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October 22, 2009
[TWEEDLEPANA AND TWEEDLEOLY]
We now have two compactish SLR-quality digital cameras to choose from – the Panasonic Lumix GF1 and the Olympus E-P1. Partisan wars between brand loyalists are raging, so when placed side by side, what are the facts?
The sensors are the same (score one-all) but the image processing engines are different and produce different jpeg outputs. Which is better is a matter of taste. Olympus is loved for its film-like images and Panasonic for its clinical accuracy. However both can be tweaked in imaging editing programs.
RAW output from both cameras is near enough to identical, as is to be expected. So this is also one-all.
Our test cameras have zoom lenses. Olympus has a collapsible 14-42 (28-84mm) lens which makes the camera/lens combination about 25mm thinner than the Panasonic, with its rigid 14-45mm lens. Both are f3.5–5.6.
Some people find the telescoping Olympus lens disconcertingly flimsy and claim that it leads to a loss of sharpness. We tested the two lenses in different camera/lens permutations (lenses are compatible with both cameras) and found the Panasonic lens a little sharper, perhaps due to better contrast.
The Panasonic lens/camera combination auto focuses much faster than the Olympus. This contest is one-zero. When the Panasonic lens is mounted on the Olympus focusing time is reduced, but it is still not as fast as the competition.
We rate the ergonomics of the Olympus higher than the GF1. The E-P1 has been criticised for its poor menu layout, but we found that, while it wasn't intuitive, once we had a clear overview of its workings it is fine. And external controls are better placed.
The GF1 has a higher resolution LCD, a pop-up flash and an expensive optional (zoom) electronic viewfinder. The E-P1 has an expensive optional flash and an optional optical viewfinder fixed at 17mm angle of view. Score the Panasonic one for features.
The E-P1 has image stabilisation by sensor shift while the GF1 has IS in the lens. Both cameras can be used with legacy lenses with adapters, but they are only stabilised on the Olympus. Score one for the E-P1.
The GF1 costs more but it has the in-built flash and a focus-assist lamp that makes low light focus a breeze. This is a case of scoring one for the Olympus on price and one for the Panasonic on features. Or perhaps one and a half – that low light focus lamp is very desirable. And for the party snapper the flash/focus-assist makes choice easy – it has to be the Panasonic.
The distinguishing feature that is hardest to score is aesthetics. Some love the retro metal skin of the E-P1 while others prefer the austere simplicity of the Panasonic. We think the E-P1 looks the cat's pyjamas, but beauty is in the eye of you-know-who.
We bought the Olympus before we had seen the Panasonic. Would we change our mind? No. But nor would we scoff at anyone who prefers the Panasonic. They are two excellent little cameras.
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Posted by terry at October 22, 2009 10:38 AM
Comments
Nice well balanced comparison. My personal preference is towards the Panasonic I guess because I see it as being slightly more versatile with faster focussing and inbuilt flash. The lens based vibration control does not worry me at all.
As an aside at the MotoGP at Phillip Island last weekend one of the pit lane Pro photographers had a GF-1 equipped with a 14-140 lens. I never saw him use that large Canon with equally large lens over his shoulder he was constantly taking shots with the Panasonic.
Posted by: RichardR at October 22, 2009 09:39 PM