Olympus E-PL5 vs Pentax E90

Here, we are analyzing the Olympus E-PL5 versus Pentax E90, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There exists a noticeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and E90 (10MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and E90 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL5 was launched 2 years later than the E90 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax E90 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a more detailed comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the E-PL5 matches up vs the E90 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Pentax Optio E90. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Pentax E90 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera, you'll have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL5 features outside 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 Pentax E90 has dimensions of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") along with a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL5 versus Pentax E90 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are employing at the time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PL5 versus the E90.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and E90 is 88 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to envision the difference in sensor sizing simply by seeing technical specs. The photograph below should offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL5 and E90.

As you have seen, the two cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL5 due to its larger sensor will make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Olympus E-PL5 will produce more detail utilizing its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The fresher E-PL5 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.