Olympus E-M5 II vs Olympus E-PL1

Following is a extensive review of the Olympus E-M5 II and Olympus E-PL1, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both designed by Olympus. There is a huge difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-M5 II (16MP) and E-PL1 (12MP) but they use the exact same sensor dimensions (Four Thirds).

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The E-M5 II was launched 4 years after the E-PL1 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M5 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a simple view of how the E-M5 II matches up versus the E-PL1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M5 II and Olympus PEN E-PL1. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 II Gallery and Olympus E-PL1 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-M5 II comes with exterior measurements of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") accompanied by a weight of 469 grams (1.03 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL1 has measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-M5 II and Olympus E-PL1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have at that moment. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-M5 II compared to the E-PL1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 II and E-PL1 is 80 and 86 respectively.

Generally, it is difficult to visualize the difference between sensor sizes merely by reading through a spec sheet. The image underneath will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M5 II and E-PL1.

Clearly, both cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but different resolution. You should anticipate the Olympus E-M5 II to give you greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The younger E-M5 II should have an edge in sensor technology.