Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony S2100

The following is a extensive analysis of the Olympus E-PL5 versus Sony S2100, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and S2100 (12MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and S2100 (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL5 was introduced 2 years after the S2100 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony S2100 being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a in depth comparison, below is a brief view of how the E-PL5 matches up vs the S2100 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Sony S2100 Gallery.

If you are planning to travel with your camera, you need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL5 has outer measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Sony S2100 has measurements of 98mm x 61mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Sony S2100 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have at that moment. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL5 against the S2100.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL5 and S2100 is 88 and 93 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions only by seeing a spec sheet. The image underneath should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL5 and S2100.

As you can see, both the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL5 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-PL5 will produce greater detail using its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The fresher E-PL5 should have an advantage in sensor tech.