Olympus
PEN E-PL2
 vs
Panasonic Lumix
DMC-GF2

Updated (June, 2011): Compare the Olympus PEN Lite E-PL3 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

51

  
Olympus PEN E-PL2

42

  

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

Movie format
 Full HD
1080p @ 30fps
Touch screen
 Touch screen
Less buttons
Startup delay
 Almost no delay when powering up
1000 ms startup delay
3D
 Takes 3D photos
View photos in 3D on 3D televisions
Built-in flash
 Built-in flash
External flash not needed
 
Runner-up

Olympus PEN E-PL2

Reasons to buy the Olympus PEN E-PL2

Image stabilization
 Image stabilization
Sensor shift
Built-in flash
 Built-in flash
External flash not needed
 

differences

Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-PL2
Image stabilization Image stabilization Sensor shift vs None
Help
 Helps eliminate blur caused by small camera movements
Low light performance Slightly lower noise at high ISO 573 ISO vs 506 ISO
Help
 The PEN E-PL2 has a slight edge (0.2 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Color depth Better color depth 21.4 bits vs 21.2 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.2 more bits of color
Olympus PEN E-PL2 Learn more about
the Olympus PEN E-PL2

Advantages of the Panasonic DMC-GF2
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p @ 30fps
Help
 Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video
Touch screen Has a touch screen Yes vs No
Help
 Fewer buttons to worry about and direct interaction with camera menus
3D Takes 3D photos Yes vs No
Help
 Combines multiple photos into a 3D image
Startup delay Less startup delay 1000 ms vs 1300 ms
Help
 More than 20% less delay when turning on
Size Smaller 113x68x33 mm vs 115x72x42 mm
Help
 Around 30% smaller
Focus points Slightly more focus points 23 vs 11
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Battery life Slightly longer battery life 300 shots vs 280 shots
Help
 Around 10% more shots per battery charge
Thickness Thinner 1.3" vs 1.7"
Help
 More than 20% thinner
Shutter lag Slightly less shutter lag 337 ms vs 434 ms
Help
 More than 20% less delay when taking photos
Weight Lighter 310 g vs 362 g
Help
 More than 10% lighter
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-GF2
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent mirrorless cameras, and ignoring price

Olympus PEN E-PL2 Olympus PEN E-PL2
42 vs 51
Explain scores
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2.

similarities

Compared to recent mirrorless cameras

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Movie continuous focus Focus continuously recording movies Help
Makes it easy to get in-focus movies
External flash Each supports an external flash Help
Better lighting
Built-in flash Each has a built-in flash Help
External flash not needed
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
True resolution Capture low resolution images Help
PEN E-PL2:12.2 MP
DMC-GF2:12 MP
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
PEN E-PL2:10.2 EV
DMC-GF2:10.3 EV
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
6,400 ISO
Supports 24p No support for 24p Help
Missing that film look
Cross type focus points Few cross-type focus points Help
0
Battery life Few shots per battery charge Help
PEN E-PL2:280 shots
DMC-GF2:300 shots
Focus points Few focus points Help
PEN E-PL2:11
DMC-GF2:23
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
PEN E-PL2:3 fps
DMC-GF2:3.2 fps
Viewfinder No viewfinders Help
Can only preview photos on the screen
Color depth Poor color depth Help
PEN E-PL2:21.4 bits
DMC-GF2:21.2 bits
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
PEN E-PL2:55.0
DMC-GF2:54.0

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$339 - $514 with 14-42mm lens
External flash Doesn't support an external flash
Startup delay Has slightly more startup delay
Compare the Lumix DMC-GF3 vs the PEN E-PL2
Compare the Lumix DMC-GF3 vs the Lumix DMC-GF2
Olympus PEN E-PL1

Olympus PEN E-PL1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$270 with 14-42mm lens
External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the PEN E-PL1 vs the PEN E-PL2
Compare the PEN E-PL1 vs the Lumix DMC-GF2
Olympus PEN Lite E-PL3

Olympus PEN Lite E-PL3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$399 with 14-42mm lens
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost light sensitivity
Built-in flash Doesn't have a built-in flash
Light sensitivity Slightly lower maximum light sensitivity
Compare the PEN Lite E-PL3 vs the PEN E-PL2
Compare the PEN Lite E-PL3 vs the Lumix DMC-GF2
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$229 - $239 body only

$399 - $419 with 14-42mm lens
True resolution Takes slightly higher resolution photos
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Lumix DMC-GX1 vs the PEN E-PL2
Compare the Lumix DMC-GX1 vs the Lumix DMC-GF2
Olympus PEN E-PM1

Olympus PEN E-PM1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$299 with 14-42mm lens
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Panorama Creates panoramas in-camera
Built-in flash Doesn't have a built-in flash
Startup delay Has slightly more startup delay
Compare the PEN E-PM1 vs the PEN E-PL2
Compare the PEN E-PM1 vs the Lumix DMC-GF2
Olympus PEN E-P2

Olympus PEN E-P2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$430 with 17mm lens
Built-in flash Doesn't have a built-in flash
Startup delay Has significantly more startup delay
Compare the PEN E-P2 vs the PEN E-PL2
Compare the PEN E-P2 vs the Lumix DMC-GF2
Sony Alpha NEX-5

Sony Alpha NEX-5

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$656 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Longest exposure Slightly shorter exposures
Built-in flash Doesn't have a built-in flash
Compare the Alpha NEX-5 vs the PEN E-PL2
Compare the Alpha NEX-5 vs the Lumix DMC-GF2

Olympus PEN E-PL2 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Olympus PEN E-P3

Olympus PEN E-P3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$369 with 14-42mm lens
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen type Has an OLED screen
Color depth Worse color depth
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Compare the PEN E-P3 vs the PEN E-PL2
Olympus PEN E-PL5

Olympus PEN E-PL5

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality
Movie continuous focus Doesn't focus continuously recording movies
Built-in flash No built-in flash
Compare the PEN E-PL5 vs the PEN E-PL2

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$1,100 with 14-45mm lens
Battery life Significantly longer battery life
Sensor size Slightly larger sensor
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Touch screen No touch screen
Compare the Lumix DMC-GF1 vs the Lumix DMC-GF2
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$329 with 14-42mm lens
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity
Battery life Longer battery life
Color depth Worse color depth
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Compare the Lumix DMC-GF5 vs the Lumix DMC-GF2

appearance

Olympus PEN E-PL2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2
Olympus PEN E-PL2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2
Olympus PEN E-PL2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

discussion

Showing 2 comments

Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (2:28 PM, March 12, 2011)
Looks like we made a mistake there. In our specs we had that the PL2 had video autofocus, but that it didn't do "continuous autofocus" in videos, it looks like it does do that, so we've corrected that, thanks!
 
Rey (0:34 AM, March 12, 2011)
So you guys are saying that Olympus epl2 doesn't have video autofocus