has one slot. The GH5s supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the E-PL5 can use UHS-I cards.

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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 PEN E-PL5 and Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Panasonic GH5sYstereo / monoYYfull3.1Y-Y
3.
 
Olympus E-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Olympus E-PL3Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
12.
 
Panasonic FZ300Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
13.
 
Panasonic G2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
14.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
15.
 
Panasonic GH3Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y--
16.
 
Panasonic GH4Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
17.
 
Panasonic GH5Ystereo / monoYYfull3.1Y-Y

It is notable that the GH5s offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-PL5 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Panasonic GH5s (unlike the E-PL5) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The GH5s is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the E-PL5 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the E-PL5 was succeeded by the Olympus E-PL6. Further information on the features and operation of the E-PL5 and GH5s can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-PL5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic GH5s Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-PL5 or the Panasonic GH5s – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-PL5:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (15.9 vs 9.9MP) with a 26% higher linear resolution.
  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • More compact: Is smaller (111x64mm vs 139x98mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 335g or 51 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (76 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2012).

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Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/60p vs 1080/30p).
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 460k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 8 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.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 360) out of a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
  • 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.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Reflects 5 years and 3 months of technical progress since the E-PL5 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the GH5s is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 7 points). 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-PL5 07:22 GH5s

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-PL5 and the Panasonic GH5s place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-PL5 or the GH5s. 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 where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 599ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic GH5s....4.5/584/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2018 2,499 amazon.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 649ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL33/5+ +..72/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2011 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6............ May 2013 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8........4.5/54/5 Sep 2016 549ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9..+....4.5/54/5 Feb 2018 599ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PM23/5....77/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 499ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic FZ300..+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 599 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic G2......72/1004/54.5/5 Mar 2010 599ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 599ebay.com
15.
 
Panasonic GH35/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 1,299ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic GH45/5+ +..85/1005/55/5 Feb 2014 1,499ebay.com
17.
 
Panasonic GH54.5/5+ +..85/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2017 1,999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes 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-PL5 vs Panasonic GH5s

    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-PL5 Panasonic GH5s
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date September 2012 January 2018
    Launch Price USD 599 USD 2,499
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-PL5 Panasonic GH5s
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 224.9 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 9.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 3680 x 2700 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm 4.77 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2 4.42 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video 4K/60p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 160 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 80 - 204,800 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VI Venus 10
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 72 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.8 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.3 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 889 ..
    Screen Specs Olympus E-PL5 Panasonic GH5s
    Viewfinder Type Viewfinder optional Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.76x
    Viewfinder Resolution 3680k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 460k dots 1620k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Swivel screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-PL5 Panasonic GH5s
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 8 shutter flaps/s 12 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/16000s
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I Dual UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-PL5 Panasonic GH5s
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.1
    HDMI Port mini HDMI full HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-PL5 Panasonic GH5s
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-5 Panasonic DMW-BLF19
    Battery Life (CIPA)360 shots per charge440 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 111 x 64 x 38 mm
    (4.4 x 2.5 x 1.5 in)
    139 x 98 x 87 mm
    (5.5 x 3.9 x 3.4 in)
    Camera Weight 325 g (11.5 oz) 660 g (23.3 oz)
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