Olympus E-PM1 vs Olympus SZ-11

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-PM1 versus Olympus SZ-11, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are manufactured by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PM1 (12MP) and the SZ-11 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and SZ-11 (1/2.3") have different sensor sizes.

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The E-PM1 was manufactured 4 months later than the SZ-11 and they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short summary of how the E-PM1 grades against the SZ-11 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Olympus SZ-11. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Olympus SZ-11 Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM1 features outside measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) while the Olympus SZ-11 has specifications of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PM1 versus Olympus SZ-11 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PM1 compared to the SZ-11.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PM1 and SZ-11 is 89 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to imagine the gap in sensor measurements just by checking out specifications. The visual here will give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM1 and SZ-11.

Plainly, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PM1 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus SZ-11 will show more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop pics more aggressively.