Olympus FE-5010 vs Olympus E-PL1

Following is a comprehensive assessment of the Olympus FE-5010 and Olympus E-PL1, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both offered by Olympus. The image resolution of the FE-5010 (12MP) and the E-PL1 (12MP) is relatively well matched but the FE-5010 (1/2.3") and E-PL1 (Four Thirds) feature different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The FE-5010 was unveiled 16 months earlier than the E-PL1 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus FE-5010 being a Compact camera and the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a in-depth comparison, below is a concise summary of how the FE-5010 matches up vs the E-PL1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus FE-5010 and Olympus PEN E-PL1. The full galleries are provided at Olympus FE-5010 Gallery and Olympus E-PL1 Gallery.

When you are intending to carry around your camera, you should consider its weight and size. The Olympus FE-5010 comes with outer measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 130 grams (0.29 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL1 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).

Check the Olympus FE-5010 and Olympus E-PL1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the FE-5010 vs the E-PL1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FE-5010 and E-PL1 is 96 and 86 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very difficult to picture the gap between sensor sizes merely by reading through specs. The pic below may provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the FE-5010 and E-PL1.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras offer the same exact megapixels albeit different sensor sizes. The FE-5010 has the tinier sensor which will make getting shallow DOF harder. The more aged FE-5010 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.