Olympus E-P1 vs Olympus SP-800 UZ

Here is a complete analysis of the Olympus E-P1 versus Olympus SP-800 UZ, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are manufactured by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the SP-800 UZ (14MP) is pretty similar but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and SP-800 UZ (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor sizes.

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The E-P1 was brought out 6 months prior to the SP-800 UZ which means that they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-800 UZ being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a thorough comparison, below is a quick summary of how the E-P1 scores vs the SP-800 UZ in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Olympus SP-800 UZ. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Olympus SP-800 UZ Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera regularly, you're going to have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P1 has got physical measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") along with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) and the Olympus SP-800 UZ has dimensions of 110mm x 90mm x 91mm (4.3" x 3.5" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 455 grams (1.00 lbs).

See the Olympus E-P1 versus Olympus SP-800 UZ in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are employing at that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the E-P1 vs the SP-800 UZ.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-P1 and SP-800 UZ is 86 and 69 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to imagine the difference between sensor sizing purely by reading a spec sheet. The photograph below should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P1 and SP-800 UZ.

As you can see, each of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-P1 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh easier and the Olympus SP-800 UZ will offer greater detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs much more aggressively.