Updated (January, 2011): Compare the Canon PowerShot S95 vs Olympus PEN E-PL2

Canon PowerShot S90

59

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot S90

Image stabilization
Image stabilization
Lens
Built-in flash
Built-in flash
Usually standard
Olympus PEN E-PL1

33

Runner-up

Olympus PEN E-PL1

Reasons to buy the Olympus PEN E-PL1

Color depth
Great color depth
21.5 bits
Sensor size
Large sensor
Four thirds 18.0x13.5mm
External mic jack
External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Interchangeable lenses
Interchangeable lenses
Many lenses to choose from
Sensor type
CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Built-in flash
Built-in flash
External flash not needed

differences

Advantages of the Canon S90

Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
More than 10% larger screen
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 461k dots vs 230k dots
Help
More than 2x higher resolution screen
Size Smaller 100x58x30 mm vs 115x72x42 mm
Help
Around 50% smaller
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens vs Sensor shift
Help
Less risk of blur
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11 EV vs 10.1 EV
Help
0.9 f-stops more dynamic range
Weight Lighter 198 g vs 334 g
Help
More than 40% lighter
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO 12,800 ISO vs None
Help
Allows taking photos in darker situations, often at the cost of additional noise in the image
Thickness Thinner 1.2" vs 1.7"
Help
Around 30% thinner
Canon PowerShot S90 Learn more about
the Canon S90

Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-PL1

External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
Record high quality audio with an external microphone
Movie format Higher resolution movies 720p @ 30fps vs 480p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots high resolution HD (720p) video
Overall image quality Better image quality 54.0 vs 46.0
Help
Around 20% better image quality
Interchangeable lenses Has interchangeable lenses Yes vs No
Help
Can take advantage of a variety of lenses
Sensor size Significantly larger sensor Four thirds 18.0x13.5mm vs 1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm
Help
More than 5.5x larger sensor
Color depth Better color depth 21.5 bits vs 20.2 bits
Help
Distinguishes 1.3 more bits of color
True resolution Higher true resolution 12.2 MP vs 10 MP
Help
Capture more than 20% more detail in your photos
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 487 ISO vs 185 ISO
Help
The PEN E-PL1 has excellent image quality 1.4 f-stops higher ISO than the S90
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
An external flash often produces better looking flash images
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 3 fps vs 0.9 fps
Help
Around 3.5x faster continuous shooting
Longest exposure Much longer exposures 60s vs 15s
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4x longer exposures
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/2000s vs 1/1600s
Help
20% faster max shutter speed
Olympus PEN E-PL1 Learn more about
the Olympus PEN E-PL1
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digital cameras, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot S90 Canon PowerShot S90
59 vs 33
Explain scores
Olympus PEN E-PL1 Olympus PEN E-PL1
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot S90. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a pro digicam with a mirrorless interchangeable-lens.

advice

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by trixie-bird last week
Olympus PEN E-PL1 vs Panasonic DMC-GF2

Intermediate.  Want to take pictures or people and landscapes.

similarities

Compared to recent digital cameras

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Supports RAW RAW support Help
Better editing
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
S90:11 EV
PEN E-PL1:10.1 EV
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Movie format Poor movies Help
S90:480p @ 30fps
PEN E-PL1:720p @ 30fps
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
S90:46.0
PEN E-PL1:54.0

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$433 body only

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Canon PowerShot S95

Canon PowerShot S95

Pro digicam

$340 - $389

Supports 24p Records movies in 24p
HDR Has in-camera HDR
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Supports 24p Records movies in 24p
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Pro digicam

$350

Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Shutter lag Has slightly less shutter lag
Olympus XZ-1

Olympus XZ-1

Pro digicam

$499 - $500

Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Overall image quality Has slightly lower image quality
Fujifilm Finepix X10

Fujifilm Finepix X10

Pro digicam

$599

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Continuous shooting Shoots faster continuously
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier

Canon PowerShot S90 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

Pro digicam

$573

Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Supports 24p Supports 24p
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Color depth Worse color depth

Olympus PEN E-PL1 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Olympus PEN E-PL2

Olympus PEN E-PL2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$485 with 14-42mm lens

Screen size Significantly larger screen
Movie continuous focus Continuous video focus
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Color depth Worse color depth
Olympus PEN E-PM1

Olympus PEN E-PM1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$500 with 14-42mm lens

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen size Significantly larger screen
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Built-in flash No built-in flash
Olympus PEN Lite E-PL3

Olympus PEN Lite E-PL3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$589 - $600 with 14-42mm lens

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen size Significantly larger screen
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Built-in flash No built-in flash
Nikon 1 J1

Nikon 1 J1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$547 with 10-30mm lens

High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Continuous shooting Shoots much faster
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Image stabilization No image stabilization
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$376 with 14-42mm lens

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen size Significantly larger screen
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Image stabilization No image stabilization

appearance

Canon PowerShot S90 Olympus PEN E-PL1
Canon PowerShot S90 Olympus PEN E-PL1
Canon PowerShot S90 Olympus PEN E-PL1

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