Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony WX10

Here is a in depth analysis of the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony WX10, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a noticeable difference among the image resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and WX10 (16MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and WX10 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1 was revealed 7 months prior to the WX10 and they are both of a similar age. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony WX10 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick summation of how the E-PL1 grades versus the WX10 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX10. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Sony WX10 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1 features exterior measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Sony WX10 has proportions of 95mm x 54mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.9") along with a weight of 161 grams (0.35 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony WX10 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilising at that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PL1 and the WX10.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and WX10 is 86 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizing just by checking out specs. The graphic below might give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1 and WX10.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 with its larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Sony WX10 will provide extra detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The older E-PL1 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.