Olympus E-PL1s vs Samsung NX500

The following is a in depth review of the Olympus E-PL1s vs Samsung NX500, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by competitors Olympus and Samsung. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL1s (12MP) and NX500 (28MP) and the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and NX500 (APS-C) have totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL1s was manufactured 5 years earlier than the NX500 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before we go right into a detailed comparison, here is a brief view of how the E-PL1s scores vs the NX500 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Samsung NX500. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Samsung NX500 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera often, you will need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1s has external measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Samsung NX500 has proportions of 120mm x 64mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL1s vs Samsung NX500 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the E-PL1s vs the NX500.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1s and NX500 is 86 and 87 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to see the gap in sensor dimensions purely by seeing specifications. The picture here should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL1s and NX500.

Plainly, both of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1s due to its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Samsung NX500 will show greater detail due to its extra 16 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1s will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.