Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic S1

In this write-up, we will be comparing the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic S1, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and S1 (24MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and S1 (Full frame) use totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL5 was announced 7 years prior to the S1 and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a full comparison, below is a simple summary of how the E-PL5 matches up versus the S1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Panasonic S1 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera often, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL5 features exterior dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Panasonic S1 has specifications of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") accompanied by a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL5 and Panasonic S1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have at that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL5 and the S1.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL5 and S1 is 88 and 54 respectively.

Often, it is very tough to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing merely by reading specs. The photograph underneath will help offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL5 and S1.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL5 having a tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Panasonic S1 will offer you greater detail with its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots a little more aggressively. The older E-PL5 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.