Olympus PEN E-P5 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 — Which Is Better?

The Olympus PEN E-P5 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 are both mirrorless Micro Four Thirds cameras, so they draw on the same native lens library. The E-P5, announced in 2013, is the smaller and lighter body at 122 x 69 x 37 mm and 420 g. The GH3, from 2012, is larger at 133 x 93 x 82 mm and 550 g.

For handheld stills in dim interiors, the E-P5 is the stronger choice, because it offers in-body stabilisation and the GH3 does not. That stabilisation steadies frames with every lens you mount. The E-P5's 35 autofocus points outnumber the GH3's 23, aiding off-centre framing. A 1/8000 second shutter, twice as short as the GH3's 1/4000 limit, keeps wide apertures usable in bright daylight.

For action, the GH3 has the clear advantage, with a maximum burst of 20 fps against the E-P5's 9 fps. Only the GH3 has a built-in electronic viewfinder, a 1,744,000-dot panel for eye-level framing. Both use about 16-megapixel CMOS sensors in the Micro Four Thirds format, so cropping room is effectively the same.

The GH3 is the better camera for video work, supporting frame rates up to 60 fps against the E-P5's 30 fps ceiling. Those faster frame rates give you smoother motion and footage you can slow to half speed in editing. Both cameras cap their maximum video resolution at Full HD, so neither offers 4K recording.

Timelapse recording is built into both cameras, so either can capture a tripod sequence without an external controller.

The GH3's weather sealing makes it the practical choice for shooting in rain or dust, protection the E-P5 lacks. Its screen flips out for waist-level and overhead framing, while the E-P5's screen is fixed. The E-P5 answers with a sharper rear display, 1,036,800 LCD dots against the GH3's 614,000-dot OLED.

Both cameras offer a 3-inch touch screen, built-in and external flash support, and Wi-Fi for wireless transfer. Neither includes GPS for geotagging or Bluetooth.

The GH3 carries the higher battery rating, with 540 shots against the E-P5's 330. The E-P5 uses a BLN-2 pack and the GH3 a 1600 mAh lithium-ion battery, so spares are not interchangeable.

Each camera writes to a single SD, SDHC or SDXC card slot, with no second slot for backup. Neither supports charging over USB, so each needs its battery charger between sessions.