Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus SP-820UZ

Here is a complete review of the Olympus E-PL1 versus Olympus SP-820UZ, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both produced by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the SP-820UZ (14MP) is pretty similar but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and SP-820UZ (1/2.3") boast different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1 was launched 3 years before the SP-820UZ and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-820UZ being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the E-PL1 grades vs the SP-820UZ when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery.

In case you're going to carry your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 has got outer measurements 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-820UZ has dimensions of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") and a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL1 versus Olympus SP-820UZ in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1 vs the SP-820UZ.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and SP-820UZ is 86 and 69 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to visualize the gap between sensor sizing merely by reviewing a spec sheet. The photograph here should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1 and SP-820UZ.

Clearly, both of the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 due to its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus SP-820UZ will offer more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The older E-PL1 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.