Olympus E-PL1 vs Samsung PL120

Lets look more closely at the Olympus E-PL1 and Samsung PL120, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Samsung. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the PL120 (14MP) is fairly similar but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and PL120 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL1 was unveiled 7 months prior to the PL120 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Samsung PL120 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting right into a full comparison, here is a short highlight of how the E-PL1 scores vs the PL120 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Samsung PL120. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Samsung PL120 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera, you'll have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL1 features physical measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Samsung PL120 has sizing of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") along with a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1 and Samsung PL120 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you use during that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1 versus the PL120.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and PL120 is 86 and 99 respectively.

Typically, it is very difficult to visualise the difference between sensor sizing just by going over specifications. The visual below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1 and PL120.

Plainly, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 with its larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF easier and the Samsung PL120 will offer more detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution will let you crop photos way more aggressively. The older E-PL1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.