Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony a5100

On this page, we are analyzing the Olympus E-PL5 and Sony a5100, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and a5100 (24MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and a5100 (APS-C) boast different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL5 was unveiled 23 months earlier than the a5100 making them a generation away from one another. Both cameras have the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a short overview of how the E-PL5 grades against the a5100 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Sony Alpha a5100. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Sony a5100 Gallery.

When you are intending to travel with your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL5 has outside 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) while the Sony a5100 has proportions of 110mm x 63mm x 36mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") having a weight of 283 grams (0.62 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL5 and Sony a5100 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you select at that moment. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PL5 and the a5100.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL5 and a5100 is 88 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to visualize the gap between sensor dimensions just by reading through specifications. The image here will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL5 and a5100.

To sum up, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL5 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult and the Sony a5100 will resolve greater detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-PL5 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.