Who's more reliable/less prone to malfunction? - Olympus vs Panasonic

I guess one of the worst things that can happen to a photographer is a camera failure.

I am regularly using an Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic GX7, and when it comes down purely to shooting experience I would choose Olympus without hesitation.

But it has happened two or three times that the E-M5 would refuse to focus, or wouldn't turn on. So far those were isolated cases, and hopefully the camera will continue to function for the years to come, but all those small things make it that less reliable.

Also, there have been many reports of Olympus cameras malfunctioning in various ways: strap lugs falling out, the shutter curtain lock up, dials falling off.

Strangely, I can't recall reading about any Panasonic cameras failures.

Does that mean Panasonic might be more reliable? Do they have better quality control?

Which brand is more reliable in your experience? Please take part in the poll and share you experiences in the comments.

Yesterday I changed from C1 to C2 and nothing. Tipped the AF. Nothing. Set it to C3...it just did not change a bit (while it is a vastly different setting). Turned the cam off, then on and started at C1 (while starting up). Fine. Than to C2...stalled...Okey..hmm. Didn't need it, just was checking.

Came home. Took out the battery...inserted it again. Switched from C1 to C2..and it worked fine. It has stalled on other occasions as well but somehow it rarely happens and taking out the battery always solved it

No C2 is set to do C-AF at autoISO with burst mode. Fine. But why is the batteryindicator now no longer 39% but instead 36 minutes?? It isn't set for video??? Did look in it too well, but will do whenever I have time.

Did my Panasonics ever stall on me (G1, GH2 and Gh4)....I have to say: no.

Is that worth something? No. 1 Oly and three Panny cams are meaningless. I would add however that I have the impression that for both cams I am not the only one, so may be indeed the lack of complaints about stalling Panny cams or other problems might be a sign of some better QC.

Very nice poll!

My only 2 Olympus 43rd lenses, 12-60swd and 50-200swd broke 3 times. My oly FL50 flash is not working. My EM1 EVF has sunburn. And many more problems with Olympus gear... Even my very expensive 300F4 makes a strange noise while focusing (!!??).

My oooold Pany FZ50 is working as perfectly. My 100-300 (absolutely silent, even after rains, dust, and 23000 pictures), my 20mm, perfect, never a problem.

L.

Jorginho wrote:

Yesterday I changed from C1 to C2 and nothing. Tipped the AF. Nothing. Set it to C3...it just did not change a bit (while it is a vastly different setting). Turned the cam off, then on and started at C1 (while starting up). Fine. Than to C2...stalled...Okey..hmm. Didn't need it, just was checking.

Came home. Took out the battery...inserted it again. Switched from C1 to C2..and it worked fine. It has stalled on other occasions as well but somehow it rarely happens and taking out the battery always solved it

No C2 is set to do C-AF at autoISO with burst mode. Fine. But why is the batteryindicator now no longer 39% but instead 36 minutes?? It isn't set for video??? Did look in it too well, but will do whenever I have time.

Did my Panasonics ever stall on me (G1, GH2 and Gh4)....I have to say: no.

Is that worth something? No. 1 Oly and three Panny cams are meaningless. I would add however that I have the impression that for both cams I am not the only one, so may be indeed the lack of complaints about stalling Panny cams or other problems might be a sign of some better QC.

That has happened to me also, but then I realized that I must have inadvertently hit the video button while in C-AF ( at least the audio level bars were on).I also have the video button repurposed to the "magnify" feature so that may have something to do with it.

I don't consider this to be a malfunction,  though.

luisflorit wrote:

Very nice poll!

Not really. The question asked for a definite answer about the brands generally, and no one responder has the knowledge to assess that. So all you'll get is people's subjective opinion on what brand is more reliable, based on experience with, at most, a few bits of kit they personally have had.

A better poll would be

• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have had more reliability problems with Panasonic
• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have had more reliability problems with Olympus
• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have equal reliability problems with both
• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have no reliability problems with either
• I've owned only Olympus but I have had reliability problems
• I've owned only Panasonic but I have ha more reliability problems
• I've never owned either brand, I'm only here by mistake

Then if we got a lot of answers, we could consider drawing a conclusion. Although even then it's statistically dodgy - I have had more Olympus quality issues, but then I have only one bit of Panasonic kit and that's a prime lens so less to go wrong.

But the poll as it stands is only usable for assessing what people believe about quality of the two brands.

Paul

Olympus and their service is more reliable.

My em5 mk1's shutter had black frame issues at speeds higher than 1/2000th starting every once in while since new and constantly past ~7000 (8th month of ownership) actuations - had to have the shutter replaced under warranty. Sold it right after receiving it from servicing.

Owned an em10 mk1 for 2 weeks - no issues lol. Owned an epl7 for 3 months - no issues.

Owned e410 and e510 for a total of 4 years - no issues.

Owned two gx7 bodies for a total of about 9 months - one stall in the second body fixed by removing battery. Used second body in rain (my bad) - the evf started flickering, after drying it worked without any issues. And no other issues.

Owned gm5 for 6 months - no issues.

Now I have a week old gx80 - no issues.

I'm inclined to say that Panasonic may turn out to be more reliable. This is also based on threads on this forum even taking into account that for every Panasonic body owned by someone there are at least 2 Olympus bodies.

Soulhand wrote:

luisflorit wrote:

Very nice poll!

Not really. The question asked for a definite answer about the brands generally, and no one responder has the knowledge to assess that.

Exactly which is why I did not answer it.

I heard of lenses from both having problems. Not as much with bodies.

There was a large thread when that Olympus 12-40 had a cracked mount.

I have had far more Olympus bodies and Panasonic lenses and all have worked with no problems that I can recall.

I have 4 compacts, 5 mirrorless and 10 lenses all from Pany and the 1st one was bought 14 years ago. Non of them fail me and the 1st one can still be shot as new today. The only repairing cost I paid was a few US$ to replace the lossen silicone belt covering the zoom ring of 14-45 and 45-200 a few years ago.

Even my G1 and 7-14 f/4 had been dropped into a river, came out like water tank and after dried they worked again. Pany Service Center told me it would be a total lost (due to serious oxidation inside and no worth to repair) and should expect sudden death anytime. They were kept on using a few years more until G1's retirement last year. 7-14 is still my main lens today.

So, if there is an option, I would vote Pany is very reliable (instead of "more") and never failure (instead of less failure).

I have never bought/used anything made by Olympus.  I have been using Panasonic cameras/bodies since the GF1.  I've never had a failure.

With such kind of post, you can never achieve a reliable and representative answer. Nor can you prove, if all posts are valid.

All I can say that both, my Olympus and Panasonic products have had failures. And products of both brands have shown instability issues (for example my GX8 hangs from time to time).

What I can say is that Olympus has the edge regarding functional firmware updates, and has the more responsive support and a generally fast repair service.

On the other hand, I would choose the product, which I prefer regarding handling, features, performance, and price.

It is unpredictable, which product might fail at which time. I may happen to any product from any vendor.

KwhyChang wrote:

I heard of lenses from both having problems. Not as much with bodies.

There was a large thread when that Olympus 12-40 had a cracked mount.

I have had far more Olympus bodies and Panasonic lenses and all have worked with no problems that I can recall.

Well, this was a quite exaggerated disussion, based not completely clear reasons, which actually caused the problem, with the sample. Since then, the "issue" was never raised again.

The only thing that failed out of my gear was the Olympus FL-LM3, only used it very seldom but at some time the capactior broke and the (expensive) thing was a piece of rubbish.

That is the only Oly product I had longer than 6 months, the rest was Panasonic gear that never failed on me by now.

I have only Panny equipment, and it has all been reliable.  The only issue has been the swollen rubber zoom ring on one lens.  It remains to be seen if Panny will cover it on their 3- year warranty.

I do feel Panasonic is less trustworthy than Olympus.  Oly seems to regularly update firmware for their cameras and lenses.  Panny, on the other hand, promised to release an update for the original 14- 140 lens to support Dual IS, so, together with other incentives, I decided to buy the ver 1 lens.  They seem to have forgotten the update was scheduled for Feb 2016.

tgutgu wrote:

With such kind of post, you can never achieve a reliable and representative answer. Nor can you prove, if all posts are valid.

All I can say that both, my Olympus and Panasonic products have had failures. And products of both brands have shown instability issues (for example my GX8 hangs from time to time).

What I can say is that Olympus has the edge regarding functional firmware updates, and has the more responsive support and a generally fast repair service.

On the other hand, I would choose the product, which I prefer regarding handling, features, performance, and price.

It is unpredictable, which product might fail at which time. I may happen to any product from any vendor.

Well judging from the reports on various forums (not only here), this poll seems VERY representative to me.

Jorginho wrote:

Soulhand wrote:

luisflorit wrote:

Very nice poll!

Not really. The question asked for a definite answer about the brands generally, and no one responder has the knowledge to assess that.

Exactly which is why I did not answer it.

If I am not mistaken Olympus sells more cameras worldwide than Panasonic. Therefore how does that get factored into the response. IMO this type of poll really serves no purpose.

Soulhand wrote:

luisflorit wrote:

Very nice poll!

Not really. The question asked for a definite answer about the brands generally, and no one responder has the knowledge to assess that. So all you'll get is people's subjective opinion on what brand is more reliable, based on experience with, at most, a few bits of kit they personally have had.

A better poll would be

• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have had more reliability problems with Panasonic
• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have had more reliability problems with Olympus
• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have equal reliability problems with both
• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have no reliability problems with either
• I've owned only Olympus but I have had reliability problems
• I've owned only Panasonic but I have ha more reliability problems
• I've never owned either brand, I'm only here by mistake

Then if we got a lot of answers, we could consider drawing a conclusion. Although even then it's statistically dodgy - I have had more Olympus quality issues, but then I have only one bit of Panasonic kit and that's a prime lens so less to go wrong.

But the poll as it stands is only usable for assessing what people believe about quality of the two brands.

Paul

And you will likely get multiple replies and defenses from a few people who have strong bias and love to hold a grudge.