Olympus E-PL5 vs Pentax P80

In this article, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-PL5 vs Pentax P80, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Pentax. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and P80 (12MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and P80 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was announced 3 years later than the P80 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax P80 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a thorough comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-PL5 scores vs the P80 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Pentax Optio P80. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Pentax P80 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera, you are going to need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL5 offers physical dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Pentax P80 has measurements of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") having a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL5 vs Pentax P80 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at that moment. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PL5 and the P80.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL5 and P80 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to envision the difference in sensor measurements merely by going through technical specs. The graphic underneath will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL5 and P80.

As you have seen, each of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 having a bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-PL5 will produce more detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The younger E-PL5 will have a benefit in sensor tech.