Olympus E-PM1 vs Olympus SP-610UZ

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-PM1 versus Olympus SP-610UZ, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are designed by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-PM1 (12MP) and the SP-610UZ (14MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and SP-610UZ (1/2.3") use different sensor measurements.

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The E-PM1 was unveiled 11 months after the SP-610UZ so they are of a similar generation. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-610UZ being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a detailed comparison, below is a short summary of how the E-PM1 matches up versus the SP-610UZ in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Olympus SP-610UZ. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Olympus SP-610UZ Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera often, you will need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PM1 comes with outside dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Olympus SP-610UZ has proportions of 107mm x 73mm x 73mm (4.2" x 2.9" x 2.9") along with a weight of 405 grams (0.89 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PM1 versus Olympus SP-610UZ in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are working with during that time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PM1 against the SP-610UZ.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and SP-610UZ is 89 and 79 respectively.

Normally, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizes simply by seeing specifications. The pic below may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM1 and SP-610UZ.

To sum up, both of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PM1 with its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus SP-610UZ will produce extra detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The fresher E-PM1 provides a benefit in sensor innovation.