Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus 5010

In this write-up, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL1 and Olympus 5010, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact and both are manufactured by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the 5010 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and 5010 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1 was unveiled 5 months later than the 5010 and they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus 5010 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise view of how the E-PL1 scores versus the 5010 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Olympus Stylus 5010. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Olympus 5010 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL1 comes with outside measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Olympus 5010 has sizing of 95mm x 56mm x 20mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1 and Olympus 5010 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. Underneath is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL1 vs the 5010.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and 5010 is 86 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, its hard to envision the difference between sensor measurements simply by checking technical specs. The graphic below should offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1 and 5010.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL1 with its larger sensor will make getting bokeh easier and the Olympus 5010 will resolve greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos far more aggressively.