Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus SP-800 UZ

Lets look closer at the Olympus E-PL1 and Olympus SP-800 UZ, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are built by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the SP-800 UZ (14MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and SP-800 UZ (1/2.3") have different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1 was launched 4 months later than the SP-800 UZ which means that they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-800 UZ being a Compact camera.

Before going into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the E-PL1 matches up versus the SP-800 UZ with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Olympus SP-800 UZ. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Olympus SP-800 UZ Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 comes with physical dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Olympus SP-800 UZ has dimensions of 110mm x 90mm x 91mm (4.3" x 3.5" x 3.6") and a weight of 455 grams (1.00 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL1 and Olympus SP-800 UZ in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select at the time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the E-PL1 vs the SP-800 UZ.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and SP-800 UZ is 86 and 69 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to picture the contrast in sensor measurements merely by seeing specifications. The graphic here may give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and SP-800 UZ.

Plainly, both of these cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL1 due to its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus SP-800 UZ will provide greater detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots more aggressively.