Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax 645D

Below, we will be matching up the Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax 645D, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Pro DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the E-PL1s (12MP) and 645D (40MP) and the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and 645D (Medium format) possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL1s was unveiled 9 months after the 645D so they are of a similar generation. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a short highlight of how the E-PL1s grades versus the 645D with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Pentax 645D. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Pentax 645D Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera regularly, you're going to have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1s provides exterior dimensions 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 Pentax 645D has proportions of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") along with a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax 645D in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PL1s and the 645D.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1s and 645D is 86 and 50 respectively.

Often, its hard to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions simply by going over a spec sheet. The image underneath might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1s and 645D.

Clearly, both cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1s with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax 645D will offer greater detail having an extra 28 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The newer E-PL1s will have a benefit in sensor technology.