Olympus E-P1 vs Pentax RS1500

Below is a extended review of the Olympus E-P1 and Pentax RS1500, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the RS1500 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and RS1500 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-P1 was launched 19 months earlier than the RS1500 which makes them a generation apart from each other. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax RS1500 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-P1 grades against the RS1500 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Pentax Optio RS1500. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Pentax RS1500 Gallery.

If you are intending to lug around your camera, you'll need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P1 offers outside dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") and a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) while the Pentax RS1500 has sizing of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-P1 and Pentax RS1500 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the E-P1 against the RS1500.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-P1 and RS1500 is 86 and 93 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to see the contrast in sensor measurements just by seeing specs. The photograph here might give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P1 and RS1500.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-P1 because of its bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF simpler and the Pentax RS1500 will provide greater detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots more aggressively. The older E-P1 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.