Nikon 1 J5 vs Olympus E-PL1

Below is a extensive review of the Nikon 1 J5 versus Olympus E-PL1, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by companies Nikon and Olympus. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the 1 J5 (21MP) and E-PL1 (12MP) and the 1 J5 (1") and E-PL1 (Four Thirds) posses different sensor sizes.

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The 1 J5 was released 4 years later than the E-PL1 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before we go right into a full comparison, here is a brief overview of how the 1 J5 matches up vs the E-PL1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon 1 J5 and Olympus PEN E-PL1. The complete galleries are available at Nikon 1 J5 Gallery and Olympus E-PL1 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera often, you will have to consider its weight and size. The Nikon 1 J5 offers external dimensions of 98mm x 60mm x 32mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 231 grams (0.51 lbs) while the Olympus E-PL1 has specifications of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs).

Check out the Nikon 1 J5 versus Olympus E-PL1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with during that time. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the 1 J5 against the E-PL1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 1 J5 and E-PL1 is 91 and 86 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to visualize the gap between sensor measurements just by reviewing technical specs. The graphic below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the 1 J5 and E-PL1.

As you can tell, both cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The 1 J5 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Nikon 1 J5 will offer more detail as a result of its extra 9 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The newer 1 J5 should have an edge with regard to sensor technology.