Canon M vs Olympus E-P1

Below, we are analyzing the Canon M vs Olympus E-P1, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by brands Canon and Olympus. There exists a sizable gap among the sensor resolutions of the M (18MP) and E-P1 (12MP) and the M (APS-C) and E-P1 (Four Thirds) feature different sensor dimensions.

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The M was revealed 3 years after the E-P1 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before delving through a more detailed comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the M matches up against the E-P1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon EOS M & Olympus PEN E-P1. The full galleries are viewable at Canon M Gallery & Olympus E-P1 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Canon M comes with physical dimensions of 109mm x 66mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 298 grams (0.66 lbs) and the Olympus E-P1 has measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs).

Check out the Canon M vs Olympus E-P1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are using at that moment. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the M compared to the E-P1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the M and E-P1 is 89 and 86 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to picture the difference in sensor sizes just by looking through technical specs. The picture below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the M and E-P1.

As you can tell, the two cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The M using its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Canon M will result in extra detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The fresher M provides an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.