Olympus E-520 vs Olympus E-PL5

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus E-520 versus Olympus E-PL5, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are manufactured by Olympus. There exists a considerable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and E-PL5 (16MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor size (Four Thirds).

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The E-520 was launched 5 years earlier than the E-PL5 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a more detailed comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the E-520 grades versus the E-PL5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-520 & Olympus PEN E-PL5. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-520 Gallery & Olympus E-PL5 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera, you'll need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-520 enjoys exterior measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") and a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL5 has sizing of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-520 versus Olympus E-PL5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilizing at that time. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the E-520 against the E-PL5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-520 and E-PL5 is 68 and 88 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to imagine the gap in sensor measurements simply by looking through specs. The graphic underneath will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-520 and E-PL5.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions but different megapixels. You can anticipate the Olympus E-PL5 to provide you with extra detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older E-520 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.