Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax K20D

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-PL1s and Pentax K20D, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the K20D (15MP) is very comparable but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and K20D (APS-C) use totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1s was revealed 2 years later than the K20D and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K20D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-PL1s matches up vs the K20D for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Pentax K20D. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Pentax K20D Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera often, you are going to need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1s provides exterior 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) whilst the Pentax K20D has dimensions of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL1s and Pentax K20D in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using at that moment. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL1s compared to the K20D.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1s and K20D is 86 and 59 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to see the difference in sensor sizing purely by going through a spec sheet. The graphic here should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1s and K20D.

Clearly, each of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1s with its smaller sensor will make achieving bokeh trickier and the Pentax K20D will show extra detail because of its extra 3MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more recent E-PL1s will have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.