Olympus E-1 vs Sony TX30

On this page, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-1 versus Sony TX30, one being a Pro DSLR and the latter is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and TX30 (18MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and TX30 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-1 was manufactured 10 years earlier than the TX30 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Sony TX30 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-1 grades versus the TX30 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Sony TX30 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-1 enjoys external dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") and a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) while the Sony TX30 has specifications of 96mm x 59mm x 15mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.6") with a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-1 versus Sony TX30 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the E-1 and the TX30.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-1 and TX30 is 59 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to see the gap between sensor sizing merely by going over specifications. The visual below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-1 and TX30.

To sum up, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-1 because of its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Sony TX30 will offer extra detail due to its extra 13 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older E-1 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.