Olympus E-PL8 vs Olympus SP-820UZ

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus E-PL8 and Olympus SP-820UZ, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are produced by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the SP-820UZ (14MP) is very similar but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and SP-820UZ (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL8 was launched 4 years after the SP-820UZ which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-820UZ being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief summary of how the E-PL8 grades versus the SP-820UZ in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry around your camera often, you'll need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL8 has got exterior dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) and the Olympus SP-820UZ has measurements of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") having a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL8 and Olympus SP-820UZ in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that time. Following is a front view size comparison of the E-PL8 against the SP-820UZ.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL8 and SP-820UZ is 86 and 69 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to envision the difference between sensor sizes only by reviewing specifications. The image below should give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL8 and SP-820UZ.

Plainly, both of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL8 due to its larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-PL8 will offer you extra detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos more aggressively. The more recent E-PL8 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.