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Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V

Portability
77
Imaging
44
Features
36
Overall
40
Olympus E-420 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V front
Portability
90
Imaging
42
Features
50
Overall
45

Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V Key Specs

Olympus E-420
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 426g - 130 x 91 x 53mm
  • Announced June 2008
  • Previous 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
  • Revealed July 2012
  • Succeeded the Sony HX10V
  • Successor is Sony HX30V
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Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V Overview

Here is a extensive analysis of the Olympus E-420 versus Sony HX20V, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a sizeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and HX20V (18MP) and the E-420 (Four Thirds) and HX20V (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizing.

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The E-420 was announced 5 years earlier than the HX20V and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony HX20V being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a detailed comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-420 matches up versus the HX20V in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-420 over the Sony HX20V

 E-420 HX20V 

Reasons to pick Sony HX20V over the Olympus E-420

 HX20V E-420 
RevealedJuly 2012June 2008Fresher by 49 months
Screen sizing3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution922k230kCrisper screen (+692k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-420 and Sony HX20V

 E-420 HX20V 
Focus manually More accurate focus
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen
Touch screen Neither contains Touch screen

Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V Physical Comparison

If you are intending to carry your camera regularly, you are going to need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-420 has got outside dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") accompanied by a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Sony HX20V has proportions of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") along with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-420 versus Sony HX20V in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-420 vs the HX20V.

Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V size comparison

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-420 and HX20V is 77 and 90 respectively.

Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V Sensor Comparison

Usually, it can be hard to imagine the gap between sensor sizing only by checking specifications. The photograph underneath will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-420 and HX20V.

To sum up, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-420 having a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony HX20V will give you greater detail with its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures far more aggressively. The older E-420 is going to be behind in sensor technology.

Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V sensor size comparison

Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-420 Portrait photography features
Sony HX20V Portrait photography features
56
focusing manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
low MP (10MP)
45
you can focus manually
MP count decent (18MP)
includes face detection focusing
external flash not possible
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
no RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-420 Street photography information
Sony HX20V Street photography information
64
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
lighter than competition (426g)
fixed screen
lack of image stabilization
61
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition in class (254 grams)
screen does not articulate
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
no RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus E-420
Sports photography with Sony HX20V
38
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
sensor has phase detect autofocus
low frames per second (4.0 fps)
lack of image stabilization
low MP (10MP)
low battery (500 shots)
49
great zoom range (25-500mm 20.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (18 megapixels)
includes tracking autofocus
lack of shutter priority mode
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-420 Travel photography details
Sony HX20V Travel photography details
52
lighter than competition (426g)
built-in flash
no Time Lapse function
low battery (500 per charge)
low MP (10 megapixels)
screen isn't selfie friendly
69
lighter than competition in class (254g)
MP count decent (18 megapixels)
flash built-in
reasonably wide (25mm)
long zoom (500mm)
lack of Time Lapse mode
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.2)
Photography Glossary

Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-420 Landscape photography details
Sony HX20V Landscape photography details
47
focusing manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
screen is somewhat small (2.7")
lack of image stabilization
low MP (10MP)
low battery (500 CIPA)
no Time Lapse function
50
you can focus manually
reasonably wide (25mm)
nice screen size (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (18MP)
cannot switch lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.2)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
no RAW format
lack of Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-420 as a Vlogging camera
Sony HX20V as a Vlogging camera
9
no video
34
reasonably wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detection focusing
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competition in class (254 grams)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.2)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
lack of external mic jack
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Olympus E-420 vs Sony HX20V Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-420 and Sony HX20V
 Olympus E-420Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Sony
Model Olympus E-420 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V
Type Entry-Level DSLR Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced 2008-06-23 2012-07-20
Body design Compact SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Chip TruePic III BIONZ
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
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 10MP 18MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3 and 16:9
Full resolution 3648 x 2736 4896 x 3672
Max native ISO 1600 12800
Lowest native ISO 100 100
RAW support
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Number of focus points 3 9
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 25-500mm (20.0x)
Highest aperture - f/3.2-5.8
Macro focus range - 1cm
Amount of lenses 45 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.8
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen sizing 2.7" 3"
Screen resolution 230k dot 922k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen technology - XtraFine TruBlack TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder coverage 95 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.46x -
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/1600 seconds
Continuous shooting speed 4.0 frames per second 10.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 12.00 m (at ISO 100) 7.10 m
Flash modes Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash sync 1/180 seconds -
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)
Max video resolution None 1920x1080
Video data format - MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic input
Headphone input
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
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 426 grams (0.94 lb) 254 grams (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 All around score 56 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 21.5 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 10.4 not tested
DXO Low light score 527 not tested
Other
Battery life 500 pictures 320 pictures
Battery format Battery Pack 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
Storage slots 1 1
Price at launch $999 $397