Olympus E-P2 vs Olympus SP-800 UZ

Lets examine more closely at the Olympus E-P2 vs Olympus SP-800 UZ, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are manufactured by Olympus. The resolution of the E-P2 (12MP) and the SP-800 UZ (14MP) is relatively similar but the E-P2 (Four Thirds) and SP-800 UZ (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-P2 was unveiled 3 months later than the SP-800 UZ so they are both of a similar age. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-800 UZ being a Compact camera.

Before delving through a more detailed comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the E-P2 scores versus the SP-800 UZ in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P2 & Olympus SP-800 UZ. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P2 Gallery & Olympus SP-800 UZ Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-P2 has external 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) while the Olympus SP-800 UZ has measurements of 110mm x 90mm x 91mm (4.3" x 3.5" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 455 grams (1.00 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-P2 vs Olympus SP-800 UZ in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with at that time. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the E-P2 versus the SP-800 UZ.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-P2 and SP-800 UZ is 86 and 69 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to visualise the gap between sensor sizing just by going over technical specs. The graphic below may give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P2 and SP-800 UZ.

As you have seen, both the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-P2 using its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus SP-800 UZ will offer you greater detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively.