Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax K100D

Here is a extensive analysis of the Olympus E-PL1 and Pentax K100D, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Pentax. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and K100D (6MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and K100D (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1 was unveiled 3 years later than the K100D and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K100D being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple view of how the E-PL1 grades vs the K100D with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Pentax K100D. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Pentax K100D Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera regularly, you will want to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL1 comes with outside dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Pentax K100D has sizing of 129mm x 93mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL1 and Pentax K100D in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the E-PL1 against the K100D.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and K100D is 86 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing just by seeing technical specs. The visual below will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1 and K100D.

As you have seen, each of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh tougher and the Olympus E-PL1 will provide extra detail having an extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The younger E-PL1 should have a benefit in sensor innovation.