Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus SZ-10

Lets look more closely at the Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus SZ-10, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both built by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the SZ-10 (14MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and SZ-10 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL1 was released 8 months earlier than the SZ-10 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SZ-10 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief view of how the E-PL1 matches up against the SZ-10 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Olympus SZ-10. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Olympus SZ-10 Gallery.

If you're planning to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 comes with exterior dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Olympus SZ-10 has dimensions of 106mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 215 grams (0.47 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus SZ-10 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you use at that time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1 versus the SZ-10.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and SZ-10 is 86 and 90 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to visualise the difference in sensor sizing only by seeing a spec sheet. The graphic underneath may offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1 and SZ-10.

As you can see, both of the cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 featuring a bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus SZ-10 will show extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The older E-PL1 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.