Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus TG-860

In this write-up, we are analyzing the Olympus E-PL1 versus Olympus TG-860, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Waterproof and they are both produced by Olympus. There exists a considerable gap between the resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and TG-860 (16MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and TG-860 (1/2.3") come with different sensor size.

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The E-PL1 was unveiled 5 years before the TG-860 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus TG-860 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting in to a full comparison, below is a short introduction of how the E-PL1 matches up against the TG-860 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Olympus Stylus Tough TG-860. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Olympus TG-860 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1 provides exterior dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Olympus TG-860 has measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 224 grams (0.49 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Olympus TG-860 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL1 vs the TG-860.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and TG-860 is 86 and 91 respectively.

Normally, it can be difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor sizes just by reading through specs. The picture underneath might give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and TG-860.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL1 with its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus TG-860 will give more detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.