Olympus E-PL1s vs Olympus TG-850 iHS

Here, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-PL1s vs Olympus TG-850 iHS, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Waterproof and both are created by Olympus. There exists a big gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL1s (12MP) and TG-850 iHS (16MP) and the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and TG-850 iHS (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL1s was announced 4 years prior to the TG-850 iHS and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus TG-850 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-PL1s scores vs the TG-850 iHS in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Olympus Stylus Tough TG-850 iHS. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Olympus TG-850 iHS Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera frequently, you have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1s enjoys physical measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Olympus TG-850 iHS has dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1s vs Olympus TG-850 iHS in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have at that time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the E-PL1s vs the TG-850 iHS.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1s and TG-850 iHS is 86 and 91 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to visualise the gap in sensor measurements merely by looking through specifications. The graphic here should offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1s and TG-850 iHS.

To sum up, each of the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL1s with its bigger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Olympus TG-850 iHS will provide you with extra detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The older E-PL1s will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.