Olympus E-1 vs Sony H70

Here is a extended review of the Olympus E-1 and Sony H70, one being a Pro DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and H70 (16MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and H70 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was manufactured 8 years earlier than the H70 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Sony H70 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-1 scores against the H70 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H70. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Sony H70 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-1 offers exterior dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) while the Sony H70 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 194 grams (0.43 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-1 and Sony H70 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the E-1 and the H70.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-1 and H70 is 59 and 93 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to see the difference in sensor sizing purely by looking through specifications. The graphic here might give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-1 and H70.

To sum up, both cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-1 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Sony H70 will provide you with more detail due to its extra 11MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos way more aggressively. The older E-1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.