Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony S980

Let's examine more in depth at the Olympus E-PL2 and Sony S980, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the S980 (12MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and S980 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL2 was launched 2 years later than the S980 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-PL2 scores versus the S980 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Sony S980 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL2 provides physical measurements 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 Sony S980 has sizing of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL2 and Sony S980 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have at the time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL2 against the S980.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL2 and S980 is 85 and 94 respectively.

Usually, its difficult to envision the contrast in sensor measurements merely by going through specifications. The graphic underneath will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL2 and S980.

Plainly, both of the cameras have got the exact same resolution albeit not the same sensor measurements. The E-PL2 comes with the bigger sensor which will make achieving bokeh less difficult. The younger E-PL2 will have an edge with regard to sensor technology.