Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic L1

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic L1, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the E-P1 (12MP) and L1 (7MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-P1 was released 2 years after the L1 which is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic L1 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a concise summary of how the E-P1 matches up versus the L1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-P1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-P1 Gallery & Panasonic L1 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera, you need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P1 offers exterior 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) whilst the Panasonic L1 has sizing of 146mm x 87mm x 77mm (5.7" x 3.4" x 3.0") along with a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs).

See the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic L1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you select at the time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the E-P1 vs the L1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-P1 and L1 is 86 and 65 respectively.

Typically, it is very difficult to envision the contrast between sensor sizes simply by reading a spec sheet. The picture below might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P1 and L1.

As you can see, both of these cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same resolution. You can expect the Olympus E-P1 to offer extra detail as a result of its extra 5MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The more modern E-P1 will have a benefit in sensor technology.