Updated (September, 2011): Compare the Canon Powershot S100 vs Olympus PEN E-P1

Canon PowerShot S95

62

"Image quality is still excellent, with a usable ISO range of 80-800 and fast f/2.0 maximum aperture, albeit only at the wide-angle lens setting, making the S95 very well-suited to low-light, hand-held photography."
photographyblog.com | talking about the S95's iso-noise
"Something that was glaringly missing from the S90 - HD video capture - has been rectified on the S95, with 720p movies at 1280x720 pixels resolution available at 24fps complete with stereo sound."
photographyblog.com | talking about the S95's video-quality

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot S95

Aperture
Wide aperture
f/2.0
Supports 24p
24p movies
For that film look
HDR
In-camera HDR
Combines multiple exposures
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
Olympus PEN E-P1

35

Runner-up

Olympus PEN E-P1

Reasons to buy the Olympus PEN E-P1

Overall image quality
Great image quality
55.0
True resolution
High true resolution
12.2 MP
Color depth
Great color depth
21.4 bits
Sensor size
Large sensor
Four thirds 18.0x13.5mm
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
Interchangeable lenses
Interchangeable lenses
Many lenses to choose from

differences

Advantages of the Canon S95

Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
Get that real film feel
HDR Has in-camera HDR Yes vs No
Help
Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 461k dots vs 230k dots
Help
More than 2x higher resolution screen
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.3 EV vs 10.4 EV
Help
0.9 f-stops more dynamic range
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens vs Sensor shift
Help
Less risk of blur
Built-in flash Built-in flash Yes vs No
Help
A built-in flash is useful for taking indoor shots where there is little light
Size Smaller 99x58x29 mm vs 121x70x36 mm
Help
More than 40% smaller
Weight Lighter 193 g vs 355 g
Help
Around 50% 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 Slightly thinner 1.2" vs 1.4"
Help
Around 20% thinner
Canon PowerShot S95 Learn more about
the Canon S95

Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-P1

Overall image quality Better image quality 55.0 vs 47.0
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 21.4 bits vs 20.4 bits
Help
Distinguishes 1 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 536 ISO vs 153 ISO
Help
The PEN E-P1 has excellent image quality 1.8 f-stops higher ISO than the S95
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor NMOS 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
Longest exposure Much longer exposures 60s vs 15s
Help
4x longer exposures
Fastest shutter speed Significantly faster max shutter speed 1/4000s vs 1/1600s
Help
2.5x faster max shutter speed
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster 3 fps vs 1.9 fps
Help
Around 60% faster continuous shooting
Lowest price Slightly cheaper $185.00 vs $340.00
Help
The best price we've seen is $155 cheaper (around 50% less)
Olympus PEN E-P1 Learn more about
the Olympus PEN E-P1
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digital cameras, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot S95 Canon PowerShot S95
62 vs 35
Explain scores
Olympus PEN E-P1 Olympus PEN E-P1
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot S95. 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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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
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Movie format HD (720p) video Help
S95:720p @ 24fps
PEN E-P1:720p @ 30fps
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
S95:47.0
PEN E-P1:55.0

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

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
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Olympus PEN E-PL1

Olympus PEN E-PL1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$260 - $279 with 14-42mm lens

External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Weight Is slightly heavier
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
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
Nikon 1 J1

Nikon 1 J1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$547 with 10-30mm lens

Movie format Records higher quality movies
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization

Canon PowerShot S95 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Pro digicam

$350

Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Macro focus Significantly better macro capability
Supports 24p No 24p support
HDR Lacks in-camera HDR
Olympus XZ-1

Olympus XZ-1

Pro digicam

$499 - $500

Screen type Has an OLED screen
Aperture Wider aperture
Supports 24p No 24p support
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Travel zoom

$319 - $330

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Aperture Much narrower aperture
Supports 24p No 24p support
Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Macro focus Significantly better macro capability
Aperture Significantly narrower aperture
Screen size Smaller screen
Nikon Coolpix P300

Nikon Coolpix P300

Pro digicam

$299

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Supports 24p No 24p support
Supports RAW No RAW support

Olympus PEN E-P1 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Olympus PEN E-P2

Olympus PEN E-P2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$480 with 17mm lens

Color depth Better color depth
Lowest price Slightly more expensive
Olympus PEN E-P3

Olympus PEN E-P3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$849 - $900 with 17mm lens

Screen type Has an OLED screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Overall image quality Slightly worse image quality
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
3D Takes 3D photos
Overall image quality Slightly worse image quality
Color depth Worse color depth
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$376 with 14-42mm lens

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Image stabilization No image stabilization
Color depth Worse color depth
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$643 - $1,125 body only

$739 - $964 with 14-42mm lens

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Image stabilization No image stabilization
Color depth Worse color depth

appearance

Canon PowerShot S95 Olympus PEN E-P1
Canon PowerShot S95 Olympus PEN E-P1
Canon PowerShot S95 Olympus PEN E-P1

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