Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony A380

On this page, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-PL1 and Sony A380, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the A380 (14MP) is relatively similar but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and A380 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL1 was unveiled 9 months after the A380 so they are of a similar age. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a detailed comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the E-PL1 scores vs the A380 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Sony A380 Gallery.

If you're aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you should think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1 features 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) and the Sony A380 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL1 and Sony A380 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1 vs the A380.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and A380 is 86 and 68 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to see the difference between sensor dimensions merely by reviewing technical specs. The pic below may offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1 and A380.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1 with its tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Sony A380 will deliver greater detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The newer E-PL1 will have a benefit in sensor technology.