• 4/3 224.9mm2
  • 12.3 megapixels
  •  
  • APS-C 369.7mm2
  • 16.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 12,800

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Differences

Olympus E-PL1 advantages over Pentax K-5 IIs

  • Less expensive
    $600 vs $1200 (MSRP)
    Save money for lenses or accessories
  • Thinner
    41 mm vs 73 mm
    Thinner
  • Has anti-aliasing filter
    Filter vs No Filter
    Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
  • Longer exposure
    60 vs 30 sec
    Long exposures for night shots

Pentax K-5 IIs advantages over Olympus E-PL1

  • Larger sensor
    APS-C vs 4/3
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Eye-level vs Rear display only
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • Fast startup
    ~0.60 vs 2.2 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • Better color depth
    23.9 vs 21.5 bits
    Capture richer, more accurate colors
  • Higher effective ISO
    1,208 vs 487 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • More dynamic range
    14.1 vs 10.1 evs
    Retain detail in highlight and shadows
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 740 vs 290 shots
    Capture more photos
  • Top deck display
    Yes vs No
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • External Mic Jack
    Jack vs No jack
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • More dots on screen
    921k vs 230k dots
    Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
  • Shoots 1080p video
    Yes vs No
    You'll want this if you shoot video
  • Less shutter lag
    0.23 vs 0.95 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • More pixels
    16.3 vs 12.3 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Lacks anti-aliasing filter
    No Filter vs Filter
    Enjoy sharper photos
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    6.7 fps vs 3.0 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    28 vs 15 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Faster shutter
    1/8000 vs 1/2000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light
  • Higher extended ISO
    51200 vs 3200 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Both provide
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • Internal flash
    Both provide
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • HDMI out
    Both provide
    Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
  • Hot shoe
    Both provide
    Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
  • Bulb shutter
    Both provide
    Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

  • Focus peaking
    Neither provide
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Tilt-swivel screen
    Neither provide
    Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
  • Touchscreen
    Neither provide
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • In-camera panoramas
    Neither provide
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Tiltable Screen
    Neither provide
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Neither provide
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Neither provide
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Neither provide
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Headphone jack
    Neither provide
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Buy From

Review Excerpt

  • Noticeably better sharpness than standard K-5 II; Compact yet control-rich body packs in the features; Updated autofocus system focuses in near-darkness; Fully weather-sealed; Very good dynamic range; In-body image stabilization; Dual-axis level with horizon correction.

  • Prone to moire, aliasing, and false color artifacts; Can seem intimidating at first; Fewer autofocus points than competitors; Doesn't take advantage of high-speed UHS-I flash cards; Movie feature set is very dated and file sizes huge.

The Competition

Compared to Olympus E-P2

Olympus E-PL1
Olympus E-P2
  • $392
  • 4/3
  • Less expensive
  • Internal flash
  • $1100
  • 4/3
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • Faster shutter
Pentax K-5 IIs
Olympus E-P2
  • $497
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • Fast startup
  • $1100
  • 4/3
  • Thinner
  • Has anti-aliasing filter

Compared to Olympus E-PL2

Olympus E-PL1
Olympus E-PL2
  • $392
  • 4/3
  • $600
  • 4/3
  • Fast startup
  • Higher effective ISO
Pentax K-5 IIs
Olympus E-PL2
  • $497
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $600
  • 4/3
  • Less expensive
  • Thinner

Compared to Sony A35

Olympus E-PL1
Sony A35
  • $392
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive
  • $567
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • Eye-level viewfinder
Pentax K-5 IIs
Sony A35
  • $497
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup
  • $567
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • In-camera panoramas

Compared to Olympus E-P3

Olympus E-PL1
Olympus E-P3
  • $392
  • 4/3
  • Less expensive
  • $561
  • 4/3
  • Fast startup
  • Higher effective ISO
Pentax K-5 IIs
Olympus E-P3
  • $497
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $561
  • 4/3
  • Less expensive
  • Thinner

Compared to Sony A37

Olympus E-PL1
Sony A37
  • $392
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • Thinner
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
Pentax K-5 IIs
Sony A37
  • $497
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Fast startup
  • $600
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Focus peaking
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