Olympus E-5 vs Olympus E-PL8

Lets take a deeper look at the Olympus E-5 and Olympus E-PL8, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are manufactured by Olympus. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the E-5 (12MP) and E-PL8 (16MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

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The E-5 was brought out 6 years before the E-PL8 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the E-5 matches up vs the E-PL8 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-5 and Olympus PEN E-PL8. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-5 Gallery and Olympus E-PL8 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-5 has physical measurements of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") and a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) while the Olympus E-PL8 has proportions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-5 and Olympus E-PL8 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select during that time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the E-5 compared to the E-PL8.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-5 and E-PL8 is 58 and 86 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to imagine the difference in sensor measurements purely by viewing specifications. The photograph underneath might give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-5 and E-PL8.

To sum up, the two cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but different MP. You should expect to see the Olympus E-PL8 to render more detail having its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images more aggressively. The older E-5 will be behind in sensor innovation.