Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic L1
The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in October 2019 and February 2006. The E-M5 III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the L1 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 7.4 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.
Body comparison
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M5 III and the Panasonic L1 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The E-M5 III can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the L1 is only available in black.



If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic L1 is notably larger (20 percent) than the Olympus E-M5 III. Moreover, the L1 is substantially heavier (46 percent) than the E-M5 III. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-M5 III is splash and dust resistant, while the L1 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-M5 III) and the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (L1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Olympus E-M5 III, have moreover the advantage that they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance and can thus use many lenses from other systems via adapters.
The power pack in the E-M5 III can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

| Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-M5 III | 125 mm | 85 mm | 50 mm | 414 g | 310 | Y | Oct 2019 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Panasonic L1 | 146 mm | 87 mm | 64 mm | 606 g | 750 | n | Feb 2006 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 3. | Canon XT | 127 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 540 g | 400 | n | Feb 2005 | US$ 899 | ebay.com | |
| 4. | Leica Digilux 3 | 146 mm | 87 mm | 77 mm | 606 g | 750 | n | Sep 2006 | US$ 1 499 | ebay.com | |
| 5. | Olympus E-300 | 147 mm | 85 mm | 64 mm | 624 g | 750 | n | Sep 2004 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Olympus E-330 | 140 mm | 87 mm | 72 mm | 637 g | 750 | n | Jan 2006 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 7. | Olympus E-M1 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 63 mm | 497 g | 350 | Y | Sep 2013 | US$ 1 399 | ebay.com | |
| 8. | Olympus E-M1 III | 134 mm | 91 mm | 69 mm | 580 g | 420 | Y | Feb 2020 | US$ 1 799 | ebay.com | |
| 9. | Olympus E-M1X | 144 mm | 147 mm | 75 mm | 997 g | 870 | Y | Jan 2019 | US$ 2 999 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Olympus E-M5 | 122 mm | 89 mm | 43 mm | 425 g | 360 | Y | Feb 2012 | US$ 1 299 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Olympus E-M5 II | 124 mm | 85 mm | 45 mm | 469 g | 310 | Y | Feb 2015 | US$ 1 099 | ebay.com | |
| 12. | Olympus E-M10 IV | 122 mm | 84 mm | 49 mm | 383 g | 360 | n | Aug 2020 | US$ 699 | amazon.com | |
| 13. | Olympus PEN-F | 125 mm | 72 mm | 37 mm | 427 g | 330 | n | Jan 2016 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
| 14. | OM System OM-5 | 125 mm | 85 mm | 50 mm | 414 g | 310 | Y | Oct 2022 | US$ 1 199 | amazon.com | |
| 15. | Panasonic G95 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 77 mm | 536 g | 290 | Y | Apr 2019 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 16. | Panasonic GX8 | 133 mm | 78 mm | 63 mm | 487 g | 330 | Y | Jul 2015 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
| 17. | Panasonic L10 | 135 mm | 96 mm | 78 mm | 556 g | 450 | n | Aug 2007 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The L1 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 17 percent) than the E-M5 III, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Sensor comparison
The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-M5 III offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 7.4 MP of the L1. This megapixels advantage translates into a 65 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-M5 III has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 5.51μm for the L1). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the E-M5 III is much more recent (by 13 years and 7 months) than the L1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M5 III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-M5 III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-M5 III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic L1 are 15.7 x 11.8 inches or 39.8 x 29.9 cm for good quality, 12.5 x 9.4 inches or 31.9 x 23.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.5 x 7.8 inches or 26.6 x 19.9 cm for excellent quality prints.
The E-M5 III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
Unlike the L1, the E-M5 III has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (80MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).
The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 64-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).
Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

| Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-M5 III | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.3 | 13.1 | 1324 | 76 | |
| 2. | Panasonic L1 | Four Thirds | 7.4 | 3136 | 2352 | none | 20.8 | 10.4 | 80 | 52 | |
| 3. | Canon XT | APS-C | 8.0 | 3456 | 2304 | none | 21.8 | 10.8 | 637 | 60 | |
| 4. | Leica Digilux 3 | Four Thirds | 7.4 | 3136 | 2352 | none | 21.0 | 10.6 | 127 | 53 | |
| 5. | Olympus E-300 | Four Thirds | 8.0 | 3264 | 2448 | none | 20.4 | 10.1 | -40 | 48 | |
| 6. | Olympus E-330 | Four Thirds | 7.4 | 3136 | 2352 | none | 20.8 | 10.4 | 73 | 52 | |
| 7. | Olympus E-M1 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 23.0 | 12.7 | 757 | 73 | |
| 8. | Olympus E-M1 III | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.3 | 13.1 | 1356 | 76 | |
| 9. | Olympus E-M1X | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.2 | 13.0 | 1254 | 75 | |
| 10. | Olympus E-M5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 22.8 | 12.3 | 826 | 71 | |
| 11. | Olympus E-M5 II | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 23.0 | 12.5 | 842 | 73 | |
| 12. | Olympus E-M10 IV | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.3 | 13.2 | 1402 | 76 | |
| 13. | Olympus PEN-F | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.4 | 894 | 74 | |
| 14. | OM System OM-5 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.4 | 13.4 | 1622 | 78 | |
| 15. | Panasonic G95 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.2 | 13.0 | 1273 | 75 | |
| 16. | Panasonic GX8 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.5 | 12.6 | 806 | 75 | |
| 17. | Panasonic L10 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.3 | 10.8 | 429 | 55 | |
| Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. | |||||||||||
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The E-M5 III indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the L1 does not. The highest resolution format that the E-M5 III can use is 4K/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M5 III has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the L1 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the E-M5 III offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the L1 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the E-M5 III has a higher magnification (0.68x vs 0.47x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-M5 III and Panasonic L1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

| Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-M5 III | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
| 2. | Panasonic L1 | optical | n | 2.5 / 207 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 3. | Canon XT | optical | n | 1.8 / 115 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 4. | Leica Digilux 3 | optical | n | 2.5 / 207 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 5. | Olympus E-300 | optical | n | 1.8 / 134 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
| 6. | Olympus E-330 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 7. | Olympus E-M1 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
| 8. | Olympus E-M1 III | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 18.0/s | n | Y | |
| 9. | Olympus E-M1X | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 18.0/s | n | Y | |
| 10. | Olympus E-M5 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 610 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 9.0/s | n | Y | |
| 11. | Olympus E-M5 II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
| 12. | Olympus E-M10 IV | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 15.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 13. | Olympus PEN-F | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
| 14. | OM System OM-5 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
| 15. | Panasonic G95 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1240 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 9.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 16. | Panasonic GX8 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
| 17. | Panasonic L10 | optical | n | 2.5 / 207 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. | |||||||||||
One feature that differentiates the E-M5 III and the L1 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-M5 III reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the L1 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.
The E-M5 III has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the L1 does not have a selfie-screen.The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the E-M5 III is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).
The Olympus E-M5 III has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.
The E-M5 III writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the L1 uses SDHC cards. The E-M5 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the L1 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.
Connectivity comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

| Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-M5 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
| 2. | Panasonic L1 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 3. | Canon XT | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 4. | Leica Digilux 3 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 5. | Olympus E-300 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 6. | Olympus E-330 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 7. | Olympus E-M1 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
| 8. | Olympus E-M1 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
| 9. | Olympus E-M1X | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.0 | Y | - | Y | |
| 10. | Olympus E-M5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 11. | Olympus E-M5 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
| 12. | Olympus E-M10 IV | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
| 13. | Olympus PEN-F | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
| 14. | OM System OM-5 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
| 15. | Panasonic G95 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
| 16. | Panasonic GX8 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
| 17. | Panasonic L10 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the E-M5 III offers wifi support, while the L1 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.
Both the E-M5 III and the L1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The L1 was replaced by the Panasonic L10, while the E-M5 III was followed by the OM System OM-5. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M5 III and L1 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M5 III Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic L1 Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-M5 III or the Panasonic L1 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III:
- More detail: Offers more megapixels (20.2 vs 7.4MP) with a 65% higher linear resolution.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
- Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 4K/30p movies.
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.68x vs 0.47x).
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 207k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (125x85mm vs 146x87mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 192g or 32 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Faster buffer clearing: Supports Ultra High Speed (UHS-II) SDXC cards.
- More modern: Reflects 13 years and 7 months of technical progress since the L1 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (750 versus 310) out of a single battery charge.
- Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
- More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (17 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2006).
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-M5 III is the clear winner of the match-up (27 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M5 III and the Panasonic L1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-M5 III or the L1 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.
Expert reviews
This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

| Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-M5 III | 5/5 | + | 5/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2019 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Panasonic L1 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + | .. | 3.5/5 | Feb 2006 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 3. | Canon XT | .. | 80/100 | .. | + + | o | .. | Feb 2005 | US$ 899 | ebay.com | |
| 4. | Leica Digilux 3 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Sep 2006 | US$ 1 499 | ebay.com | |
| 5. | Olympus E-300 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | 4.5/5 | Sep 2004 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Olympus E-330 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | .. | Jan 2006 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 7. | Olympus E-M1 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2013 | US$ 1 399 | ebay.com | |
| 8. | Olympus E-M1 III | 5/5 | .. | 5/5 | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2020 | US$ 1 799 | ebay.com | |
| 9. | Olympus E-M1X | 4.5/5 | o | 5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | .. | Jan 2019 | US$ 2 999 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Olympus E-M5 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2012 | US$ 1 299 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Olympus E-M5 II | 5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 81/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2015 | US$ 1 099 | ebay.com | |
| 12. | Olympus E-M10 IV | 4.5/5 | .. | 5/5 | 81/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2020 | US$ 699 | amazon.com | |
| 13. | Olympus PEN-F | .. | .. | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
| 14. | OM System OM-5 | 5/5 | .. | 4.5/5 | 83/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2022 | US$ 1 199 | amazon.com | |
| 15. | Panasonic G95 | 4.5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2019 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 16. | Panasonic GX8 | 5/5 | + | .. | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2015 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
| 17. | Panasonic L10 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2007 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. | |||||||||||
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 10D vs Panasonic L1
- Fujifilm X100S vs Panasonic L1
- Hasselblad X1D II vs Olympus E-M5 III
- Nikon A1000 vs Panasonic L1
- Olympus E-M5 III vs Olympus E-PL10
- Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic GM1
- Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic L10
- Olympus E-M5 III vs Pentax 645D
- Olympus E-M5 III vs Sony A99 II
- Panasonic L1 vs Panasonic LX100
- Panasonic L1 vs Panasonic TS7
- Panasonic L1 vs Pentax 645Z
Specifications: Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic L1
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
| Camera Model | Olympus E-M5 III | Panasonic L1 |
|---|---|---|
| Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Digital single lens reflex |
| Camera Lens | Micro Four Thirds lenses | Four Thirds lenses |
| Launch Date | October 2019 | February 2006 |
| Launch Price | USD 1,199 | USD 999 |
| Sensor Specs | Olympus E-M5 III | Panasonic L1 |
| Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
| Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
| Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
| Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 21.6 mm |
| Crop Factor | 2.0x | 2.0x |
| Sensor Resolution | 20.2 Megapixels | 7.4 Megapixels |
| Image Resolution | 5184 x 3888 pixels | 3136 x 2352 pixels |
| Pixel Pitch | 3.34 μm | 5.51 μm |
| Pixel Density | 8.96 MP/cm2 | 3.28 MP/cm2 |
| Moiré control | no AA filter | Anti-Alias filter |
| Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | no Video |
| ISO Setting | 200 - 25,600 ISO | 100 - 1,600 ISO |
| ISO Boost | 64 - 25,600 ISO | no Enhancement |
| Image Processor | TruePic VIII | Venus |
| Screen Specs | Olympus E-M5 III | Panasonic L1 |
| Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Optical viewfinder |
| Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 95% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.68x | 0.47x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 2360k dots | |
| LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
| Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 2.5inch |
| LCD Resolution | 1040k dots | 207k dots |
| LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | Fixed screen |
| Touch Input | Touchscreen | no Touchscreen |
| Shooting Specs | Olympus E-M5 III | Panasonic L1 |
| Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | Phase-detect AF |
| Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | no Peaking Feature |
| Continuous Shooting | 10 shutter flaps/s | 3 shutter flaps/s |
| Electronic Shutter | up to 1/32000s | no E-Shutter |
| Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | no Intervalometer |
| Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | Lens stabilization only |
| Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | Built-in Flash |
| Storage Medium | SDXC cards | SDHC cards |
| Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
| UHS card support | UHS-II | no |
| Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-M5 III | Panasonic L1 |
| External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
| USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| HDMI Port | micro HDMI | no HDMI |
| Microphone Port | External MIC port | no MIC socket |
| Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | no Wifi |
| Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | no Bluetooth |
| Body Specs | Olympus E-M5 III | Panasonic L1 |
| Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | not weather sealed |
| Battery Type | Olympus BLS-50 | Panasonic CGR-S602 |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 310 shots per charge | 750 shots per charge |
| In-Camera Charging | USB charging | no USB charging |
| Body Dimensions |
125 x 85 x 50 mm (4.9 x 3.3 x 2.0 in) |
146 x 87 x 64 mm (5.7 x 3.4 x 2.5 in) |
| Camera Weight | 414 g (14.6 oz) | 606 g (21.4 oz) |

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