Leica M-E Typ 220 vs Olympus E-420

Its time to look more in depth at the Leica M-E Typ 220 vs Olympus E-420, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Leica and Olympus. There exists a large gap among the sensor resolutions of the M-E Typ 220 (18MP) and E-420 (10MP) and the M-E Typ 220 (Full frame) and E-420 (Four Thirds) offer totally different sensor sizing.

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The M-E Typ 220 was unveiled 4 years after the E-420 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Leica M-E Typ 220 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple summary of how the M-E Typ 220 grades versus the E-420 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Leica M-E Typ 220 & Olympus E-420. The full galleries are viewable at Leica M-E Typ 220 Gallery & Olympus E-420 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Leica M-E Typ 220 enjoys exterior dimensions of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 585 grams (1.29 lbs) and the Olympus E-420 has specifications of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") with a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs).

Compare the Leica M-E Typ 220 vs Olympus E-420 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the M-E Typ 220 vs the E-420.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the M-E Typ 220 and E-420 is 79 and 77 respectively.

Quite often, it is very hard to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes simply by going through a spec sheet. The image below should give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the M-E Typ 220 and E-420.

Clearly, each of the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The M-E Typ 220 using its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Leica M-E Typ 220 will produce extra detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more recent M-E Typ 220 will have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.