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Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80

Portability
86
Imaging
47
Features
43
Overall
45
Olympus PEN E-PL1s front
 
Pentax Optio P80 front
Portability
95
Imaging
35
Features
23
Overall
30

Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL1s
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 334g - 115 x 72 x 42mm
  • Revealed November 2010
  • Succeeded the Olympus E-PL1
  • Successor is Olympus E-PL2
Pentax P80
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 64 - 6400
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-110mm (F2.6-5.8) lens
  • 125g - 102 x 59 x 25mm
  • Revealed August 2009
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Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80 Overview

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL1s and Pentax P80, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the P80 (12MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and P80 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1s was revealed 16 months later than the P80 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax P80 being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the E-PL1s scores versus the P80 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL1s over the Pentax P80

 E-PL1s P80 
RevealedNovember 2010August 2009More recent by 16 months

Reasons to pick Pentax P80 over the Olympus E-PL1s

 P80 E-PL1s 

Common features in the Olympus E-PL1s and Pentax P80

 E-PL1s P80 
Manual focus Very precise focus
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen sizing2.7"2.7"Equivalent screen sizing
Screen resolution230k230kExact same screen resolution
Selfie screen Neither features selfie screen
Touch screen Neither features Touch screen

Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80 Physical Comparison

When you are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you should factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1s enjoys outer dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Pentax P80 has measurements of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") having a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL1s and Pentax P80 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL1s versus the P80.

Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80 size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1s and P80 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it's difficult to visualize the difference in sensor measurements only by seeing technical specs. The photograph below will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1s and P80.

As you can tell, each of the cameras offer the same exact megapixel count albeit different sensor measurements. The E-PL1s provides the bigger sensor which should make getting shallow DOF less difficult. The more recent E-PL1s provides a benefit with regard to sensor technology.

Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s as a Portrait photography camera
Pentax P80 as a Portrait photography camera
60
manual focus
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
provides face detection autofocus
supports RAW formats
low MP (12 megapixels)
27
manual focus
lack of manual exposure
no external flash support
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s Street photography factors
Pentax P80 Street photography factors
74
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
no articulating screen
55
lighter than competitors (125g)
no moving screen
no image stabilization
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s Sports photography highlights
Pentax P80 Sports photography highlights
44
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
provides tracking autofocus
slow fps (3.0 frames/s)
low MP (12MP)
low battery pack (290 per charge)
has no phase detect autofocus
17
maximum shutter speed is a little low (1/1,000s)
slow fps (3.0 fps)
no shutter priority mode
no image stabilization
resolution not great (12MP)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
has no phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s Travel photography factors
Pentax P80 Travel photography factors
51
built-in flash
no Time Lapse recording
low battery pack (290 per charge)
low MP (12 megapixels)
does not have selfie friendly screen
62
lighter than competitors (125 grams)
flash built-in
quite wide (28mm)
missing Timelapse mode
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
slow maximum aperture (f2.6)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus E-PL1s
Landscape photography with Pentax P80
55
manual focus
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
screen is somewhat small (2.7 inches)
low MP (12MP)
low battery pack (290 shots)
no Time Lapse recording
32
manual focus
quite wide (28mm)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f2.6)
tiny screen (2.7 inch)
lack of manual exposure
no image stabilization
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
missing Timelapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s as a Vlogging camera
Pentax P80 as a Vlogging camera
29
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
provides face detection autofocus
does not have selfie friendly screen
video resolution low (1280 x 720 pixels)
no external mic jack
28
quite wide (28mm)
lighter than competitors (125g)
slow maximum aperture (f2.6)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
no image stabilization
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pxls)
missing microphone jack
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Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax P80 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL1s and Pentax P80
 Olympus PEN E-PL1sPentax Optio P80
General Information
Make Olympus Pentax
Model Olympus PEN E-PL1s Pentax Optio P80
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Revealed 2010-11-16 2009-08-05
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Truepic V Prime
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12MP 12MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4032 x 3024 4000 x 3000
Highest native ISO 6400 6400
Minimum native ISO 100 64
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points 11 9
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 28-110mm (3.9x)
Maximal aperture - f/2.6-5.8
Macro focus distance - 10cm
Available lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.8
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 2.7" 2.7"
Display resolution 230k dot 230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display tech HyperCrystal LCD AR (Anti-Reflective) coating -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 seconds 4 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/1000 seconds
Continuous shooting speed 3.0 frames/s 3.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Change WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 10.00 m 4.60 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) -
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/160 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Highest video resolution 1280x720 1280x720
Video format Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 334 gr (0.74 lbs) 125 gr (0.28 lbs)
Dimensions 115 x 72 x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") 102 x 59 x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 290 shots -
Battery format Battery Pack -
Battery model BLS-1 D-LI68
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC SD/SDHC, Internal
Storage slots 1 1
Retail pricing $599 $200