Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus E-PL1

Here, we are matching up the Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus E-PL1, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both offered by Olympus. There exists a sizable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and E-PL1 (12MP) but both cameras boast the identical sensor size (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was manufactured 3 years later than the E-PL1 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-M1 matches up versus the E-PL1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Olympus PEN E-PL1. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Olympus E-PL1 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera frequently, you should think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-M1 enjoys external measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL1 has specifications of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus E-PL1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the E-M1 compared to the E-PL1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 and E-PL1 is 71 and 86 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing purely by going through specs. The photograph below should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 and E-PL1.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras feature the identical sensor size but not the same resolution. You can expect to see the Olympus E-M1 to show extra detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics way more aggressively. The more recent E-M1 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.