Olympus E-1 vs Olympus E-PL8

Lets look closer at the Olympus E-1 versus Olympus E-PL8, former is a Pro DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are produced by Olympus. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and E-PL8 (16MP) but both cameras have the same sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

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The E-1 was announced 13 years before the E-PL8 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a quick summary of how the E-1 scores against the E-PL8 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-1 & Olympus PEN E-PL8. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Olympus E-PL8 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-1 comes with exterior measurements of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") along with a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) and the Olympus E-PL8 has specifications of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") having a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-1 versus Olympus E-PL8 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are utilising during that time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the E-1 compared to the E-PL8.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-1 and E-PL8 is 59 and 86 respectively.

Often, it is hard to see the gap in sensor sizes just by seeing specs. The pic below will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-1 and E-PL8.

All in all, the 2 cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You can expect the Olympus E-PL8 to provide more detail with its extra 11 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures more aggressively. The more aged E-1 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.