Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax RZ18

Its time to look more in depth at the Olympus E-PL1s and Pentax RZ18, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the E-PL1s (12MP) and RZ18 (16MP) and the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and RZ18 (1/2.3") boast different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1s was launched 10 months earlier than the RZ18 so they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax RZ18 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a complete comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the E-PL1s scores versus the RZ18 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Pentax Optio RZ18. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Pentax RZ18 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1s has exterior measurements 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 RZ18 has proportions of 97mm x 61mm x 33mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL1s and Pentax RZ18 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are working with during that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL1s versus the RZ18.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1s and RZ18 is 86 and 92 respectively.

Often, its tough to picture the contrast in sensor sizing simply by seeing specifications. The visual underneath might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1s and RZ18.

To sum up, both the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1s due to its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Pentax RZ18 will show greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The older E-PL1s will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.