Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony A580

In this article, we are reviewing the Olympus E-PL5 versus Sony A580, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the A580 (16MP) is fairly close but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and A580 (APS-C) use totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL5 was announced 16 months later than the A580 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving in to a in-depth comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the E-PL5 matches up vs the A580 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to lug around your camera often, you should think about 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") with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) and the Sony A580 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Sony A580 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the E-PL5 and the A580.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and A580 is 88 and 64 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to visualise the difference in sensor measurements simply by viewing specifications. The photograph underneath should give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL5 and A580.

To sum up, the 2 cameras offer the same exact megapixel count but not the same sensor measurements. The E-PL5 features the smaller sensor which should make obtaining shallow DOF trickier. The younger E-PL5 will have an advantage in sensor tech.