Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax P80

Here, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax P80, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the P80 (12MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and P80 (1/2.3") have different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1 was revealed 10 months later than the P80 which means that they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax P80 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a in depth comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-PL1 matches up versus the P80 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Pentax Optio P80. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Pentax P80 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to consider 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") and a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Pentax P80 has sizing of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") along with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax P80 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL1 against the P80.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and P80 is 86 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to picture the gap between sensor measurements simply by checking technical specs. The graphic here should offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1 and P80.

As you have seen, each of these cameras come with the identical megapixels but different sensor measurements. The E-PL1 contains the larger sensor which will make getting shallower depth of field easier. The more modern E-PL1 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.