Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-PM1

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-500 versus Olympus E-PM1, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both produced by Olympus. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and E-PM1 (12MP) but they possess the same exact sensor dimensions (Four Thirds).

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The E-500 was released 7 years before the E-PM1 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a full comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-500 scores against the E-PM1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 and Olympus PEN E-PM1. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Olympus E-PM1 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-500 has outer dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") along with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Olympus E-PM1 has dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-500 versus Olympus E-PM1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are using during that time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the E-500 and the E-PM1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-500 and E-PM1 is 70 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to see the gap between sensor sizes merely by reading technical specs. The picture below will help give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and E-PM1.

As you have seen, both the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same MP. You should expect to see the Olympus E-PM1 to deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The more aged E-500 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.