Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony W350

Following is a detailed assessment of the Olympus E-PL5 versus Sony W350, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Ultracompact by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the W350 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and W350 (1/2.3") provide different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL5 was unveiled 2 years after the W350 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W350 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-PL5 matches up vs the W350 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Sony W350 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL5 enjoys outside dimensions 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 W350 has measurements of 91mm x 52mm x 17mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.7") and a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL5 versus Sony W350 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose during that time. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the E-PL5 compared to the W350.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and W350 is 88 and 97 respectively.

Oftentimes, its hard to imagine the gap in sensor sizes merely by checking out specs. The pic here should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL5 and W350.

All in all, the 2 cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL5 with its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-PL5 will produce extra detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images way more aggressively. The more modern E-PL5 provides an advantage in sensor tech.