Olympus E-PL6 vs Pentax S1

Its time to look closer at the Olympus E-PL6 vs Pentax S1, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the S1 (14MP) is fairly similar but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and S1 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL6 was launched 3 years later than the S1 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-PL6 scores versus the S1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL6 & Pentax Optio S1. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery & Pentax S1 Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL6 comes with 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) and the Pentax S1 has specifications of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL6 vs Pentax S1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL6 compared to the S1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL6 and S1 is 88 and 93 respectively.

Typically, it can be difficult to envision the difference between sensor measurements merely by reviewing specifications. The graphic below will help give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL6 and S1.

To sum up, both of these cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL6 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Olympus E-PL6 will offer you more detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The more modern E-PL6 will have an edge in sensor tech.