Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony RX1

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony RX1, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a crucial difference among the image resolutions of the E-PL8 (16MP) and RX1 (24MP) and the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and RX1 (Full frame) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL8 was introduced 3 years later than the RX1 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short summary of how the E-PL8 matches up against the RX1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Sony RX1 Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you're going to have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL8 enjoys exterior measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Sony RX1 has proportions of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 482 grams (1.06 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony RX1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PL8 against the RX1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL8 and RX1 is 86 and 79 respectively.

Generally, it is very difficult to visualise the gap in sensor measurements only by seeing specs. The photograph underneath will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL8 and RX1.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL8 having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field tougher and the Sony RX1 will show more detail using its extra 8MP. Greater resolution will help you crop images more aggressively. The more modern E-PL8 will have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.