Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax K-30

Below, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax K-30, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There is a significant difference among the resolutions of the E-PL1s (12MP) and K-30 (16MP) and the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and K-30 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL1s was introduced 23 months before the K-30 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-PL1s scores vs the K-30 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Pentax K-30. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Pentax K-30 Gallery.

If you're going to travel with your camera, you'll need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1s features outer dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Pentax K-30 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax K-30 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select at that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL1s versus the K-30.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1s and K-30 is 86 and 63 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is hard to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions only by going through technical specs. The pic below might provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1s and K-30.

As you have seen, both of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1s using its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field trickier and the Pentax K-30 will produce greater detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs much more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1s will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.