Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony S980

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony S980, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PM1 (12MP) and the S980 (12MP) is very comparable but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and S980 (1/2.3") offer different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PM1 was released 2 years after the S980 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a detailed comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the E-PM1 scores against the S980 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Sony S980 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera, you'll have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM1 has external dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Sony S980 has specifications of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony S980 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PM1 versus the S980.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PM1 and S980 is 89 and 94 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions merely by going through specifications. The picture here will provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PM1 and S980.

To sum up, both of the cameras come with the identical megapixels but different sensor dimensions. The E-PM1 provides the larger sensor which will make getting shallow depth of field simpler. The newer E-PM1 provides a benefit with regard to sensor technology.