Olympus E-PM2 vs Olympus SP-820UZ

Let's look a little more in depth at the Olympus E-PM2 versus Olympus SP-820UZ, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are designed by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-PM2 (16MP) and the SP-820UZ (14MP) is fairly close but the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and SP-820UZ (1/2.3") boast different sensor sizing.

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The E-PM2 was released 10 months after the SP-820UZ and they are of a similar age. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-820UZ being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a detailed comparison, here is a short highlight of how the E-PM2 scores vs the SP-820UZ in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM2 & Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery & Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera, you'll have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM2 enjoys outer dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Olympus SP-820UZ has dimensions of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") along with a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PM2 versus Olympus SP-820UZ in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Underneath is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PM2 against the SP-820UZ.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM2 and SP-820UZ is 89 and 69 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to imagine the difference in sensor dimensions purely by researching a spec sheet. The pic below should offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PM2 and SP-820UZ.

Clearly, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM2 because of its larger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh less difficult and the Olympus E-PM2 will result in more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The newer E-PM2 should have an advantage in sensor technology.