Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax K-500

Here is a in-depth analysis of the Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax K-500, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There exists a crucial gap among the resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and K-500 (16MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and K-500 (APS-C) use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1 was announced 4 years before the K-500 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the E-PL1 grades against the K-500 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Pentax K-500. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Pentax K-500 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera regularly, you have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1 features outer 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) while the Pentax K-500 has proportions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax K-500 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at that moment. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL1 and the K-500.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and K-500 is 86 and 64 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to visualise the difference in sensor sizing only by checking out specs. The photograph underneath will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and K-500.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 using its smaller sensor will make getting bokeh more difficult and the Pentax K-500 will provide more detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The older E-PL1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.