Olympus E-PL2 vs Pentax RZ10

The following is a extended review of the Olympus E-PL2 and Pentax RZ10, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the RZ10 (14MP) is pretty similar but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and RZ10 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL2 was unveiled 5 months earlier than the RZ10 and they are of a similar generation. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax RZ10 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a full comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the E-PL2 scores against the RZ10 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Pentax Optio RZ10. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Pentax RZ10 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera often, you need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL2 has outer dimensions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) whilst the Pentax RZ10 has dimensions of 97mm x 61mm x 33mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL2 and Pentax RZ10 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are using at that moment. The following is a front view size comparison of the E-PL2 against the RZ10.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL2 and RZ10 is 85 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to see the difference between sensor dimensions only by reviewing technical specs. The image here will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL2 and RZ10.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL2 with its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Pentax RZ10 will offer greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively.