Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony A850

Below is a in depth assessment of the Olympus E-PL2 versus Sony A850, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. There exists a big gap between the resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and A850 (25MP) and the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and A850 (Full frame) feature totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL2 was unveiled 11 months later than the A850 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting through a more detailed comparison, below is a brief overview of how the E-PL2 scores vs the A850 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Sony A850 Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera, you'll need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL2 offers external measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) whilst the Sony A850 has specifications of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") and a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL2 versus Sony A850 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL2 compared to the A850.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL2 and A850 is 85 and 54 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to envision the contrast between sensor measurements simply by reading specifications. The graphic below will help offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL2 and A850.

Plainly, each of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL2 with its tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Sony A850 will deliver extra detail having an extra 13MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos far more aggressively. The younger E-PL2 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.