Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax S1

Following is a in-depth comparison of the Olympus E-PL1s versus Pentax S1, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the S1 (14MP) is fairly similar but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and S1 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL1s was brought out 3 months earlier than the S1 and they are of a similar generation. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera.

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a short view of how the E-PL1s matches up against the S1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Pentax Optio S1. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Pentax S1 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera, you are going to need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL1s has 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) whilst the Pentax S1 has specifications of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1s versus Pentax S1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1s compared to the S1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1s and S1 is 86 and 93 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizes merely by reading technical specs. The pic below should provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1s and S1.

As you have seen, the two cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL1s featuring a larger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Pentax S1 will deliver more detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos way more aggressively.