Olympus E-P2 vs Sony A350

On this page, we will be looking at the Olympus E-P2 versus Sony A350, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-P2 (12MP) and the A350 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the E-P2 (Four Thirds) and A350 (APS-C) have totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-P2 was released 23 months after the A350 which makes them a generation away from each other. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A350 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go right into a in depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-P2 grades vs the A350 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-P2 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A350. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-P2 Gallery & Sony A350 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P2 features outer dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") having a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Sony A350 has sizing of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") with a weight of 674 grams (1.49 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-P2 versus Sony A350 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use at that time. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the E-P2 compared to the A350.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-P2 and A350 is 86 and 62 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizes just by looking at specifications. The pic here will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-P2 and A350.

Plainly, the two cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-P2 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony A350 will give you extra detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures more aggressively. The younger E-P2 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.