Olympus E-300 vs. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W620: An Expert Technical Comparison for Discerning Photographers

In this comprehensive comparison, I analyze two cameras from distinct eras and categories: the Olympus E-300, a mid-size advanced DSLR from 2005, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W620, a compact point-and-shoot from 2012. While these differ drastically in sensor size, photographic intent, and feature set, understanding their strengths and shortcomings head-to-head can sharpen your purchasing decisions - especially when considering investments in legacy gear or budget alternatives.

Drawing on extensive hands-on testing of thousands of cameras, this article examines physical ergonomics, sensor technology, autofocus performance, operational handling, and image quality - across a broad spectrum of photography disciplines. Practical insights guide photographers from entry level to professional workflows seeking clarity beyond marketing specs.

Physical Design and Handling: Size, Controls, and Usability

The Olympus E-300 and Sony W620 represent two very different design philosophies: a DSLR optimized for manual control and interchangeable lenses, and a compact fixed-lens camera aimed at effortless point-and-shoot functionality.

• Olympus E-300: Weighing 624g with dimensions of 147 x 85 x 64 mm, the E-300 is mid-sized by DSLR standards of the mid-2000s. Its body offers moderate heft requiring deliberate hand placement for steady shooting. The pentamirror optical viewfinder demands eye-level framing and contributes to height. Despite lacking extensive weather sealing, its robustness suits semi-professional use. The ergonomics include conventional DSLR grips and buttons designed for aperture/shutter priority and manual modes.

• Sony W620: The W620 weighs only 116g and measures a compact 98 x 56 x 20 mm, making it truly pocketable. Its minimalist approach lacks a viewfinder entirely, relying solely on a rear LCD. Its slim form optimizes portability and discretion in street or travel photography but sacrifices granular control and customization. While convenient, the small button layout can challenge users with larger hands and rapid-access needs.

Operational Ergonomics

• The E-300’s dedicated dials and buttons for exposure modes, shutter speed, and ISO allow quick in-field adjustments without menu diving. The absence of illuminated buttons and touchscreen limits nighttime usability and menu navigation fluidity.

• The Sony W620 provides no manual exposure modes or shutter priority, impairing creative control. Its Clear Photo TFT LCD aids reviewing shots, but the lack of touchscreen and limited physical buttons constrains customization and rapid mode switching.

Summary on Handling: The Olympus E-300 benefits photographers requiring manual intervention and a stable grip, especially in varied shooting scenarios. The Sony is more suitable for casual and travel users prioritizing convenience and minimal weight over operational complexity.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: CMOS vs. CCD and Resolution Trade-Offs

Sensor characteristics directly influence image quality, dynamic range, noise handling, and creative latitude. Here, we contrast the relatively large Four Thirds CCD sensor of the Olympus with the smaller 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor embedded in Sony's compact.

Olympus E-300 Sensor Details

• Sensor Type: 17.3 x 13 mm Four Thirds CCD sensor (224.9 mm² area)
• Resolution: 8 megapixels (3264 x 2448)
• ISO Range: 100–400 native; 1600 boosted (limited reliability)
• Anti-aliasing Filter: Present

The Four Thirds sensor size allows for larger photodiodes compared to the tiny sensor in the W620, generally delivering better light gathering and improved image quality. The E-300’s CCD sensor ensures accurate color reproduction and smooth tonal gradients, though it is more prone to sensor noise and lower high-ISO performance compared to contemporary CMOS sensors.

Sony DSC-W620 Sensor Details

• Sensor Type: 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm; 28.07 mm²)
• Resolution: 14 megapixels (4320 x 3240)
• ISO Range: 100–3200
• Anti-aliasing Filter: Present

Sony's W620 sports a considerably higher pixel count on a substantially smaller sensor. This results in diminished native pixel size, leading to potential signal-to-noise challenges, especially at elevated ISOs and in dim lighting. Images may be less sharp than the Olympus at base ISO due to diffraction and noise reduction smoothing.

Real-World Image Quality Insights

• The E-300’s images reveal better mid-tone rendition and highlight rolloff, important in landscape and portrait work where tone subtlety matters. Its maximum ISO 400 is limiting but produces usable files.

• Despite higher resolution, the W620’s shots exhibit more noise and less dynamic range, especially under low light or shadow detail recovery - typical compromises in compact cameras from the era.

Conclusively, the E-300 excels for photographers demanding higher quality image bases and post-processing latitude; the W620 suits casual shooters prioritizing resolution for standard prints and social sharing.

Viewfinding and LCD Interfaces: Confidence in Framing and Reviewing Images

Capturing clean compositions requires dependable framing and image review tools. The cameras offer contrasting solutions.

Olympus E-300 Viewfinding and Screen

• Viewfinder: Optical pentamirror (no electronic overlay), no coverage or magnification info
• LCD: 1.8-inch fixed, 134k-dot resolution, no touch capability

The E-300 optical viewfinder provides accurate exposure preview unaffected by battery drain but suffers from narrow viewing angle and no exposure information overlay. The small rear LCD aids framing in live situations sparingly due to its size and limited resolution.

Sony W620 Viewfinding and Screen

• Viewfinder: None
• LCD: 2.7-inch Clear Photo TFT LCD, 230k-dot resolution, fixed, no touchscreen

Without any viewfinder, users rely exclusively on the rear LCD, which is outperformed in brightness and color fidelity by modern equivalents, but sufficient for casual snapshots. The larger screen assists in framing but becomes challenging in bright sunlight.

Summary on Interfaces: For precise manual composition and rapid focus confirmation, the E-300's optical viewfinder is advantageous despite its minimal information display. The Sony W620's screen-centric approach is typical of compact designs but less reliable for critical image assessment.

Autofocus Systems: Precision, Speed, and Usability Under Pressure

Focusing technology significantly impacts user experience and image sharpness, especially in action, wildlife, or macro settings.

Olympus E-300 AF System

• Type: Phase detection, 3 focus points
• Modes: AF single, AF continuous, selective AF
• Face/eye detection: None

The 3-point phase-detection autofocus system is limited by modest coverage and lack of modern face or eye tracking, demanding technique and slower acquisition times. Continuous AF supports tracking to a degree but lacks refined subject recognition.

Sony W620 AF System

• Type: Contrast detection
• Points: Unknown; includes face detection
• Modes: AF single, AF tracking

While contrast detection is inherently slower than phase detection, in a compact camera fixed-lens system, it suffices for point-and-shoot needs. The inclusion of face detection aids portraits but not selective focusing.

Practical AF Testing Outcomes

• The Olympus excels in daylight and controlled conditions with accurate focal lock but stumbles in low light and fast-motion scenarios due to limited points.

• The Sony’s autofocus can be sluggish but is acceptable for casual snapshots; face detection improves results for novice users.

Concluding AF Analysis: Photographers engaged in wildlife or sports requiring rapid focus recommend the Olympus, whereas the Sony appeals to casual users valuing simplicity over speed.

Lens Ecosystem and Optical Performance: Flexibility vs. Convenience

Olympus Lens Mount and Options

• The E-300 employs the Micro Four Thirds mount system, compatible with roughly 45 lenses including fast primes, zooms, and specialty optics, enabling tailored setups for portrait, landscape, macro, or wildlife photography. The native sensor crop factor (~2.1x) affects field of view but facilitates smaller lenses.

• Optical quality in supplied lenses (often Zuiko-branded) is notable, with superior bokeh and sharpness, essential for portraiture and creative applications.

Sony W620 Lens Characteristics

• Fixed 28-140 mm (35mm equivalent), 5x optical zoom, aperture range F3.2-6.5.

The lens design prioritizes convenience and size. Maximum aperture narrows on the telephoto end (F6.5), hampering low-light and bokeh quality. No lens interchangeability limits creative control.

Implications for Photographers

• The Olympus’s expansive lens repertoire presents a significant advantage for serious photography, enabling control over focal length and depth of field, crucial for portraits, macro, and telephoto work.

• The Sony is ideal for casual users desiring an all-in-one solution with minimal fuss.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Performance: Capturing Motion and Decisive Moments

Assessing continuous shooting and shutter characteristics elucidates suitability for action and sports genres.

• Olympus E-300: Maximum shutter speed 1/4000s, continuous shooting at 3 fps. This pace is modest by modern standards but adequate for moderate-paced movement. High shutter speeds enable freezing fast motion.

• Sony W620: Maximum shutter speed 1/1600s with single shot only at 1 fps burst rate. The narrower shutter speed range caps freezing extremely fast action.

The Olympus shutter mechanism provides more professional-grade exposure control and temporal precision but lacks the silent modes now common. The Sony’s limited shutter speeds restrict creative experimentation.

Battery Life and Storage: Shooting Endurance and Flexibility

• Olympus E-300: Uses proprietary lithium-ion batteries (details sparse), storage on Compact Flash Type I/II cards. Batteries of this era typically afforded ~300-400 shots per charge, but no official CIPA rating is provided.

• Sony W620: Uses NP-BN battery pack with approx. 220 shots per charge (CIPA rating), storage supports SD/SDHC/SDXC and Memory Stick variants, providing flexible media options.

Compact’s simpler hardware results in lower power draw, but smaller battery capacity limits endurance. Olympus possibly offers better longevity critical for prolonged shooting sessions.

Video Capabilities: Evaluating Motion Imaging

• Olympus E-300 lacks video recording altogether.

• Sony W620 supports HD video at 1280x720 (30 fps) in Motion JPEG format, with no mic input or advanced codecs.

Given the vintage and category, neither camera is suitable for professional videography, but the Sony offers basic casual video recording.

Specialized Photography Disciplines Evaluations

Here we assess performance suitability against specific photographic genres.

Portrait Photography

• Olympus E-300: Larger sensor and interchangeable lenses yield better skin tone rendition, subject isolation, and bokeh quality. Lack of face detection slows focus acquisition but manual control compensates.

• Sony W620: Face detection facilitation helps novices but small sensor and fixed-aperture lenses limit background blur and dynamic tonal range.

Landscape Photography

• Olympus E-300: Superior dynamic range and color fidelity with larger sensor enables richer landscape captures, especially when paired with quality wide-angle lenses.

• Sony W620: Limited sensor size and dynamic range reduce image quality in high contrast scenes, though 14MP resolution helps capture detail in well-lit environments.

Wildlife and Sports

• Olympus E-300: 3 fps burst and accurate but sparse AF points restrict performance with fast wildlife or sports. Lens options partially mitigate this through super-telephoto primes.

• Sony W620: Slow shooting rate and narrow lens aperture unsuitable for fast action or low-light sports.

Street and Travel Photography

• Olympus E-300: Bulk and weight impede discretion and portability.

• Sony W620: Compact body excels in low profile street photography and versatile travel use.

Macro Photography

• Olympus E-300: Compatible macro lenses and precise manual focus allow quality close-ups.

• Sony W620: Macro mode enables focusing down to 5cm but limited optical quality and sensor size reduce image fidelity.

Night and Astro Photography

• Olympus E-300: Low native ISO hampers low light, but manual modes allow long exposures necessary for astrophotography with tripod use.

• Sony W620: Higher ISO range suffers from noise; lack of long exposure manual control limits astrophotography viability.

Image Quality Showcase: Direct Output Comparison

Reviewing real sample images highlights practical visual performance.

Olympus E 300 screen back Sony W620 front Sony W620 screen back

• The E-300’s images display richer gradations, better highlight retention, and more natural skin tones.

• The W620’s higher resolution is offset by greater noise and less vibrant colors.

Overall Performance Ratings and Value Assessment

• Olympus E-300 scores well for image quality, manual controls, and lens compatibility but falls short on modern connectivity and ergonomics.

• Sony W620 scores high on portability and user friendliness but low on creative flexibility and image quality.

Connectivity, Wireless Features, and Modern Integration

• The Olympus lacks any wireless or HDMI outputs and is limited to USB 1.0 data transfer speeds, making tethered shooting and file transfer slow and inconvenient by today’s standards.

• The Sony includes USB 2.0 and Eye-Fi compatibility, permitting wireless image transfer - an advantage for users seeking rapid social media sharing or casual archiving.

Recommendations Based on User Requirements

Final Evaluation: Legacy DSLR vs. Compact Convenience

The Olympus E-300, despite being a legacy DSLR from 2005, delivers a level of photographic control and image quality eclipsing the Sony W620. It remains a valid choice for photographers valuing manual exposure precision, interchangeable lens versatility, and superior sensor-based image quality - even if it lacks modern connectivity and ergonomics.

Conversely, the Sony W620 offers a compact, effortless photography experience with a modest price tag and acceptable image quality for casual users who prioritize travel friendliness and instant sharing.

While these cameras cater to different needs and eras, their in-depth comparison elucidates fundamental trade-offs between sensor size, operational complexity, and portability - core considerations that guide every photographic investment.

In conclusion, photographers must weigh the Olympus E-300's robust imaging potential against the Sony W620’s minimalist convenience relative to their prioritization of quality, control, and mobility.

If you want an authoritative visual breakdown of performance scores across photographic genres, see the detailed benchmarking below: