Olympus PEN E-PL5 vs Fujifilm X20 Showdown!

If you are undecided between the Olympus PEN E-PL5 and the Fujifilm X20, you have come to the right place. I've written an article about the X20 earlier and you may want to take a look at it here first.

Both cameras are, as of date of publishing, exactly the same price on www.bhphotovideo.com (i.e. USD599).

I got this unit for testing from a friend of mine who has had it for 6 months. This is the first time I am trying out a micro 4/3 camera after hearing so many great things about it.

Here are some shots I took with my X20 of the E-PL5.

I SEE YOU

Made in China, but designed by Olympus in Tokyo. 

First thing I noticed is how small the camera is! It's actually slimmer than my X20. And the black version looks very cool. Here are some photos I took of the two using my iPhone 4 (hence the pretty meh photo quality).

What the E-PL5 was better

• Bigger sensor. 4/3" vs 2/3". 
• Interchangeable lens system. If you decide you want more.
• Touch screen. So easy to select where you want to focus!
• Tilt screen. For those who love to shoot themselves.
• Small body. It's really small for a camera with a bigger sensor. But with the kit lens on it, it's bigger than the X20 in totality.
• Video. Using video mode on this camera is a joy compared to the X20. Dedicated video button, fast focusing, higher ISO.
• ISO. I normally keep my X20 at 1600 the max, but the E-PL5 can do 6400 admirably. However, because my X20 lens aperture is bigger open wide by almost 2 stops, it renders the two at parity.
• Manual focusing. Manual focusing is much better with the E-PL5. I like the fact that I can set the lens to AF and then fine tune it using MF.

What the X20 was better

• Better controls. Even though the E-PL5 has PASM mode, it doesn't have a front thumb dial. Instead you have to rely on the controller dial which was a pain. Menu and setting screen also look better on the X20.
• The lens focal length. With an effective focal length of 28-112mm vs 28-84mm on the E-PL5 kit lens, the X20 gives better reach.
• The lens aperture. Almost 2 stops difference throughout the focal range. At 28mm, the X20 gives  a max aperture of f2.0 vs f3.5 on the E-PL5. At the longest focal length the X20 gives a max aperture of f2.8 and the E-PL5 at f5.6. Although one may argue that on the E-PL5, you can swap for better lenses, that would then make the cost of the setup way above the USD599 mark which we are basing the comparison upon.
• Macro mode. The lens on the E-PL5 does not have the same close up capability as the X20's super macro mode
• White balance. In my tests, it seems like the E-PL5 struggles with tungsten light even when I have set it to tungsten WB. See my sample photos below.
• Color. The Fujifilm film simulation is something I really like and I don't see the same character in the E-PL5.
• Whisper silent shutter. The E-PL5 shutter was surprisingly loud for such a small camera but the X20 is really quiet.
• Made in Japan. There is just something about your equipment made in Japan instead of China.

Unedited sample photos shot with E-PL5

Taken at 14mm, f3.5, 1/80secs ISO10000. AWB settings with Color/WB -> Keep Warm Color to On. At such high ISO, the noise is very well controlled.

Taken at 14mm, f3.5, 1/20secs ISO6400. AWB settings with Color/WB -> Keep Warm Color to Off 

Taken at 14mm, f3.5, 1/20secs ISO6400. WB settings to Tungsten. Somehow the Tungsten WB doesn't give the result it should.

Summary

After trying the E-PL5, here's my summary.

• The E-PL5 is a camera made for consumers in mind. It's really a point-and-shoot with interchangeable lens capability. If you are not concerned about controls and prefer a camera with better video features, then this camera would be good for you. For better control, the E-P5 would be a much better, but would cost significantly more.
• The X20 is a camera made for photography enthusiasts in mind. It's a DSLR-like camera in a point-and-shoot body. It has all the capabilities and flexibility of a DSLR without lens interchangeability, and doesn't do so well in the video territory. 
• Both cameras are good in their own ways and both cameras will give you great photos, but I still prefer my X20 due to the controls and colors it produce.