Olympus PEN-F vs Sony ZV-E1

Below is a extended assessment of the Olympus PEN-F vs Sony ZV-E1, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a large gap among the resolutions of the PEN-F (20MP) and ZV-E1 (12MP) and the PEN-F (Four Thirds) and ZV-E1 (Full frame) provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The PEN-F was released 8 years earlier than the ZV-E1 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras have the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before getting into a more detailed comparison, here is a brief overview of how the PEN-F grades versus the ZV-E1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN-F & Sony ZV-E1. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus PEN-F Gallery & Sony ZV-E1 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus PEN-F provides exterior measurements of 125mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.5") having a weight of 427 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Sony ZV-E1 has proportions of 121mm x 72mm x 54mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 2.1") and a weight of 483 grams (1.06 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus PEN-F vs Sony ZV-E1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the PEN-F and the ZV-E1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the PEN-F and ZV-E1 is 84 and 80 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to see the difference in sensor measurements purely by going through a spec sheet. The visual underneath will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the PEN-F and ZV-E1.

As you can see, the 2 cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The PEN-F featuring a smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Olympus PEN-F will provide greater detail as a result of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images more aggressively. The older PEN-F will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.