Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony W710

Lets examine more closely at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony W710, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and W710 (16MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and W710 (1/2.3") possess different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1 was manufactured 3 years earlier than the W710 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W710 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a complete comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-PL1 grades vs the W710 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W710. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Sony W710 Gallery.

If you're planning to carry your camera regularly, you should take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1 has got exterior measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Sony W710 has measurements of 97mm x 55mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") having a weight of 114 grams (0.25 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony W710 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that time. Here is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1 and the W710.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and W710 is 86 and 96 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to imagine the difference between sensor sizing just by reading through specifications. The graphic here should provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1 and W710.

To sum up, both cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting bokeh easier and the Sony W710 will give greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images far more aggressively. The older E-PL1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.