Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony A230

In this article, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-PL1s and Sony A230, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-PL1s (12MP) and the A230 (10MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and A230 (APS-C) feature different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1s was unveiled 19 months after the A230 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going through a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-PL1s matches up vs the A230 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1s and Sony Alpha DSLR-A230. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery and Sony A230 Gallery.

For those who are looking to travel with your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL1s offers outer dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Sony A230 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") and a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1s and Sony A230 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are employing at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL1s versus the A230.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1s and A230 is 86 and 69 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to picture the gap in sensor dimensions simply by going through technical specs. The picture underneath will give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1s and A230.

As you have seen, both of those cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1s having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Olympus E-PL1s will produce extra detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots far more aggressively. The fresher E-PL1s should have an advantage in sensor innovation.