Olympus E-420 vs Sony RX100 VA

On this page, we are evaluating the Olympus E-420 vs Sony RX100 VA, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a sizable gap between the resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and RX100 VA (20MP) and the E-420 (Four Thirds) and RX100 VA (1") boast different sensor sizes.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The E-420 was introduced 11 years before the RX100 VA which is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony RX100 VA being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting into a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief overview of how the E-420 matches up versus the RX100 VA in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-420 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V(A). The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-420 Gallery & Sony RX100 VA Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-420 has physical measurements of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") and a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Sony RX100 VA has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") having a weight of 299 grams (0.66 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-420 vs Sony RX100 VA in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that time. The following is a front view size comparison of the E-420 and the RX100 VA.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-420 and RX100 VA is 77 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor sizes just by going over a spec sheet. The image underneath might give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-420 and RX100 VA.

As you can see, the two cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-420 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Sony RX100 VA will deliver greater detail using its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop photos more aggressively. The more aged E-420 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.