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Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500

Portability
88
Imaging
52
Features
72
Overall
60
Olympus PEN E-PL5 front
 
Samsung NX500 front
Portability
87
Imaging
68
Features
80
Overall
72

Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL5
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 325g - 111 x 64 x 38mm
  • Introduced September 2012
Samsung NX500
(Full Review)
  • 28MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 25600 (Push to 51200)
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 1/6000s Maximum Shutter
  • 4096 x 2160 video
  • Samsung NX Mount
  • 287g - 120 x 64 x 43mm
  • Released February 2015
  • Old Model is Samsung NX300
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Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500 Overview

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.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL5 over the Samsung NX500

 E-PL5 NX500 
Selfie screen Easy selfies

Reasons to pick Samsung NX500 over the Olympus E-PL5

 NX500 E-PL5 
ReleasedFebruary 2015September 2012More modern by 29 months
Screen resolution1036k460kCrisper screen (+576k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-PL5 and Samsung NX500

 E-PL5 NX500 
Focus manually Dial accurate focusing
Screen typeTiltingTiltingTilting screen
Screen dimension3"3"Identical screen dimensions
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500 Physical Comparison

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. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

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.

Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500 size comparison

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

Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500 Sensor Comparison

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.

Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL5 Portrait photography highlights
Samsung NX500 Portrait photography highlights
71
has manual focus
resolution is good (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
includes face detection focusing
exports RAW formats
80
focusing manually
excellent megapixels (28MP)
good sensor size (APS-C)
offers face detect focus
exports RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL5 Street photography advice
Samsung NX500 Street photography advice
85
screen tilts up and down
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
features touch to focus
above average ISO range (25,600)
81
screen tilts
good sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW files
provides focus via touch
good ISO range (25,600)
no image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus E-PL5
Sports photography with Samsung NX500
66
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
includes tracking autofocus
has no phase detect AF
75
max shutter speed is good (1/6,000 seconds)
excellent megapixels (28MP)
good sensor size (APS-C)
offers tracking focus
comes with phase detect auto focus
no image stabilization
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus E-PL5
Travel photography with Samsung NX500
75
features touch to focus
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
selfie friendly display
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
78
connects via bluetooth
provides focus via touch
excellent megapixels (28MP)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PL5 Landscape photography details
Samsung NX500 Landscape photography details
74
has manual focus
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3")
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
above average ISO range (25,600)
exports RAW formats
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
80
focusing manually
switch lenses (Samsung NX mount)
nice screen size (3")
excellent megapixels (28 megapixels)
good sensor size (APS-C)
does not have anti aliasing filter
good ISO range (25,600)
exports RAW files
no image stabilization
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PL5 Vlogging info
Samsung NX500 Vlogging info
78
selfie friendly display
touchscreen capability
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
includes face detection focusing
high video quality (1920 x 1080 resolution)
doesn't have external mic socket
34
touchscreen functionality
offers face detect focus
high video quality (4096 x 2160 resolution)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
no image stabilization
no mic jack
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Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL5 and Samsung NX500
 Olympus PEN E-PL5Samsung NX500
General Information
Make Olympus Samsung
Model Olympus PEN E-PL5 Samsung NX500
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Entry-Level Mirrorless
Introduced 2012-09-17 2015-02-06
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Processor Chip - DRIMe 5
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds APS-C
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 23.5 x 15.7mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 369.0mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 28MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 1:1, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4608 x 3456 6480 x 4320
Maximum native ISO 25600 25600
Maximum boosted ISO - 51200
Min native ISO 200 100
RAW support
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Number of focus points 35 209
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds Samsung NX
Total lenses 107 32
Crop factor 2.1 1.5
Screen
Range of display Tilting Tilting
Display diagonal 3 inches 3 inches
Resolution of display 460k dot 1,036k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/6000 seconds
Continuous shooting speed 8.0 frames per second 9.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 7.00 m (bundled FL-LM1) no built-in flash
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) Smart flash, auto, auto w/redeye reduction, fill flash, fill w/redeye reduction, 1st-curtain, 2nd-curtain, off
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/250 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 3840 x 2160 (30p), 4096 x 2160 (24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720, 640 x 480
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 4096x2160
Video file format MPEG-4, H.264, Motion JPEG H.265
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 325 grams (0.72 lbs) 287 grams (0.63 lbs)
Dimensions 111 x 64 x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") 120 x 64 x 43mm (4.7" x 2.5" x 1.7")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 72 87
DXO Color Depth score 22.8 24.8
DXO Dynamic range score 12.3 13.9
DXO Low light score 889 1379
Other
Battery life 360 pictures 370 pictures
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model BLS-5 BP1130
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 - 30 secs)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots 1 1
Cost at launch $400 $800