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Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V

Portability
77
Imaging
44
Features
31
Overall
38
Olympus E-400 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V front
Portability
90
Imaging
42
Features
50
Overall
45

Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V Key Specs

Olympus E-400
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 435g - 130 x 91 x 53mm
  • Launched September 2006
  • Newer Model is Olympus E-410
Sony HX20V
(Full Review)
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-500mm (F3.2-5.8) lens
  • 254g - 107 x 62 x 35mm
  • Introduced July 2012
  • Replaced the Sony HX10V
  • Updated by Sony HX30V
Photography Glossary

Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V Overview

In this article, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Sony. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the E-400 (10MP) and HX20V (18MP) and the E-400 (Four Thirds) and HX20V (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor size.

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The E-400 was revealed 6 years prior to the HX20V and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-400 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony HX20V being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a thorough comparison, below is a short summation of how the E-400 matches up versus the HX20V for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-400 over the Sony HX20V

 E-400 HX20V 

Reasons to pick Sony HX20V over the Olympus E-400

 HX20V E-400 
IntroducedJuly 2012September 2006More recent by 71 months
Screen sizing3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution922k215kSharper screen (+707k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-400 and Sony HX20V

 E-400 HX20V 
Manually focus More accurate focus
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen No selfie screen
Touch friendly screen No Touch friendly screen

Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V Physical Comparison

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-400 enjoys outer measurements of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") and a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs) whilst the Sony HX20V has dimensions of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") along with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the E-400 compared to the HX20V.

Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-400 and HX20V is 77 and 90 respectively.

Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V Sensor Comparison

Often, it is very hard to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements purely by going through specs. The visual below should offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-400 and HX20V.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-400 with its bigger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Sony HX20V will show more detail because of its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The older E-400 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V sensor size comparison

Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus E-400
Portrait photography with Sony HX20V
46
you can focus manually
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
no liveview feature
manual exposure not possible
megapixel count low (10 megapixels)
45
you can focus manually
decent MP (18 megapixels)
comes with face detection focus
external flash not possible
small sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-400 Street photography information
Sony HX20V Street photography information
60
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
no articulating screen
lack of image stabilization
61
has image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than average (254g)
screen does not articulate
small sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-400 as a Sports photography camera
Sony HX20V as a Sports photography camera
38
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
sensor has phase detect AF
no liveview feature
max frames per second very slow (3.0 fps)
lack of image stabilization
megapixel count low (10 megapixels)
49
excellent zoom range (25-500mm 20.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (18 megapixels)
comes with tracking autofocus
lack of shutter priority mode
small sensor (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-400 as a Travel photography camera
Sony HX20V as a Travel photography camera
49
flash built-in
doesn't have Timelapse recording
megapixel count low (10MP)
display is not selfie friendly
69
lighter than average (254 grams)
decent MP (18MP)
flash built-in
really wide (25mm)
very long zoom (500mm)
lack of Time Lapse function
does not posses selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.2)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-400 Landscape photography highlights
Sony HX20V Landscape photography highlights
45
you can focus manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
screen is small (2.5 inch)
no liveview feature
manual exposure not possible
lack of image stabilization
megapixel count low (10 megapixels)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
50
you can focus manually
really wide (25mm)
decent sized screen (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (18 megapixels)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.2)
small sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
lack of Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-400 as a Vlogging camera
Sony HX20V as a Vlogging camera
9
can't record video
34
really wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detection focus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than average (254g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.2)
does not posses selfie friendly screen
lack of external mic support
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Olympus E-400 vs Sony HX20V Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-400 and Sony HX20V
 Olympus E-400Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V
General Information
Make Olympus Sony
Model Olympus E-400 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V
Class Entry-Level DSLR Small Sensor Superzoom
Launched 2006-09-14 2012-07-20
Physical type Compact SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by - BIONZ
Sensor type CCD BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixels 18 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3 and 16:9
Peak resolution 3648 x 2736 4896 x 3672
Highest native ISO 1600 12800
Min native ISO 100 100
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Number of focus points 3 9
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 25-500mm (20.0x)
Max aperture - f/3.2-5.8
Macro focus range - 1cm
Number of lenses 45 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 5.8
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 2.5 inches 3 inches
Screen resolution 215k dots 922k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Screen technology - XtraFine TruBlack TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder coverage 95 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.46x -
Features
Min shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/1600 seconds
Continuous shutter rate 3.0 frames per sec 10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 10.00 m (at ISO 100) 7.10 m
Flash modes Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution None 1920x1080
Video data format - MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 435g (0.96 lb) 254g (0.56 lb)
Dimensions 130 x 91 x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") 107 x 62 x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life - 320 pictures
Type of battery - Battery Pack
Battery model - NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots 1 1
Price at release $599 $397