Olympus E-PL8 vs Pentax 645Z

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-PL8 versus Pentax 645Z, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Pro DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL8 (16MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and 645Z (Medium format) come with totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL8 was manufactured 2 years after the 645Z which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-PL8 matches up versus the 645Z when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Pentax 645Z. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Pentax 645Z Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL8 has outer measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) and the Pentax 645Z has specifications of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") with a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL8 versus Pentax 645Z in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the E-PL8 vs the 645Z.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL8 and 645Z is 86 and 49 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to see the contrast in sensor sizes purely by seeing specs. The pic here might give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL8 and 645Z.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL8 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF tougher and the Pentax 645Z will show extra detail due to its extra 35MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots a little more aggressively. The newer E-PL8 will have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.