Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony NEX-5N

In this article, we are looking at the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony NEX-5N, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by brands Olympus and Sony. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and NEX-5N (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and NEX-5N (APS-C) come with different sensor size.

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The E-PM1 was revealed 2 months later than the NEX-5N so they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras offer the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before going straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief overview of how the E-PM1 scores against the NEX-5N when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera, you will want to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM1 enjoys physical dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5N has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony NEX-5N in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are employing at the time. The following is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PM1 and the NEX-5N.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM1 and NEX-5N is 89 and 89 respectively.

Normally, its difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements just by going through specifications. The visual here might give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM1 and NEX-5N.

To sum up, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PM1 using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Sony NEX-5N will provide greater detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos far more aggressively.