Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony A290

Its time to look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-PL8 and Sony A290, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the A290 (14MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and A290 (APS-C) use totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL8 was unveiled 6 years later than the A290 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a short introduction of how the E-PL8 scores against the A290 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Sony A290 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL8 has exterior measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Sony A290 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") accompanied by a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL8 and Sony A290 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use at that time. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the E-PL8 and the A290.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and A290 is 86 and 66 respectively.

In many cases, it is hard to envision the difference in sensor sizing just by going through specifications. The photograph underneath should offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL8 and A290.

Plainly, both of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL8 with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Olympus E-PL8 will show extra detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The newer E-PL8 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.