Olympus E-PL6 vs Samsung NX5

On this page, we are evaluating the Olympus E-PL6 versus Samsung NX5, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Samsung. The sensor resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the NX5 (15MP) is fairly comparable but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and NX5 (APS-C) posses different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL6 was brought out 4 years after the NX5 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Samsung NX5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a complete comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-PL6 grades versus the NX5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL6 and Samsung NX5. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery and Samsung NX5 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera often, you will have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL6 has external 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 Samsung NX5 has specifications of 123mm x 87mm x 40mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 1.6") and a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL6 versus Samsung NX5 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PL6 versus the NX5.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL6 and NX5 is 88 and 80 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions purely by seeing a spec sheet. The image underneath will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL6 and NX5.

Clearly, both cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL6 because of its smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh more challenging and the Olympus E-PL6 will show extra detail having its extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images a bit more aggressively. The more modern E-PL6 provides a benefit in sensor tech.