Olympus E-1 vs Sony QX30

On this page, we will be comparing the Olympus E-1 vs Sony QX30, former is a Pro DSLR while the latter is a Lens-style by brands Olympus and Sony. There is a considerable difference among the resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and QX30 (20MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and QX30 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was launched 11 years before the QX30 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Sony QX30 being a Lens-style camera.

Before getting right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-1 matches up against the QX30 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX30. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Sony QX30 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera frequently, you have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-1 comes with physical measurements of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") along with a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) and the Sony QX30 has specifications of 68mm x 65mm x 58mm (2.7" x 2.6" x 2.3") along with a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

See the Olympus E-1 vs Sony QX30 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the E-1 compared to the QX30.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-1 and QX30 is 59 and 91 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes purely by looking through specifications. The picture below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-1 and QX30.

To sum up, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-1 due to its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Sony QX30 will render more detail utilizing its extra 15MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-1 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.