Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-PL1s

Let's look a bit more closely at the Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-PL1s, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are built by Olympus. There is a noticeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and E-PL1s (12MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

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The E-500 was launched 6 years prior to the E-PL1s which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a thorough comparison, here is a concise overview of how the E-500 matches up vs the E-PL1s when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-500 & Olympus PEN E-PL1s. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery & Olympus E-PL1s Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-500 has exterior measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL1s has specifications of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-PL1s in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the E-500 versus the E-PL1s.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the E-500 and E-PL1s is 70 and 86 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to visualise the difference between sensor sizes just by reading through specifications. The picture below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-500 and E-PL1s.

Plainly, each of the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same megapixels. You can count on the Olympus E-PL1s to give you extra detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots more aggressively. The more aged E-500 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.