Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony W830

Here, we will be matching up the Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony W830, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a sizable difference between the resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and W830 (20MP) and the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and W830 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL2 was launched 3 years before the W830 and that is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W830 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving into a more detailed comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the E-PL2 scores versus the W830 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL2 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W830. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery & Sony W830 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL2 comes with outer 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 Sony W830 has specifications of 93mm x 52mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.0" x 0.9") along with a weight of 122 grams (0.27 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony W830 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL2 vs the W830.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL2 and W830 is 85 and 96 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very difficult to envision the difference between sensor sizing just by reviewing a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL2 and W830.

As you can see, both the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL2 featuring a bigger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Sony W830 will offer greater detail utilizing its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The older E-PL2 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.