Olympus E-PL2 vs Pentax S1

The following is a thorough review of the Olympus E-PL2 versus Pentax S1, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the S1 (14MP) is fairly close but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and S1 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL2 was announced within a month of the S1 and they are of a similar generation. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a detailed comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-PL2 scores against the S1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Pentax Optio S1. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Pentax S1 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera, you are going to need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL2 comes with physical 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 Pentax S1 has sizing of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL2 versus Pentax S1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at the time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the E-PL2 versus the S1.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL2 and S1 is 85 and 93 respectively.

Generally, it is tough to see the gap in sensor dimensions purely by researching specifications. The picture underneath may give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL2 and S1.

Plainly, each of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL2 using its larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Pentax S1 will result in greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images a little more aggressively.