Olympus E-P1 vs Sony A390

Following is a thorough assessment of the Olympus E-P1 and Sony A390, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the A390 (14MP) is relatively similar but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and A390 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-P1 was brought out 12 months earlier than the A390 and they are 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 Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight to a detailed comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-P1 matches up against the A390 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Sony A390 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera often, you should factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P1 offers outer dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Sony A390 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") accompanied by a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-P1 and Sony A390 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use during that time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the E-P1 vs the A390.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-P1 and A390 is 86 and 66 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to envision the difference between sensor sizes purely by reviewing specifications. The pic here will help provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P1 and A390.

To sum up, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-P1 due to its tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony A390 will deliver extra detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures more aggressively. The more aged E-P1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.