Olympus E-PL5 vs Pentax W90

Lets examine more in depth at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Pentax W90, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Waterproof by companies Olympus and Pentax. There exists a considerable gap among the image resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and W90 (12MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and W90 (1/2.3") come with different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was released 2 years later than the W90 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax W90 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a complete comparison, below is a quick summation of how the E-PL5 matches up versus the W90 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Pentax Optio W90. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Pentax W90 Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL5 comes with physical dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Pentax W90 has measurements of 108mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") along with a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL5 versus Pentax W90 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you choose during that time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL5 and the W90.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and W90 is 88 and 94 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to visualize the difference in sensor measurements merely by seeing technical specs. The graphic here may offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL5 and W90.

As you can tell, both of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Olympus E-PL5 will provide greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos a little more aggressively. The fresher E-PL5 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.