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Panasonic FZ2500 vs Olympus E-M5 II

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Panasonic FZ2500

20 MP | 1 BSI-CMOS Sensor

Panasonic FZ2500
$997.99
17%
off
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Olympus E-M5 II

16 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

Olympus E-M5 II
$1,099.00
Panasonic FZ2500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Panasonic FZ2500 is a Large Sensor Superzoom camera with a 20.0MP 1 sensor whereas Olympus E-M5 II is a Semi-Pro Mirrorless camera with a 16.0MP Four Thirds sensor.
Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison. Fortunately, you can't go wrong with any of these cameras as we rank them amongst Top 10 cameras in their classes. Panasonic FZ2500 is ranked #1 out of 8 Large Sensor Superzoom cameras with an overall score of 82 whereas Olympus E-M5 II is ranked #4 out of 38 Semi-Pro Mirrorless cameras with an overall score of 82.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Panasonic FZ2500 and Olympus E-M5 II before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic FZ2500 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-09-19
  • 20MP - 1 BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 80-25600)
  • 24-480 mm F2.8-4.5 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3 Fully Articulated Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 12 fps continuous shooting
  • 4096 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 915g. 138 x 102 x 135 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-FZ2000
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 Compare

Olympus E-M5 II Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-02-06
  • 16MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 25600 ( expands to 100)
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3″ Fully Articulated Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 469g. 124 x 85 x 45 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Olympus OM-D E-M5 Compare
Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500 over Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
Built-in Flash Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Max Sensor Resolution 20 MP vs 16 MP 25% more pixels
Continuous Shooting 12.0fps vs 10.0fps 2 fps faster
Battery Life 350 shots vs 310 shots 40 more frames with a single charge
Headphone Port Yes vs No better video control
Dynamic Range 12.6 vs 12.4 higher dynamic range
Price $998 vs $1,099 $101 cheaper
Max Video Resolution 4096 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
Built-in ND Filter Yes vs No Use larger aperture under strong light
NFC Connection Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
4K Photo Mode Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Focus Stacking Yes vs No Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Post Focus Mode Yes vs No Change focus point after taking a shot
Reasons to choose Olympus OM-D E-M5 II over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500
Max ISO 25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points 81 vs 49 32 more focus points
Max Shutter Speed 1/16000s vs 1/4000s faster shutter speed
Weight 469 g vs 915 g 446 g lighter
Environmental Sealing Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Low Light ISO 896 vs 538 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area 14.12µm2 vs 5.82µm2 142% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range ±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Pixel Shift High Resolution Mode Yes (40.0MP) vs No Increased resolution with pixel shift
Focus Bracketing Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
Wireless Connection Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Image Stabilization Optical vs Sensor-shift All the lenses are stabilized
Articulating Screen Yes vs Yes Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Touch Screen Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution 1.040k dots vs 1.037k dots Higher resolution screens
Continuous Shooting 12.0fps vs 10.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Microphone Port Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Timelapse Recording Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Selfie Friendly LCD Yes vs Yes Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Dual-axis Electronic Level Yes vs Yes Level the camera easily in two axis
Smartphone Remote Control Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
Panasonic FZ2500 vs Olympus E-M5 II: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic FZ2500 and Olympus E-M5 II. Olympus E-M5 II is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 14mm narrower, 17mm shorter and 90mm thinner than Panasonic FZ2500. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Panasonic FZ2500 has a built-in lens but Olympus E-M5 II doesn't. Once you put a lens on E-M5 II, its thickness will increase significantly.

Panasonic FZ2500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic FZ2500 and Olympus E-M5 II.
Panasonic FZ2500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Panasonic FZ2500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus E-M5 II is significantly lighter (446g ) than the Panasonic FZ2500 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on E-M5 II, the total kit will weigh much higher.
Panasonic FZ2500 vs Olympus E-M5 II: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic FZ2500 has a 20.0MP 1 (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor. On the other hand, Olympus E-M5 II has a 16.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features TruePic VII processor.

Below you can see the FZ2500 and E-M5 II sensor size comparison.

Panasonic FZ2500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Sensor Size Comparison


As seen above, Olympus E-M5 II has a 1.9x Larger sensor area than Panasonic FZ2500. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Panasonic FZ2500 and Olympus E-M5 II Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic FZ2500 and Olympus E-M5 II for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Panasonic FZ2500 for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-M5 II for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Average sized 1 sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Read the details

Panasonic FZ2500 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Olympus E-M5 II for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1 sensor
Medium sized Body
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Panasonic FZ2500 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-M5 II for Sports Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 12.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
480 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/16000s
81 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Read the details

Panasonic FZ2500 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-M5 II for Daily Photography

GOOD
20X Optical Zoom
Average sized 1 sensor
Medium size Body
915g
Body Thickness 135mm
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
469g
Body Thickness 45mm
Read the details

Panasonic FZ2500 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-M5 II for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Read the details


Panasonic FZ2500 vs Olympus E-M5 II: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Panasonic FZ2500 and Olympus E-M5 II, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Panasonic FZ2500 and Olympus E-M5 II scores compare:

Panasonic FZ2500
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #1 out of 107 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #52 out of 1131 in all Cameras
Olympus E-M5 II
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #15 out of 49 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #49 out of 1131 in all Cameras

Panasonic FZ2500
Panasonic FZ2500
$997.99
17%
off

Olympus E-M5 II
Olympus E-M5 II
$1,099.00

Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic FZ2500 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500 Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
Brand Panasonic Olympus
Announced 2016-09-19 2015-02-06
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) SLR-style mirrorless
Price $997.99 $1,099.00
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1 Four Thirds
Dimensions 13.2 x 8.8 mm 17.3 x 13 mm
Area 116.16mm2 224.90mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 5472 x 3648 4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 25600 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 ISO 200 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 80 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 49 81
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Micro Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses n/a 92
Lens Focal Range 24-480 mm (20x) no lens
Max Aperture F2.8-4.5 no lens
Macro Focus Range 3cm no lens
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fully Articulated
Size 3 3″
Resolution 1,040k dots 1,037k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots 2,360k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.74 0.74
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/4000s 1/16000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 13.20 m (at Auto ISO) no built-in flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 12.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 4096 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 915g 469g
Dimensions 138 x 102 x 135mm 124 x 85 x 45mm
Battery Life 350 shots 310 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 70 73
DxO Color Depth 23.0 23.0
DxO Dynamic Range 12.6 12.4
DxO Low Light ISO 538 896
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