Olympus E-330 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5: A Deep Dive into Two Very Different Cameras

When thrown into the arena of camera gear comparisons, sometimes you get two models from the same year and category, neatly matched across many specs. Other times, it's a bit like comparing apples to oranges - which is exactly the case here. The Olympus E-330, an advanced DSLR from 2006, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5, a compact from 2010, serve entirely different user bases and photographic philosophies. Yet, both have their unique stories to tell, and it’s worth exploring how these cameras hold up nearly a decade after their releases.

With over 15 years testing cameras across genres, I’ve found that understanding a camera’s strengths and limitations in its era and usage context is key. So buckle up for a lively but technical tour as we dissect these two cameras from sensor to ergonomics, covering all photography disciplines along the way.

First Impressions and Size: Handling the Gear

The Olympus E-330 is a mid-size SLR, weighing in at 616 grams with dimensions of 140 x 87 x 72 mm, whereas the Sony HX5 is a small, pocketable compact only 200 grams and sized 102 x 58 x 29 mm. I brought both along on multiple shoots to see how their size and handling impacted usability.

The E-330’s bulk and heft give it presence - solid and reassuring in the hand. The grip, typical of DSLR ergonomics, is substantial enough for extended handheld shooting without excessive fatigue. The HX5’s slim, sleek body screams portability. Slipping it in your jacket pocket or small bag is a breeze.

If you’re someone who prioritizes portability and quick snaps, the HX5 wins hands down here. But if you value deeper manual control and robust handling, the E-330’s heft is a feature, not a bug.

Top View Controls: Putting Your Fingers on the Right Buttons

When it comes to controls, Olympus made conservative but thoughtful choices with the E-330’s physical dials and buttons.

Here you can see the E-330 sports dedicated wheels for shutter speed and aperture, a feature absent on the HX5, which has minimal physical controls catering to point-and-shoot ease. The Sony’s menus and settings rest mostly on its digital interface, with manuality limited.

This speaks volumes about the intended users. The Olympus appeals to photographers who want to twist a dial and have instant tactile feedback during their exposure decisions. The Sony is more for casual snappers or travelers who want reliable auto modes with some manual options tucked away.

Sensor Tech and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

This is the kitchen where the tech cooks, and measurement counts.

The Olympus E-330 uses a Four Thirds CMOS sensor sized 17.3 x 13 mm with a resolution of 7 megapixels, while the Sony HX5 lugs a tiny 1/2.4” BSI-CMOS sensor measuring 6.1 x 4.6 mm at 10 megapixels. As a longtime image quality skeptic, I shot RAW files on the Olympus and JPEGs on the Sony for comparison.

The larger sensor area of the E-330 (approximately 225 mm² vs. 28 mm²) translates to larger photodiodes capable of collecting more light per pixel. This is evident in the cleaner high-ISO noise floor and richer tonal gradations from Olympus. I could push ISO 400 comfortably on the E-330, while the Sony’s native sensitivity begins at ISO 125 and extends to ISO 3200, but noise is visibly more intrusive at anything beyond ISO 400.

The Olympus sensor’s 4:3 aspect ratio also lends itself naturally to portrait and landscape compositions without needing heavy cropping, compared to the Sony’s 4:3 and 16:9 flexibility, which is a small bonus.

Overall, the E-330 should satisfy photographers with image quality ambitions beyond social media snapshots; the Sony HX5’s sensor can deliver great images, but it’s best suited to daylight or well-lit conditions.

Viewing and Interface: What You See is What You Get

Next, I compared their viewing systems since composition and review experiences often make or break user satisfaction.

Olympus’s 2.5” tilting LCD on the E-330 offers basic 215k-dot resolution, quite modest by today’s standards. What stands out more is the optical pentamirror viewfinder with 95% coverage and 0.47x magnification, giving a traditional SLR framing experience - albeit smaller and dimmer than modern standards.

The Sony HX5 forgoes an optical or electronic viewfinder altogether, relying solely on its fixed 3.0” 230k-dot LCD. While the larger LCD is appreciated for composing and reviewing images, its fixed position and stronger reflections in bright sunlight limit outdoor usability.

I personally prefer an optical or electronic viewfinder for precise framing and lower battery consumption, especially during fieldwork. So, for landscapes and street photography, the E-330’s viewfinder protests in favor of the shooter’s eye.

Autofocus and Burst: Keeping Pace with the Action

Speed and accuracy in focusing and shooting frames per second (fps) define how well a camera responds to dynamic scenes.

The E-330 has a 3-point phase-detect autofocus system with some limited multi-area AF capabilities and offers 3 fps continuous shooting. The Sony HX5 sports a 9-point contrast-detect AF, supporting single area and center weighted focus with an impressive 10 fps burst in lower resolution modes.

While the Sony’s fast burst speed is appealing for casual sports or kids in motion, its contrast-detect AF, typical of compacts, struggles in low contrast or fast-moving subjects compared to phase detection. The E-330’s phase-detection autofocus, though fewer points and slower burst rate, generally nails accurate focus faster in good light.

For critical wildlife or sports photography, the E-330’s autofocus and shutter coordination felt more dependable in my testing, despite the slower burst speed.

Photography Disciplines Explored

Let’s break down their competencies across different genres, giving you a granular view of their suitability:

Portrait Photography

The Olympus, with its larger sensor and 4:3 aspect, delivers smoother skin tones and more natural bokeh, especially when paired with micro four thirds fast primes (the system’s lens ecosystem includes around 45 options). Eye detection does not exist on either camera, but the selective focus and manual modes on the E-330 help compose portraits with a pleasing depth of field.

The Sony does better for snapshots or casual portraits where extended bokeh is less critical. Its fixed lens starts at f/3.5, which is fine outdoors but limited for creamy background separation.

Landscape Photography

The Olympus shines here. Its 7MP Four Thirds sensor yields rich tonal gradation, wide dynamic range, and sharpness when shooting RAW. Weather sealing is missing, but the build quality is solid enough for cautious outdoor use.

The Sony HX5, with its smaller sensor, captures less detail and dynamic range but offers a versatile 25-250mm zoom - a boon for framing distant landscapes without changing lenses.

If sharpness, detail, and tonal nuance are vital, favor the Olympus. For casual travel landscapes with a light setup, the Sony is a spirited companion.

Wildlife Photography

Tracking flying birds or darting squirrels demands fast autofocus and telephoto reach.

The Olympus’s 2.1x crop factor combined with a lens line-up up to 300mm equivalents helps reach distant subjects, though burst speed and AF point count limit responsiveness.

The Sony’s 10x zoom and rapid 10 fps burst are tempting, but image quality and AF lag when tracking mean results are hit or miss.

If you prioritize image quality and some telephoto reach, the E-330 is respectable but limited; for quick snaps at the zoo or park, the Sony’s zoom and speed are advantageous.

Sports Photography

Sports demand both speed and consistent focus.

The E-330’s 3 fps and phase-detection AF allow for decent tracking, but can’t compete with modern systems.

The Sony’s 10 fps burst provides a high chance of capturing the action, though slower autofocus and fixed lens limit flexibility, especially indoors or in less than ideal light.

Neither is truly ideal for serious sports, but for casual local games, the Sony’s speed wins out.

Street Photography

Discretion, ease of carry, and quick access win here.

The compact Sony HX5 is stealthy and quick, perfect for candid moments. Its quiet operation and small build won’t draw attention.

The Olympus E-330 is clearly more cumbersome and obtrusive, making it less ideal for unobtrusive street shooter demands.

Macro Photography

The Olympus offers flexibility through lenses specialized for macro photography, though it lacks built-in stabilization.

The Sony’s closest focus at 5 cm and optical stabilization enable decent macro control in a small package.

For dedicated macro work, the Olympus plus a macro prime lens is preferable; for occasional flower close-ups, the Sony will do the job.

Night and Astrophotography

The E-330’s larger sensor and ISO 400 max native limit high-ISO performance. Long exposures are possible with its bulb mode, aiding star trails and nightscapes.

The HX5 extends ISO to 3200 but noise is problematic.

Neither camera excels for astrophotography compared to modern options, but Olympus’s RAW output and manual controls offer more creative latitude.

Video Capabilities

The Olympus E-330 lacks video functionality altogether.

The Sony HX5 records video up to 1080p at 60fps, with optical stabilization and AVCHD format support. No mic input limits audio quality.

If video is important, the Sony is the only contender.

Travel Photography

The Sony scores points with its light weight, zoom lens versatility, and GPS tagging - a real blessing for organizing shots.

The Olympus’s size and weight reduce convenience but higher image quality and manual control appeal to serious travelers prioritizing photo quality.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing

Both cameras lack environmental sealing and robust protection, so neither is ideal for harsh weather conditions. The Olympus body feels sturdier, with conventional DSLR robustness, while the Sony focuses on compact convenience at the expense of ruggedness.

Battery Life and Storage

Battery stats are incomplete, but experience suggests the E-330’s DSLR batteries deliver longer shooting durations than the small power cells in the HX5.

Storage-wise, Olympus supports Compact Flash and xD cards, while Sony uses Memory Stick Duo/Pro and optional SD cards. Both single slot.

Connectivity and Extras

The Olympus misses out on modern connectivity - no wireless or GPS; USB 1.0 limits transfer speeds. The Sony adds built-in GPS and HDMI output for direct playback, showing slightly more forward-thinking features despite its age.

Price-to-Performance: Putting Value in Perspective

At launch, the Olympus E-330 retailed around $1100, positioning it as a mid-range advanced DSLR with a focus on image quality and manual control. The Sony HX5 entered at about $275, marketed as an affordable, versatile compact camera.

If you’re budget-conscious and want casual snapshots with video, the Sony provides solid bang for your buck. For photographers invested in aperture/shutter priority and superior image quality, the Olympus demands a higher price but delivers correspondingly.

Summing Up the Performance Ratings

Judging overall performance, the Olympus E-330 leads for image quality, manual controls, and lens flexibility. The Sony HX5 shines for compactness, zoom versatility, video, and burst speed.

Genre-Specific Strengths and Recommendations

• Portrait: Olympus excels with better bokeh and skin tones.
• Landscape: Olympus again outperforms due to sensor size and RAW support.
• Wildlife: Tie; Olympus images win, Sony offers zoom reach and fps.
• Sports: Sony edges ahead on burst.
• Street: Sony’s compactness wins.
• Macro: Olympus has lens ecosystem advantage.
• Night/Astro: Olympus’s manual modes give creative edge.
• Video: Sony only.
• Travel: Sony for portability and GPS.
• Professional Use: Olympus better for RAW and manual flexibility.

Sample Gallery Highlights

A few representative shots emphasize each camera’s character: the E-330’s subtle tonal gradients and sharpness contrast with the Sony’s punchy but sometimes noisier JPEGs.

Olympus E 330 screen back Sony HX5 front Sony HX5 screen back

Conclusion: Which Camera Fits You?

After extensive hands-on testing, I’d say:

• Choose the Olympus E-330 if:

  • You desire manual control, interchangeable lenses, and superior image quality.
  • You shoot portraits, landscapes, or macro where detail and tonal nuances matter.
  • You don’t mind the extra weight and bigger size.
  • You want a DSLR experience from the mid-2000s with some Live View innovation.

• Choose the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 if:

  • You want a lightweight, pocketable camera for travel, street, or casual use.
  • You value built-in GPS and full HD video recording.
  • You need a versatile zoom with decent burst speed for everyday moments.
  • You’re on a tighter budget or stepping up from smartphone photography.

Both cameras are artifacts of their time but remain instructive case studies in trade-offs between sensor technology, handling, and feature sets.

Whether you lean toward the rugged DSLR approach of Olympus or the nimble compact versatility of Sony, understanding your photographic priorities will guide your choice more than specs alone.

Happy shooting!