Olympus E-420 vs Olympus E-M1

Here, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-420 versus Olympus E-M1, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless and they are both built by Olympus. There exists a significant gap among the resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and E-M1 (16MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor dimensions (Four Thirds).

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The E-420 was released 6 years before the E-M1 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-420 scores versus the E-M1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-420 and Olympus OM-D E-M1. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-420 Gallery and Olympus E-M1 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-420 has external dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") with a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Olympus E-M1 has dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-420 versus Olympus E-M1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you choose at that time. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the E-420 versus the E-M1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-420 and E-M1 is 77 and 71 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizes merely by looking through a spec sheet. The pic underneath will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-420 and E-M1.

As you can see, each of these cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different resolution. You should count on the Olympus E-M1 to render extra detail as a result of its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs way more aggressively. The more aged E-420 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.