Olympus E-PL1s vs Samsung NX210

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-PL1s and Samsung NX210, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by companies Olympus and Samsung. There exists a significant gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL1s (12MP) and NX210 (20MP) and the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and NX210 (APS-C) posses different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1s was unveiled 21 months prior to the NX210 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both the cameras have the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before getting into a step-by-step comparison, here is a short introduction of how the E-PL1s matches up versus the NX210 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Samsung NX210. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Samsung NX210 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you should factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1s has physical 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 Samsung NX210 has measurements of 117mm x 63mm x 37mm (4.6" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 222 grams (0.49 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL1s and Samsung NX210 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select during that time. Here is a front view size comparison of the E-PL1s against the NX210.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1s and NX210 is 86 and 90 respectively.

Quite often, it can be tough to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions purely by checking out specifications. The image below will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1s and NX210.

To sum up, both of these cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1s using its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Samsung NX210 will show extra detail having an extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1s will be behind with regard to sensor technology.