Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX5

Below is a extended assessment of the Olympus E-PL5 and Samsung NX5, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by companies Olympus and Samsung. The image resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the NX5 (15MP) is very similar but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and NX5 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was announced 2 years later than the NX5 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Samsung NX5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight into a in depth comparison, below is a short summary of how the E-PL5 grades vs the NX5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Samsung NX5. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Samsung NX5 Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL5 enjoys external measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Samsung NX5 has dimensions of 123mm x 87mm x 40mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 1.6") and a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL5 and Samsung NX5 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at that moment. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL5 against the NX5.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL5 and NX5 is 88 and 80 respectively.

Usually, it is very hard to visualise the difference between sensor measurements just by reading specifications. The visual underneath will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL5 and NX5.

To sum up, both the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 with its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Olympus E-PL5 will offer greater detail with its extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos far more aggressively. The younger E-PL5 will have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.