Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax MX-1

Let's look more closely at the Olympus E-PL1s versus Pentax MX-1, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. The image resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the MX-1 (12MP) is relatively well matched but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and MX-1 (1/1.7") have different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1s was manufactured 3 years earlier than the MX-1 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax MX-1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a complete comparison, here is a concise overview of how the E-PL1s grades against the MX-1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1s & Pentax MX-1. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery & Pentax MX-1 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera, you will need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL1s provides external 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 MX-1 has specifications of 122mm x 61mm x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0") along with a weight of 391 grams (0.86 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL1s versus Pentax MX-1 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you choose during that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PL1s compared to the MX-1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1s and MX-1 is 86 and 84 respectively.

Sometimes, its difficult to imagine the difference between sensor sizes purely by looking at technical specs. The picture here will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1s and MX-1.

As you can tell, both cameras feature the identical megapixel count albeit different sensor sizes. The E-PL1s includes the bigger sensor which is going to make getting bokeh less difficult. The more aged E-PL1s is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.