Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic S1

Following is a complete review of the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic S1, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Pro Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the E-P1 (12MP) and S1 (24MP) and the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and S1 (Full frame) offer different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-P1 was brought out 10 years before the S1 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-P1 scores vs the S1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P1 & Panasonic Lumix DC-S1. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P1 Gallery & Panasonic S1 Gallery.

When you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-P1 offers exterior dimensions 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 Panasonic S1 has measurements of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") with a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic S1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select during that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the E-P1 vs the S1.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-P1 and S1 is 86 and 54 respectively.

Usually, it's difficult to visualize the difference in sensor sizes merely by going through specifications. The pic here will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-P1 and S1.

To sum up, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-P1 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field harder and the Panasonic S1 will provide more detail having its extra 12 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-P1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.