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Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1

Portability
86
Imaging
47
Features
43
Overall
45
Olympus PEN E-PL1 front
 
Pentax MX-1 front
Portability
84
Imaging
37
Features
60
Overall
46

Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 334g - 115 x 72 x 42mm
  • Announced May 2010
  • Later Model is Olympus E-PL1s
Pentax MX-1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-112mm (F1.8-2.5) lens
  • 391g - 122 x 61 x 51mm
  • Introduced July 2013
Photography Glossary

Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1 Overview

Below, we are matching up the Olympus E-PL1 and Pentax MX-1, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Pentax. The image resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the MX-1 (12MP) is very close but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and MX-1 (1/1.7") use totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL1 was brought out 4 years prior to the MX-1 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax MX-1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a detailed comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-PL1 matches up versus the MX-1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL1 over the Pentax MX-1

 E-PL1 MX-1 

Reasons to pick Pentax MX-1 over the Olympus E-PL1

 MX-1 E-PL1 
IntroducedJuly 2013May 2010More modern by 38 months
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display dimension3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution920k230kClearer display (+690k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-PL1 and Pentax MX-1

 E-PL1 MX-1 
Manual focus Very accurate focusing
Selfie screen Neither comes with selfie screen
Touch display Neither comes with Touch display

Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 comes with 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) while the Pentax MX-1 has dimensions of 122mm x 61mm x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0") along with a weight of 391 grams (0.86 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL1 and Pentax MX-1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is the front view size comparison of the E-PL1 versus the MX-1.

Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and MX-1 is 86 and 84 respectively.

Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it is tough to see the gap in sensor sizes purely by viewing specifications. The pic underneath should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1 and MX-1.

To sum up, both of those cameras posses the exact same megapixel count but not the same sensor sizes. The E-PL1 contains the larger sensor which will make obtaining shallow DOF simpler. The more aged E-PL1 will be behind in sensor tech.

Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Portrait photography info
Pentax MX-1 Portrait photography info
60
focusing manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
includes face detection focus
exports RAW formats
sensor resolution low (12MP)
42
manual focus
features face detection autofocus
saves RAW formats
no external flash support
low MP (12MP)
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Street photography highlights
Pentax MX-1 Street photography highlights
74
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
fixed screen
65
tilting screen
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
saves RAW formats
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
heavier than others in class (391g)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Sports photography factors
Pentax MX-1 Sports photography factors
44
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
includes tracking autofocus
slow continuous shooting (3.0 fps)
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
terrible battery power (290 per charge)
lacks phase detect auto focus
43
great max shutter speed (1/8,000s)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
features tracking autofocus
great battery (290 shots)
continuous shooting slow (1.0 frames/s)
low MP (12 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
has no phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Travel photography advice
Pentax MX-1 Travel photography advice
51
has built in flash
no Timelapse recording
terrible battery power (290 CIPA)
sensor resolution low (12MP)
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
61
great battery (290 per charge)
built-in flash
quite wide (28mm)
very good max aperture (f1.8)
no Time Lapse recording
heavier than others in class (391 grams)
low MP (12 megapixels)
display is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Landscape photography advice
Pentax MX-1 Landscape photography advice
55
focusing manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
tiny screen (2.7 inches)
sensor resolution low (12MP)
terrible battery power (290 CIPA)
no Timelapse recording
55
manual focus
quite wide (28mm)
very good max aperture (f1.8)
screen is a good size (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
saves RAW formats
great battery (290 shots)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
low MP (12MP)
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
no Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Vlogging highlights
Pentax MX-1 Vlogging highlights
29
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
includes face detection focus
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
no external microphone jack
33
quite wide (28mm)
very good max aperture (f1.8)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
features face detection autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
display is not selfie friendly
no external mic port
heavier than others in class (391 grams)
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Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax MX-1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL1 and Pentax MX-1
 Olympus PEN E-PL1Pentax MX-1
General Information
Make Olympus Pentax
Model type Olympus PEN E-PL1 Pentax MX-1
Category Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Announced 2010-05-17 2013-07-01
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Chip Truepic V -
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/1.7"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 41.5mm²
Sensor resolution 12MP 12MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4032 x 3024 4000 x 3000
Maximum native ISO 3200 12800
Minimum native ISO 100 100
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Total focus points 11 25
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 28-112mm (4.0x)
Max aperture - f/1.8-2.5
Macro focusing range - 1cm
Amount of lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 4.8
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Tilting
Display diagonal 2.7 inches 3 inches
Display resolution 230 thousand dot 920 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Display technology HyperCrystal LCD AR (Anti-Reflective) coating TFT LCD with AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 secs 30 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/8000 secs
Continuous shooting speed 3.0fps 1.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 10.00 m 12.00 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Speed sync, Trailing Curtain sync
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash sync 1/160 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 334 grams (0.74 lb) 391 grams (0.86 lb)
Dimensions 115 x 72 x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") 122 x 61 x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 54 49
DXO Color Depth rating 21.5 20.4
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.1 11.3
DXO Low light rating 487 208
Other
Battery life 290 photographs 290 photographs
Form of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID BLS-1 D-Li-106
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots 1 1
Cost at launch $288 $400