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Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20

Portability
67
Imaging
41
Features
31
Overall
37
Olympus E-300 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20 front
Portability
87
Imaging
33
Features
29
Overall
31

Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20 Key Specs

Olympus E-300
(Full Review)
  • 8MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 1.8" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 400 (Increase to 1600)
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 624g - 147 x 85 x 64mm
  • Introduced January 2005
  • Other Name is EVOLT E-300
  • Successor is Olympus E-330
Sony H20
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 38-380mm (F3.5-4.4) lens
  • 250g - 107 x 69 x 47mm
  • Introduced May 2009
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Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20 Overview

Lets look much closer at the Olympus E-300 and Sony H20, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-300 (8MP) and the H20 (10MP) is fairly well matched but the E-300 (Four Thirds) and H20 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-300 was announced 5 years before the H20 and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-300 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony H20 being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a full comparison, here is a simple view of how the E-300 scores versus the H20 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-300 over the Sony H20

 E-300 H20 

Reasons to pick Sony H20 over the Olympus E-300

 H20 E-300 
IntroducedMay 2009January 2005More recent by 52 months
Display dimensions3"1.8"Larger display (+1.2")
Display resolution230k134kCrisper display (+96k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-300 and Sony H20

 E-300 H20 
Manual focus More accurate focus
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Selfie screen Neither offers selfie screen
Touch friendly display Absent Touch friendly display

Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera regularly, you're going to have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-300 offers physical dimensions of 147mm x 85mm x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") and a weight of 624 grams (1.38 lbs) and the Sony H20 has sizing of 107mm x 69mm x 47mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.9") and a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-300 and Sony H20 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have at that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the E-300 and the H20.

Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-300 and H20 is 67 and 87 respectively.

Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, its tough to see the gap between sensor measurements merely by checking specs. The graphic here may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-300 and H20.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-300 with its larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Sony H20 will give you greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop pics more aggressively. The older E-300 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.

Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-300 Portrait photography factors
Sony H20 Portrait photography factors
48
manual focus
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
doesn't have liveview
megapixel count low (8MP)
27
has manual focus
can't use external flash
MP count low (10MP)
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-300 Street photography features
Sony H20 Street photography features
51
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
no articulating screen
lack of image stabilization
low maximum ISO (400)
51
has image stabilization (Optical)
no moving screen
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
heavier than others (250g)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-300 Sports photography information
Sony H20 Sports photography information
37
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
comes with phase detect auto focus
doesn't have liveview
low fps (3.0 fps)
lack of image stabilization
megapixel count low (8 megapixels)
26
has image stabilization (Optical)
painfully slow continuous shooting (2.0 frames per second)
MP count low (10MP)
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-300 Travel photography info
Sony H20 Travel photography info
45
flash built-in
lack of Time Lapse recording
megapixel count low (8 megapixels)
does not contain selfie friendly display
51
has built in flash
very long reach (380mm)
does not have Time Lapse mode
heavier than others (250g)
MP count low (10 megapixels)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
wide angle not the best (38mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-300 Landscape photography info
Sony H20 Landscape photography info
43
manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
small screen (1.8 inch)
doesn't have liveview
lack of image stabilization
megapixel count low (8 megapixels)
low maximum ISO (400)
lack of Time Lapse recording
36
has manual focus
screen size is decent (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not the best (38mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
MP count low (10MP)
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
does not have Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-300 as a Vlogging camera
Sony H20 as a Vlogging camera
9
no video recording
23
has image stabilization (Optical)
wide angle not the best (38mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
video res low (1280 x 720 pxls)
does not have mic socket
heavier than others (250g)
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Olympus E-300 vs Sony H20 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-300 and Sony H20
 Olympus E-300Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20
General Information
Brand Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus E-300 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20
Otherwise known as EVOLT E-300 -
Type Advanced DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Introduced 2005-01-10 2009-05-14
Physical type Mid-size SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 8MP 10MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 3264 x 2448 3648 x 2736
Highest native ISO 400 3200
Highest boosted ISO 1600 -
Minimum native ISO 100 100
RAW data
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Total focus points 3 9
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 38-380mm (10.0x)
Max aperture - f/3.5-4.4
Macro focusing distance - 2cm
Available lenses 45 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.8
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen sizing 1.8" 3"
Resolution of screen 134 thousand dots 230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 3.0fps 2.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance - 7.10 m
Flash settings Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Front Curtain, Rear Curtain
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize 1/180 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions - 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution None 1280x720
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 624 gr (1.38 pounds) 250 gr (0.55 pounds)
Physical dimensions 147 x 85 x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") 107 x 69 x 47mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.9")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery ID - NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage Compact Flash (Type I or II) Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo, Internal
Card slots 1 1
Price at launch $800 $249