Olympus E-PM1 vs Olympus SP-565UZ

Following is a extended review of the Olympus E-PM1 versus Olympus SP-565UZ, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are designed by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-PM1 (12MP) and the SP-565UZ (10MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and SP-565UZ (1/2.3") use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PM1 was revealed 2 years after the SP-565UZ which is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-565UZ being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a in depth comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-PM1 matches up versus the SP-565UZ in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Olympus SP-565UZ. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Olympus SP-565UZ Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera often, you will have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PM1 comes with external measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) while the Olympus SP-565UZ has sizing of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") with a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PM1 versus Olympus SP-565UZ in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PM1 against the SP-565UZ.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and SP-565UZ is 89 and 72 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to see the difference between sensor sizes just by looking at specs. The picture underneath may give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PM1 and SP-565UZ.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-PM1 using its larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Olympus E-PM1 will give greater detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics a little more aggressively. The fresher E-PM1 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.