Olympus FE-4030 vs Olympus E-PL2

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus FE-4030 vs Olympus E-PL2, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both designed by Olympus. The image resolution of the FE-4030 (14MP) and the E-PL2 (12MP) is pretty well matched but the FE-4030 (1/2.3") and E-PL2 (Four Thirds) posses different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The FE-4030 was released 13 months before the E-PL2 which makes them a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus FE-4030 being a Compact camera and the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the FE-4030 grades against the E-PL2 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus FE-4030 & Olympus PEN E-PL2. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-4030 Gallery & Olympus E-PL2 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus FE-4030 has got physical measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL2 has proportions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs).

Check out the Olympus FE-4030 vs Olympus E-PL2 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing during that time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the FE-4030 against the E-PL2.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the FE-4030 and E-PL2 is 95 and 85 respectively.

Often, it can be difficult to picture the gap between sensor sizing simply by looking at specifications. The photograph underneath might provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the FE-4030 and E-PL2.

Plainly, the two cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FE-4030 because of its tinier sensor is going to make getting bokeh tougher and the Olympus FE-4030 will give greater detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older FE-4030 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.