Olympus E-510 vs YI M1

Here is a thorough assessment of the Olympus E-510 and YI M1, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and YI. There is a huge difference among the resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and M1 (20MP) but they possess the same exact sensor dimensions (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-510 was manufactured 9 years before the M1 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the YI M1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going through a in depth comparison, below is a short highlight of how the E-510 scores vs the M1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-510 and YI M1. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-510 Gallery and YI M1 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-510 enjoys outer dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") having a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) and the YI M1 has measurements of 114mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.5" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 350 grams (0.77 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-510 and YI M1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with during that time. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the E-510 against the M1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-510 and M1 is 69 and 87 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to envision the difference in sensor sizing purely by seeing specs. The photograph underneath should give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-510 and M1.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You should count on the YI M1 to show more detail due to its extra 10MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older E-510 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.