Olympus E-3 vs Sony HX20V

Below, we are comparing the Olympus E-3 versus Sony HX20V, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a substantial difference between the image resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and HX20V (18MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and HX20V (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was revealed 5 years before the HX20V and that is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony HX20V being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-3 matches up against the HX20V with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-3 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-3 Gallery & Sony HX20V Gallery.

In case you're going to carry your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-3 offers exterior dimensions of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") along with a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) whilst the Sony HX20V has sizing of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-3 versus Sony HX20V in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the E-3 vs the HX20V.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-3 and HX20V is 56 and 90 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very difficult to see the gap between sensor sizing simply by reviewing specifications. The photograph underneath should offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-3 and HX20V.

To sum up, the two cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-3 having a larger sensor will make shooting bokeh simpler and the Sony HX20V will offer extra detail because of its extra 8MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos much more aggressively. The older E-3 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.