Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax E90

Lets examine more closely at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Pentax E90, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The image resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the E90 (10MP) is pretty well matched but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and E90 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1 was manufactured 4 months later than the E90 so they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax E90 being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a brief summation of how the E-PL1 scores versus the E90 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Pentax Optio E90. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Pentax E90 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1 comes with 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) whilst the Pentax E90 has measurements of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") with a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1 versus Pentax E90 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have attached at the time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL1 vs the E90.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and E90 is 86 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to picture the gap between sensor sizing just by reading through technical specs. The photograph below will provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1 and E90.

As you have seen, both of those cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-PL1 will give you more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs a little more aggressively.