Olympus E-PL1s vs Olympus XZ-1

Here is a extended analysis of the Olympus E-PL1s versus Olympus XZ-1, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are created by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the XZ-1 (10MP) is very similar but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and XZ-1 (1/1.63") have totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL1s was brought out 2 months earlier than the XZ-1 and they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a short summary of how the E-PL1s scores against the XZ-1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1s & Olympus XZ-1. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery & Olympus XZ-1 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL1s has external 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) whilst the Olympus XZ-1 has sizing of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL1s versus Olympus XZ-1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use at that moment. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the E-PL1s and the XZ-1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1s and XZ-1 is 86 and 88 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to envision the contrast between sensor sizing merely by reading specifications. The visual below will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1s and XZ-1.

To sum up, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1s featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-PL1s will deliver extra detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics more aggressively.