Olympus E-420 vs Olympus E-PL2

Let's look a little more closely at the Olympus E-420 and Olympus E-PL2, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both produced by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-420 (10MP) and the E-PL2 (12MP) is fairly well matched and they enjoy the same exact sensor size (Four Thirds).

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The E-420 was revealed 3 years before the E-PL2 and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-420 scores versus the E-PL2 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-420 and Olympus PEN E-PL2. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-420 Gallery and Olympus E-PL2 Gallery.

In case you're intending to lug around your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-420 features external measurements of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") having a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Olympus E-PL2 has proportions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-420 and Olympus E-PL2 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 use during that time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the E-420 vs the E-PL2.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-420 and E-PL2 is 77 and 85 respectively.

Normally, it can be difficult to envision the contrast between sensor measurements simply by reading through specs. The visual below might give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-420 and E-PL2.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same MP. You should anticipate the Olympus E-PL2 to give you greater detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The older E-420 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.