Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony W230

Let's look a bit more closely at the Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony W230, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the W230 (12MP) is pretty similar but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and W230 (1/2.3") have different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1 was released 16 months later than the W230 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W230 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a in depth comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-PL1 grades vs the W230 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Sony W230 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1 comes with outer 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 W230 has proportions of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony W230 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the E-PL1 vs the W230.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and W230 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Normally, it is very hard to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing merely by going over specs. The graphic underneath might provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and W230.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras provide the same megapixels albeit different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 features the bigger sensor which is going to make obtaining bokeh easier. The fresher E-PL1 should have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.