Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus E-PL5

Here is a complete assessment of the Olympus E-PL1 and Olympus E-PL5, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras and they are both manufactured by Olympus. There exists a substantial gap between the resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and E-PL5 (16MP) but both cameras posses the identical sensor measurements (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1 was launched 3 years before the E-PL5 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before going into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the E-PL1 grades vs the E-PL5 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Olympus PEN E-PL5. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Olympus E-PL5 Gallery.

If you're planning to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 enjoys outside measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL5 has dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL1 and Olympus E-PL5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use at that moment. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the E-PL1 vs the E-PL5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and E-PL5 is 86 and 88 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to imagine the gap between sensor sizing purely by checking specs. The graphic below will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1 and E-PL5.

All in all, both of these cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different resolution. You can expect the Olympus E-PL5 to resolve greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The older E-PL1 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.