Olympus E-P1 vs Olympus SH-50

Its time to take a closer look at the Olympus E-P1 vs Olympus SH-50, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are designed by Olympus. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-P1 (12MP) and SH-50 (16MP) and the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and SH-50 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-P1 was launched 4 years prior to the SH-50 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-P1 matches up vs the SH-50 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Olympus SH-50. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Olympus SH-50 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-P1 enjoys external measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) and the Olympus SH-50 has measurements of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-P1 vs Olympus SH-50 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Underneath is the front view measurement comparison of the E-P1 against the SH-50.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-P1 and SH-50 is 86 and 88 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to visualise the difference in sensor measurements purely by seeing specifications. The photograph below might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-P1 and SH-50.

Plainly, both of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-P1 because of its bigger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus SH-50 will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older E-P1 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.