Olympus E-M1 vs Pentax S1

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus E-M1 versus Pentax S1, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the S1 (14MP) is pretty close but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and S1 (1/2.3") boast different sensor dimensions.

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The E-M1 was announced 2 years later than the S1 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the E-M1 matches up vs the S1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Pentax Optio S1. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Pentax S1 Gallery.

If you are intending to lug around your camera often, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 provides outer dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") having a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Pentax S1 has dimensions of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-M1 versus Pentax S1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. Following is a front view measurements comparison of the E-M1 and the S1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 and S1 is 71 and 93 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor measurements merely by looking through a spec sheet. The photograph below will help give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 and S1.

As you can see, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-M1 having a bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-M1 will provide you with extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The younger E-M1 should have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.