Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus SH-2

Below, we are reviewing the Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus SH-2, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are designed by Olympus. There exists a big gap among the image resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and SH-2 (16MP) and the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and SH-2 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The E-PL2 was launched 5 years prior to the SH-2 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a in depth comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-PL2 grades versus the SH-2 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Olympus Stylus SH-2. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Olympus SH-2 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL2 has outer dimensions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) and the Olympus SH-2 has proportions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus SH-2 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are working with at the time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL2 versus the SH-2.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL2 and SH-2 is 85 and 88 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to see the difference in sensor sizes merely by looking through a spec sheet. The picture here should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL2 and SH-2.

As you can see, both of these cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-PL2 featuring a larger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus SH-2 will render more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-PL2 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.