Olympus E-PM1 vs Pentax 645Z

The following is a comprehensive analysis of the Olympus E-PM1 versus Pentax 645Z, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Pro DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a crucial difference among the resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and 645Z (Medium format) come with different sensor sizing.

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The E-PM1 was brought out 3 years earlier than the 645Z which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the E-PM1 scores versus the 645Z for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Pentax 645Z. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Pentax 645Z Gallery.

For anyone who is going to travel with your camera, you'll need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM1 has outside measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) while the Pentax 645Z has dimensions of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") accompanied by a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PM1 versus Pentax 645Z in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using at the time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PM1 vs the 645Z.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and 645Z is 89 and 49 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions merely by seeing a spec sheet. The pic underneath might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM1 and 645Z.

Clearly, both of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM1 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax 645Z will produce greater detail having its extra 39 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics much more aggressively. The more aged E-PM1 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.