Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony A230

Its time to look closer at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony A230, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the A230 (10MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and A230 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL1 was unveiled 13 months after the A230 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving in to a detailed comparison, below is a simple summary of how the E-PL1 scores vs the A230 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A230. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Sony A230 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 provides outside measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Sony A230 has dimensions of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") along with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony A230 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at that time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PL1 versus the A230.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and A230 is 86 and 69 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to see the contrast in sensor sizes just by going through technical specs. The image underneath might give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1 and A230.

As you can tell, each of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL1 having a smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF trickier and the Olympus E-PL1 will provide greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop pictures far more aggressively. The fresher E-PL1 is going to have an advantage in sensor tech.