Olympus E-P1 vs Olympus 550WP

Below is a extensive analysis of the Olympus E-P1 versus Olympus 550WP, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both built by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the 550WP (10MP) is relatively comparable but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and 550WP (1/2.3") have different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-P1 was launched 7 months later than the 550WP and they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus 550WP being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-P1 scores against the 550WP when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Olympus Stylus 550WP. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Olympus 550WP Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you should take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P1 provides outer 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 550WP has dimensions of 94mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-P1 versus Olympus 550WP in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the E-P1 versus the 550WP.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-P1 and 550WP is 86 and 94 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to visualize the gap in sensor measurements just by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-P1 and 550WP.

As you can see, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-P1 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Olympus E-P1 will provide extra detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more recent E-P1 should have an edge with regard to sensor technology.