Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony A35

Below, we are matching up the Olympus E-PL2 versus Sony A35, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and A35 (16MP) and the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and A35 (APS-C) come with different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL2 was unveiled 7 months before the A35 and they are of a similar generation. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A35 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a full comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-PL2 grades against the A35 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Sony SLT-A35. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Sony A35 Gallery.

If you are planning to travel with your camera often, you'll have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL2 offers exterior 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) while the Sony A35 has proportions of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") along with a weight of 415 grams (0.91 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL2 versus Sony A35 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. The following is the front view size comparison of the E-PL2 against the A35.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL2 and A35 is 85 and 69 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions just by going through specifications. The pic below will help give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL2 and A35.

To sum up, the two cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL2 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field tougher and the Sony A35 will provide extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-PL2 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.