Olympus E-PL6 vs Sony A380

Here, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-PL6 and Sony A380, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the A380 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and A380 (APS-C) provide different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL6 was unveiled 5 years after the A380 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a full comparison, here is a brief overview of how the E-PL6 grades against the A380 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL6 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery and Sony A380 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera regularly, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL6 has exterior dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Sony A380 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL6 and Sony A380 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are using at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the E-PL6 against the A380.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL6 and A380 is 88 and 68 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to visualize the difference between sensor sizes merely by reading through technical specs. The pic here will help provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL6 and A380.

As you have seen, both cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL6 with its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field trickier and the Olympus E-PL6 will give you greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The younger E-PL6 should have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.