Olympus E-M1 vs Pentax E85

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus E-M1 vs Pentax E85, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and E85 (12MP) and the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and E85 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was manufactured 4 years later than the E85 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax E85 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-M1 scores vs the E85 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Pentax Optio E85. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Pentax E85 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-M1 has outer measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") having a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) and the Pentax E85 has specifications of 93mm x 58mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") with a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-M1 vs Pentax E85 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the E-M1 against the E85.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 and E85 is 71 and 95 respectively.

Usually, it can be difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizing purely by checking out specs. The photograph here should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 and E85.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-M1 because of its larger sensor will make shooting bokeh easier and the Olympus E-M1 will produce more detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop images more aggressively. The fresher E-M1 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.