Olympus E-P1 vs Sony A700

On this page, we are matching up the Olympus E-P1 vs Sony A700, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the A700 (12MP) is very close but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and A700 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-P1 was launched 20 months after the A700 making them a generation away from each other. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A700 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go right into a complete comparison, here is a quick summation of how the E-P1 grades against the A700 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A700. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P1 Gallery & Sony A700 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera, you should think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P1 features outside dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Sony A700 has dimensions of 142mm x 105mm x 80mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.1") and a weight of 768 grams (1.69 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-P1 vs Sony A700 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you use at that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the E-P1 compared to the A700.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-P1 and A700 is 86 and 58 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to visualise the difference in sensor dimensions just by viewing specs. The image below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P1 and A700.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras have the same resolution but not the same sensor dimensions. The E-P1 contains the smaller sensor which will make getting bokeh more difficult. The fresher E-P1 will have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.