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Fujifilm X-A2 vs Olympus E-PL8 Comparison

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Camera to replace
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Fujifilm X-A2

16 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Fujifilm X-A2
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Olympus E-PL8

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

Olympus E-PL8
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Fujifilm X-A2 vs Olympus E-PL8 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the X-A2 and the E-PL8, two Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras from Fujifilm and Olympus. Fujifilm X-A2 was introduced to the market in January 2015 and Olympus E-PL8 was launched in September 2016. There is 20 months difference between X-A2 and E-PL8 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger E-PL8, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Fujifilm X-A2 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-01-14
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 6400 ( expands to 100 - 25600)
  • Fujifilm X Mount
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 5.6fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 350g. 117 x 67 x 40 mm
  • Replaced Fujifilm X-A1 Compare

Olympus E-PL8 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-09-19
  • 16MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 25600 ( expands to 100)
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 8.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 357g. 115 x 67 x 38 mm
  • Replaced Olympus PEN E-PL7 Compare

Fujifilm X-A2 was replaced by Fujifilm X-A3. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Fujifilm X-A3 vs Fujifilm X-A2
Fujifilm X-A3 vs Olympus PEN E-PL8

Olympus E-PL8 was replaced by Olympus PEN E-PL8. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus PEN E-PL8 vs Olympus PEN E-PL8
Olympus PEN E-PL8 vs Fujifilm X-A2

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Fujifilm X-A2 Fujifilm X-A2
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Olympus E-PL8 Olympus E-PL8
See at AMAZON
Fujifilm X-A2
See at AMAZON
Olympus E-PL8
See at AMAZON
Reasons to choose Fujifilm X-A2 over Olympus PEN E-PL8
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Battery Life
410 shots vs 350 shots 60 more frames with a single charge
Weight
350 g vs 357 g 7 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
23.04µm2 vs 14.12µm2 63% larger pixel area
CHECK X-A2 PRICE


Reasons to choose Olympus PEN E-PL8 over Fujifilm X-A2
Live Composite Mode
Yes vs No Excellent help for long-exposure photography
In-built Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max ISO
25.600 vs 6.400 300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
81 vs 49 32 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.037k dots vs 920k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
8.0fps vs 5.6fps 2.4 fps faster
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±1 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
CHECK E-PL8 PRICE

Common Strengths of Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus PEN E-PL8
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Tilting Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution
920k dots vs 1.037k dots High resolution screens
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus PEN E-PL8
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Fujifilm X-A2 vs Olympus E-PL8: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Fujifilm X-A2 has external dimensions of 117 x 67 x 40 mm (4.61 x 2.64 x 1.57″) and weighs 350 g (0.77 lb / 12.35 oz) (including batteries). Olympus E-PL8 has external dimensions of 115 x 67 x 38 mm (4.53 x 2.64 x 1.5″) and weighs 357 g (0.79 lb / 12.59 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Fujifilm X-A2 and the Olympus E-PL8. Fujifilm X-A2 has the same height with Olympus E-PL8. On the other hand, with a width of 117mm, it is 2 wider and also with a thickness of 40mm, it is 2mm thicker than Olympus E-PL8.

Fujifilm X-A2 vs Olympus E-PL8 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Fujifilm X-A2 and the Olympus E-PL8 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8.

Fujifilm X-A2 vs Olympus E-PL8 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Fujifilm X-A2 and the Olympus E-PL8 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8.
Fujifilm X-A2 vs Olympus E-PL8 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Fujifilm X-A2 and the Olympus E-PL8 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Fujifilm X-A2 is 7g lighter than the Olympus E-PL8 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Fujifilm X-A2 has an APS-C sized sensor and Olympus E-PL8 has a smaller Four Thirds sensor, Olympus E-PL8's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Fujifilm X-A2 lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

X-A2
E-PL8
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

X-A2
E-PL8
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither the Fujifilm X-A2 nor Olympus PEN E-PL8 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

Both cameras feature Tilting screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over-the-head levels.


Fujifilm X-A2 vs Olympus E-PL8: Sensor Comparison

Both Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8 have 16.0 MP resolution sensors but Fujifilm X-A2's sensor is APS-C (23.6 x 15.6 mm ) and Olympus E-PL8's sensor is Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ).

Since Fujifilm X-A2's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Olympus E-PL8.

Below you can see the X-A2 and E-PL8 sensor size comparison.

Fujifilm X-A2 vs Olympus E-PL8 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8 Cameras


As seen above, Fujifilm X-A2 has a 1.6x Larger sensor area than Olympus E-PL8. 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.

Fujifilm X-A2 vs Olympus E-PL8 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that the Olympus E-PL8 has an advantage over the Fujifilm X-A2 There are 123 lenses for the Olympus E-PL8's Micro Four Thirds mount, but on the other hand, there are only 88 lenses for the Fujifilm X-A2's Fujifilm X lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Olympus E-PL8 has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. E-PL8's built-in Image stabilization system is effective for compensating vibration up to 3.5-stops according to CIPA standards.
On the other hand, Fujifilm X-A2 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 19 lenses for Fujifilm X mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Fujifilm X-A2 Lenses # of Olympus E-PL8 Lenses
Standard Zoom 9 18
Standard Prime 21 15
Wideangle Zoom 4 6
Wideangle Prime 25 32
Telephoto Zoom 9 21
Telephoto Prime 11 11
SuperZoom 2 8
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 1 5
Macro Prime 3 5
Perspective Control Prime 2 n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 1
TOTAL 88 123

Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8 to see how these lenses compare:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Fujifilm 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR Lens Fujifilm 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
24 - 82.5mm 655gr 1,005gr 106mm Amazon B&H Photo
OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II Lens OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
24 - 80mm 382gr 739gr 84mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Fujifilm 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS Lens Fujifilm 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS
82.5 - 300mm 580gr 930gr 118mm Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus ED 35-100mm f2.0 Lens Olympus ED 35-100mm f2.0
70 - 200mm 1650gr 2,007gr 214mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Fujifilm 35mm F1.4 R Lens Fujifilm 35mm F1.4 R
52.5mm 187gr 537gr 55mm Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M 25mm F1.8 Lens Olympus M 25mm F1.8
50mm 136gr 493gr 41mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Fujifilm XF 10-24mm F4 R Lens Fujifilm XF 10-24mm F4 R
15 - 36mm 410gr 760gr 87mm Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO Lens Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO
14 - 28mm 534gr 891gr 106mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm F4 R OIS WR Lens Fujifilm XF 16-80mm F4 R OIS WR
24 - 120mm 440gr 790gr 89mm Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD Lens Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD
24 - 120mm 575gr 932gr 99mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Fujifilm XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 Lens Fujifilm XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6
150 - 600mm 1375gr 1,725gr 211mm Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS Lens Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS
300 - 800mm 1850gr 2,207gr 314mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8 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.

Fujifilm X-A2 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-PL8 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Check the Best Fujifilm X Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography

Fujifilm X-A2 for Street Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-PL8 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Check the Best Fujifilm X Mount Lenses for Street Photography
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Optional External Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Street Photography

Fujifilm X-A2 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-PL8 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
49 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.6fps
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Check the Best Fujifilm X Mount Lenses for Sports Photography
Image Stabilization
Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
81 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Sports Photography

Fujifilm X-A2 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-PL8 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
350g
Body Thickness 40mm
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
357g
Read the details

Fujifilm X-A2 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus E-PL8 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Check the Best Fujifilm X Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography

Fujifilm X-A2 vs Olympus E-PL8: 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 Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 Fujifilm X-A2 and Olympus E-PL8 scores compare:

Fujifilm X-A2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #70 out of 140 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #341 out of 1275 in all Cameras
Olympus E-PL8
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #41 out of 140 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #224 out of 1275 in all Cameras

Olympus E-PL8 has a higher Overall Score than the Fujifilm X-A2 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Fujifilm X-A2
Fujifilm X-A2
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Olympus E-PL8
Olympus E-PL8
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Olympus E-PL8 vs Fujifilm X-A2 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Fujifilm X-A2 Olympus PEN E-PL8
Brand Fujifilm Olympus
Announced 2015-01-14 2016-09-19
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C Four Thirds
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.6 mm 17.3 x 13 mm
Area 368.16mm2 224.90mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 4896 x 3264 4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 25600 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 200 ISO 200 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 100 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 Fujifilm X Micro Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses 88 123
Screen
Type Tilting Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 920k dots 1,037k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 7.00 m (at ISO 200) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync 1/180s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.6 fps 8.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats H.264 H.264, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 350g 357g
Dimensions 117 x 67 x 40mm 115 x 67 x 38mm
Battery Life 410 shots 350 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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