Olympus E-PL2 vs Pentax MX-1

Its time to take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL2 and Pentax MX-1, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The image resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the MX-1 (12MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and MX-1 (1/1.7") have different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL2 was announced 3 years before the MX-1 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax MX-1 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-PL2 scores vs the MX-1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Pentax MX-1. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Pentax MX-1 Gallery.

If you're planning to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to take into account its weight and size. 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 Pentax MX-1 has specifications of 122mm x 61mm x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0") with a weight of 391 grams (0.86 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL2 and Pentax MX-1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select at the time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the E-PL2 compared to the MX-1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL2 and MX-1 is 85 and 84 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to picture the difference between sensor sizing purely by looking at a spec sheet. The photograph underneath should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL2 and MX-1.

Clearly, each of these cameras come with the identical megapixel count but different sensor sizing. The E-PL2 features the larger sensor which will make obtaining bokeh easier. The older E-PL2 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.