Olympus E-PL5 vs Pentax W80

Here, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Pentax W80, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and W80 (12MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and W80 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL5 was manufactured 3 years later than the W80 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax W80 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a full comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the E-PL5 scores against the W80 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Pentax Optio W80. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Pentax W80 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera, you have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL5 offers exterior 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 W80 has proportions of 100mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL5 versus Pentax W80 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL5 compared to the W80.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL5 and W80 is 88 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to envision the difference between sensor measurements only by going over specifications. The visual below will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL5 and W80.

To sum up, the two cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus E-PL5 will offer greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The newer E-PL5 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.