Olympus E-PL5 vs Pentax E85

In this write-up, we will be looking at the Olympus E-PL5 vs Pentax E85, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference between the image resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and E85 (12MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and E85 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was announced 3 years after the E85 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax E85 being a Compact camera.

Before delving through a thorough comparison, below is a short highlight of how the E-PL5 grades versus the E85 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Pentax Optio E85. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Pentax E85 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL5 enjoys physical measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) and the Pentax E85 has sizing of 93mm x 58mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") and a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL5 vs Pentax E85 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL5 compared to the E85.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL5 and E85 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Often, its difficult to picture the gap between sensor sizes merely by reviewing specifications. The picture here should give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL5 and E85.

Plainly, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL5 with its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-PL5 will deliver more detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots far more aggressively. The newer E-PL5 should have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.