Olympus E-P5 vs Olympus SZ-11

The following is a detailed overview of the Olympus E-P5 vs Olympus SZ-11, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both created by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-P5 (16MP) and the SZ-11 (14MP) is very similar but the E-P5 (Four Thirds) and SZ-11 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizing.

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The E-P5 was released 2 years after the SZ-11 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera.

Before we go right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-P5 scores against the SZ-11 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P5 and Olympus SZ-11. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P5 Gallery and Olympus SZ-11 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to travel with your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-P5 offers external measurements of 122mm x 69mm x 37mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.5") and a weight of 420 grams (0.93 lbs) and the Olympus SZ-11 has measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-P5 vs Olympus SZ-11 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the E-P5 and the SZ-11.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-P5 and SZ-11 is 85 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to picture the gap between sensor dimensions only by going over specs. The pic underneath might give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P5 and SZ-11.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-P5 due to its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Olympus E-P5 will offer greater detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The younger E-P5 provides an edge in sensor technology.