Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus TG-870

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus TG-870, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact and they are both created by Olympus. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and TG-870 (16MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and TG-870 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL1 was announced 6 years before the TG-870 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-PL1 matches up against the TG-870 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Olympus TG-870 Gallery.

When you are intending to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1 features outer measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Olympus TG-870 has proportions of 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1 vs Olympus TG-870 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at the time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the E-PL1 against the TG-870.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and TG-870 is 86 and 91 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to envision the contrast in sensor sizes just by viewing a spec sheet. The pic here will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1 and TG-870.

As you can see, both of those cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-PL1 having a larger sensor will make getting bokeh simpler and the Olympus TG-870 will provide you with more detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos way more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1 will be behind in sensor innovation.