Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony W290

Here, we are contrasting the Olympus E-PL1 and Sony W290, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the W290 (12MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and W290 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1 was unveiled 16 months later than the W290 making them a generation apart from each other. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W290 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick summation of how the E-PL1 scores vs the W290 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Sony W290 Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera, you should factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1 offers physical measurements 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 W290 has measurements of 98mm x 57mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL1 and Sony W290 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at that moment. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1 against the W290.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and W290 is 86 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to see the difference between sensor measurements only by reading through technical specs. The visual below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1 and W290.

As you can tell, both of these cameras feature the identical resolution but not the same sensor measurements. The E-PL1 features the larger sensor which is going to make obtaining bokeh less difficult. The younger E-PL1 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.