Olympus E-600 vs E-PL1

The Olympus E-600 and the Olympus PEN E-PL1 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2009 and February 2010. The E-600 is a DSLR, while the E-PL1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 12.2 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-600		Olympus E-PL1
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Four Thirds lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor		12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		720/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 200-3,200
Optical viewfinder		Viewfinder optional
2.7" LCD – 230k dots		2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
500 shots per battery charge		290 shots per battery charge
130 x 94 x 60 mm, 535 g		115 x 72 x 42 mm, 334 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-600 and the Olympus PEN E-PL1? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-600 and the Olympus E-PL1. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-PL1 can be obtained in four different colors (black, blue, yellow, white), while the E-600 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-PL1 is considerably smaller (32 percent) than the Olympus E-600. Moreover, the E-PL1 is substantially lighter (38 percent) than the E-600. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-600 nor the E-PL1 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-600) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-PL1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the E-PL1, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-600	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	535 g	500	n	Aug 2009	US$ 449	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PL1	115 mm	72 mm	42 mm	334 g	290	n	Feb 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-30	142 mm	108 mm	75 mm	701 g	750	n	Nov 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-420	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-450	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2009	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	US$ 799	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	US$ 699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-P1	121 mm	70 mm	36 mm	355 g	300	n	Jun 2009	US$ 799	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-P2	121 mm	70 mm	36 mm	355 g	300	n	Nov 2009	US$ 799	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-P3	122 mm	69 mm	34 mm	369 g	330	n	Jun 2011	US$ 799	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL2	114 mm	72 mm	42 mm	362 g	280	n	Jan 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-PL3	110 mm	64 mm	37 mm	313 g	300	n	Jun 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PM1	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	265 g	330	n	Jun 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-600 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the E-PL1, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Technology-wise, the E-PL1 uses a more advanced image processing engine (Truepic V) than the E-600 (TruePic III+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 12.2 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the E-600 and the E-PL1 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the E-PL1 is a somewhat more recent model (by 5 months) than the E-600, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Olympus E-600 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus PEN E-PL1 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-600	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.5	10.3	541	55
2.		Olympus E-PL1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.5	10.1	487	54
3.		Olympus E-30	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.4	530	55
4.		Olympus E-420	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.4	527	56
5.		Olympus E-450	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.5	512	56
6.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
7.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
8.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
9.		Olympus E-P1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.4	10.4	536	55
10.		Olympus E-P2	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.5	10.4	505	56
11.		Olympus E-P3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.8	10.1	536	51
12.		Olympus E-PL2	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.4	10.2	573	55
13.		Olympus E-PL3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.9	10.3	499	52
14.		Olympus E-PM1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	21.0	10.3	499	52

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The E-PL1 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-600 does not. The highest resolution format that the E-PL1 can use is 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-600 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PL1 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-PL1 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-2. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-600, the Olympus E-PL1, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Olympus E-600	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Olympus E-PL1	optional	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Olympus E-30	optical	Y	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Olympus E-420	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
5.		Olympus E-450	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
6.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-P1	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	Y
10.		Olympus E-P2	optional	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	Y
11.		Olympus E-P3	optional	n	3.0 / 614	fixed	Y	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Olympus E-PL2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Olympus E-PL3	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
14.		Olympus E-PM1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The E-600 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the E-PL1 uses SDHC cards. The E-600 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-PL1 only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus E-600 and Olympus PEN E-PL1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Olympus E-600	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus E-PL1	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Olympus E-30	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Olympus E-420	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-450	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-P1	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-P2	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-P3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-PL2	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-PL3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-PM1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the E-600 and the E-PL1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-PL1 was replaced by the Olympus E-PL2, while the E-600 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-600 and E-PL1 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-600 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PL1 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Olympus E-600 better than the Olympus E-PL1 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-600:

• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 290) on a single battery charge.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2009).

Arguments in favor of the Olympus PEN E-PL1:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (Truepic V vs TruePic III+).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 720/30p video.
• More compact: Is smaller (115x72mm vs 130x94mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 201g or 38 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (5 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-600 emerges as the winner of the contest (9 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-600 and the Olympus E-PL1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-600 or the E-PL1. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-600	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	US$ 449	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PL1	..	86/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-30	..	..	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-420	..	85/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2008	US$ 599	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-450	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Mar 2009	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	US$ 799	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	US$ 699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-P1	..	+	..	66/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2009	US$ 799	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-P2	3/5	+	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Nov 2009	US$ 799	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-P3	..	83/100	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	US$ 799	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL2	3/5	83/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-PL3	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PM1	..	86/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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