Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus 550WP

The following is a extensive analysis of the Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus 550WP, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are built by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the 550WP (10MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and 550WP (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL2 was unveiled 2 years after the 550WP which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus 550WP being a Compact camera.

Before going through a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-PL2 grades versus the 550WP when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Olympus Stylus 550WP. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Olympus 550WP Gallery.

If you're intending to travel with your camera often, you need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL2 enjoys exterior measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) whilst the Olympus 550WP has specifications of 94mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus 550WP in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL2 compared to the 550WP.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL2 and 550WP is 85 and 94 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to visualize the contrast between sensor dimensions merely by checking technical specs. The pic below will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL2 and 550WP.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL2 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF simpler and the Olympus E-PL2 will give you greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos much more aggressively. The newer E-PL2 should have an advantage in sensor technology.