Canon M50 vs Olympus E-P1

Here, we are looking at the Canon M50 and Olympus E-P1, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by brands Canon and Olympus. There is a significant difference between the sensor resolutions of the M50 (24MP) and E-P1 (12MP) and the M50 (APS-C) and E-P1 (Four Thirds) provide different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The M50 was announced 8 years after the E-P1 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Canon M50 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight to a full comparison, here is a short introduction of how the M50 matches up vs the E-P1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon EOS M50 and Olympus PEN E-P1. The whole galleries are viewable at Canon M50 Gallery and Olympus E-P1 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry around your camera, you'll have to factor its weight and size. The Canon M50 offers outside measurements of 116mm x 88mm x 59mm (4.6" x 3.5" x 2.3") with a weight of 390 grams (0.86 lbs) while the Olympus E-P1 has specifications of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs).

See the Canon M50 and Olympus E-P1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use at that moment. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the M50 vs the E-P1.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the M50 and E-P1 is 79 and 86 respectively.

Often, it's hard to picture the gap between sensor sizes purely by looking at specs. The image below will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the M50 and E-P1.

All in all, both of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The M50 with its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF less difficult and the Canon M50 will resolve extra detail with its extra 12 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos way more aggressively. The fresher M50 should have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.