Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500

Below, we will be looking at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Samsung NX500, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Samsung. There is a large difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and NX500 (28MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and NX500 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL5 was brought out 3 years earlier than the NX500 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before we go through a step-by-step comparison, below is a short introduction of how the E-PL5 grades versus the NX500 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Samsung NX500. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Samsung NX500 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to think about 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") along with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Samsung NX500 has measurements of 120mm x 64mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Samsung NX500 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at the time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the E-PL5 against the NX500.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and NX500 is 88 and 87 respectively.

Often, it can be difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizes merely by going through specifications. The picture below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL5 and NX500.

Plainly, both of these cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL5 because of its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Samsung NX500 will show more detail having its extra 12 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-PL5 will be behind in sensor tech.