Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus 550WP

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Olympus 550WP, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are manufactured by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the 550WP (10MP) is relatively similar but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and 550WP (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1 was unveiled 17 months later than the 550WP which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus 550WP being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a detailed comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-PL1 grades against the 550WP in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Olympus Stylus 550WP. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Olympus 550WP Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 offers exterior dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Olympus 550WP has dimensions of 94mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL1 versus Olympus 550WP in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using during that time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PL1 and the 550WP.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and 550WP is 86 and 94 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to see the contrast between sensor sizing only by going over a spec sheet. The visual below might give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and 550WP.

As you can see, both cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 having a bigger sensor will make getting shallow DOF easier and the Olympus E-PL1 will offer you greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The fresher E-PL1 will have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.