Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus SP-565UZ

Below is a in-depth review of the Olympus E-PL2 and Olympus SP-565UZ, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are designed by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the SP-565UZ (10MP) is pretty close but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and SP-565UZ (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL2 was launched 2 years later than the SP-565UZ and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-565UZ being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief summation of how the E-PL2 matches up vs the SP-565UZ with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Olympus SP-565UZ. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Olympus SP-565UZ Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL2 features outside dimensions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) while the Olympus SP-565UZ has specifications of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") having a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL2 and Olympus SP-565UZ in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are employing during that time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the E-PL2 against the SP-565UZ.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL2 and SP-565UZ is 85 and 72 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to envision the gap in sensor measurements merely by looking through technical specs. The photograph underneath should offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL2 and SP-565UZ.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL2 featuring a bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF simpler and the Olympus E-PL2 will render extra detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures more aggressively. The more recent E-PL2 is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.