Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus SP-590 UZ

Lets take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Olympus SP-590 UZ, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are built by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the SP-590 UZ (12MP) is fairly comparable but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and SP-590 UZ (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1 was revealed 17 months later than the SP-590 UZ making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-PL1 scores vs the SP-590 UZ in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Olympus SP-590 UZ. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 has got physical 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) and the Olympus SP-590 UZ has dimensions of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Olympus SP-590 UZ in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have during that time. The following is the front view sizing comparison of the E-PL1 vs the SP-590 UZ.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and SP-590 UZ is 86 and 72 respectively.

Usually, its tough to envision the contrast in sensor measurements merely by checking out a spec sheet. The visual below will give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1 and SP-590 UZ.

As you can see, both cameras posses the exact same resolution but not the same sensor measurements. The E-PL1 contains the larger sensor which will make obtaining bokeh less difficult. The more modern E-PL1 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.