Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony W510

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony W510, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-PL1 (12MP) and the W510 (12MP) is very close but the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and W510 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1 was launched 7 months prior to the W510 and they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W510 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before we go straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a short summary of how the E-PL1 scores against the W510 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W510. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Sony W510 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera often, you will have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL1 has physical dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Sony W510 has specifications of 96mm x 54mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.8") having a weight of 119 grams (0.26 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony W510 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1 versus the W510.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and W510 is 86 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to picture the gap in sensor sizing purely by viewing technical specs. The graphic below may offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and W510.

As you can tell, both cameras enjoy the same exact MP but different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 comes with the larger sensor which is going to make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult. The older E-PL1 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.