Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus XZ-10

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus XZ-10, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are created by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the XZ-10 (12MP) is very comparable but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and XZ-10 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL2 was manufactured 23 months before the XZ-10 making them a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus XZ-10 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-PL2 scores vs the XZ-10 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Olympus Stylus XZ-10. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Olympus XZ-10 Gallery.

If you are looking to travel with your camera, you're going to have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL2 has physical measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) and the Olympus XZ-10 has proportions of 102mm x 61mm x 34mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus XZ-10 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you choose at that time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PL2 versus the XZ-10.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL2 and XZ-10 is 85 and 91 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to see the contrast in sensor dimensions only by seeing a spec sheet. The pic below will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL2 and XZ-10.

As you can see, each of the cameras provide the same megapixel count but not the same sensor dimensions. The E-PL2 uses the larger sensor which will make obtaining shallower DOF less difficult. The more aged E-PL2 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.