Olympus E-PL6 vs Olympus SZ-11

The following is a complete assessment of the Olympus E-PL6 vs Olympus SZ-11, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are built by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the SZ-11 (14MP) is pretty close but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and SZ-11 (1/2.3") provide different sensor size.

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The E-PL6 was revealed 3 years after the SZ-11 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a detailed comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the E-PL6 scores against the SZ-11 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL6 and Olympus SZ-11. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery and Olympus SZ-11 Gallery.

For those who are looking to travel with your camera often, you have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL6 has physical dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Olympus SZ-11 has sizing of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL6 vs Olympus SZ-11 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use at that time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PL6 vs the SZ-11.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL6 and SZ-11 is 88 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it can be difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by looking through technical specs. The pic below will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL6 and SZ-11.

As you have seen, each of the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL6 with its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-PL6 will result in extra detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots way more aggressively. The more recent E-PL6 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.