Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony A560

In this article, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL1 and Sony A560, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the A560 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and A560 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1 was released 3 months prior to the A560 so they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go through a complete comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-PL1 grades vs the A560 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A560. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Sony A560 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL1 enjoys external dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Sony A560 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL1 and Sony A560 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL1 against the A560.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and A560 is 86 and 64 respectively.

Usually, it's difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizing just by checking out specs. The graphic here will help offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and A560.

All in all, each of these cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony A560 will provide more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images a little more aggressively.