Olympus E-420 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W320: A Deep Dive Into Entry-Level DSLR and Ultracompact Cameras

When evaluating cameras that cater to entry-level users or casual enthusiasts, the decision often boils down to prioritizing factors like image quality, portability, user control, and versatility. In this detailed comparative review between the Olympus E-420, a compact DSLR introduced in 2008, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W320, a 2010 ultracompact digital camera, we will unpack every facet - from sensor technology and handling to real-world performance across diverse photography disciplines. Despite being older models, both hold significance for budget-conscious buyers or collectors curious about legacy systems relative to compact convenience.

Drawing on extensive hands-on experience with thousands of camera models and rigorous testing methodologies typical of industry benchmarks, this analysis focuses on delivering an authoritative, user-oriented evaluation. Each section highlights measurable specifications and practical implications, empowering you to make a well-informed purchase decision based on your shooting preferences and workflow needs.

First Impressions and Ergonomics: Size and Handling Comparison

A crucial element for photographers who demand comfort during extended use or need a camera suited for travel or street shooting is the physical build and ergonomics. The Olympus E-420 is a compact SLR, while the Sony DSC-W320 occupies the ultracompact segment with fixed lens design.

At 130x91x53 mm and weighing 426g, the E-420 stands taller and chunkier than the Sony W320’s 93x52x17 mm frame and featherlight 117g body, making the latter noticeably pocketable and unobtrusive for casual outings or street photography. The E-420, though, benefits from a pronounced grip and solid construction that facilitate stable handheld shooting - particularly useful with interchangeable lenses and longer focal ranges.

The Sony W320 excels in sheer portability, ideal where discretion and minimal burden are paramount, yet the camera’s ultra-slim profile compromises on tactile controls and viewfinder presence, leaning heavily on automated operation modes. This marks a fundamental ergonomic trade-off: DSLR comfort and control versus ultraportable convenience.

Top Controls and Viewfinder Layout: Usability in Focus

Once you pick up these cameras, control accessibility becomes paramount, especially when shifting shooting parameters on the fly during dynamic environments such as sports or wildlife photography.

The E-420 shows its DSLR lineage through a traditional layout with a dedicated mode dial offering manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority modes, supplemented by customizable buttons (albeit limited in number). Inclusion of an optical pentamirror viewfinder - covering roughly 95% frame with a magnification of 0.46x - provides clear composition framing without reliance on LCD alone, an advantage in bright daylight or fast-paced shooting.

In contrast, the Sony W320 opts out of a viewfinder entirely, relying on a simple interface tailored for point-and-shoot functionality with minimal button clutter. It lacks manual exposure controls and prioritizes ease-of-use through automatic modes, fitting novice and casual users but falling short for creative control enthusiasts.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Core Performance Differentiator

Arguably the heart of any camera’s image-making ability lies with its sensor size, resolution, and related processing technology. Here, the two models diverge significantly.

The Olympus E-420 houses a Four Thirds 17.3 x 13 mm CMOS sensor with a modest 10 MP effective resolution, processed by Olympus’s TruePic III engine. The larger sensor size compared to compact cameras and absence of pixel binning typically grants better signal-to-noise ratios and dynamic range performance. This is reflected in DxOmark testing where the E-420 achieves a color depth of 21.5 bits, a dynamic range of 10.4 EV, and usable ISO sensitivity up to 1600 native (boosted ISO unsupported), enabling nuanced tonal gradations especially desirable in landscape and portrait work.

Conversely, the Sony DSC-W320 uses a 1/2.3” CCD sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm) boasting 14 MP resolution, which superficially suggests higher detail capture. However, its much smaller sensor size and CCD technology introduce compromises in low-light performance, dynamic range, and color fidelity. Sony’s smaller sensor struggles beyond ISO 3200 (max ISO) and produces higher noise levels, limiting its facility for demanding scenarios.

From a resolution perspective, while W320 provides higher pixel count with a max image size of 4320 x 3240, the E-420’s larger pixel pitch yields cleaner images with better color accuracy and less artifacting - a critical advantage for post-processing latitude and professional output sizes.

Rear LCD and Interface: Reviewing Composition and Playback

Contemporary shooting and reviewing images depend heavily on LCD screen quality and responsiveness.

Both cameras feature a fixed 2.7" screen with 230k-dot resolution, adequate for framing and quick evaluation yet significantly lagging behind modern standards of touchscreen AMOLED or articulated panels. The E-420’s interface, inherited from Olympus’s DSLR heritage, emphasizes control menus with direct feedback via the rear display without touchscreen support, requiring button navigation but offering deeper immediate settings access such as exposure compensation and white balance adjustments.

Sony’s W320 provides a simplified, menu-driven interface optimized for novices, with basic access to scene modes and autofocus options. The lack of manual controls and touch functionality means fewer options for fine-tuning exposure during shooting, appropriate for its ultracompact category.

Lens Ecosystem and Optical Versatility

The E-420 employs the Four Thirds lens mount, granting compatibility with a broad selection of 45+ prime and zoom lenses from Olympus and third-party manufacturers alike, including specialized macro optics and professional telephoto options. This diversity allows tailored setups for virtually every photography genre, from portraiture to wildlife.

In contrast, the Sony W320 has a fixed 26-105 mm (35mm equivalent) f/2.7-5.7 lens, limiting flexibility. Its modest zoom range and slow aperture make it suitable primarily for casual snapshots in good light. The macro focusing distance of 4 cm is a plus for close-ups but lacks the resolving power or stabilization options present in interchangeable lens systems.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Reliability

Autofocus capability greatly influences the ability to capture sharp, decisive images, especially where motion is involved.

The Olympus E-420 integrates a hybrid AF system with 3 focus points utilizing both phase-detection and contrast-detection elements, offering single, continuous, and selective AF modes as well as live view capability. Though modest by today’s standards, this affords reasonable performance in moderately challenging shooting conditions and some ability to track moving subjects, aligned with entry-level DSLR expectations.

The Sony W320 employs a simpler contrast-detection AF system with 9 focus points but lacks continuous AF modes and face detection, limiting its tracking capabilities. Single-shot AF suffices for static subjects but can be sluggish in low light or fast action sequences.

Shutter Speeds, Burst Modes, and Low-Light Performance

The range of shutter speeds and continuous shooting rates can make or break dynamic photography, such as sports and wildlife capture.

Olympus E-420's shutter speeds span 60s to 1/4000s, covering everything from long exposures to freezing fast motion. Its continuous shooting speed tops at 4 fps, suitable for moderate action sequences but shy of professional benchmarks. The presence of exposure compensation and priority modes adds control under variable lighting.

Sony W320’s shutter range is more limited, 1s to 1/1600s, constraining long-exposure creative work and high-speed capture. Its continuous shooting is just 1 fps, reinforcing its nature as a snapshot camera. No exposure compensation or priority shooting modes further constrain creative potential.

Low-light sensitivity differences stem primarily from sensor tech; the Olympus handles ISO 1600 natively with cleaner output, the Sony maxes at 3200 but with noisy results, reducing usable low-light utility.

Flash and Exposure Options

Integrated flash characteristics and exposure control versatility prove important for indoor and fill-flash scenarios.

Olympus includes a built-in flash with a respectable 12 m range (ISO 100) and multiple flash modes (Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye reduction), alongside external flash support for enhanced lighting setups, allowing professionals to utilize off-camera flash techniques to sculpt images.

Sony W320’s flash range maxes at 4.8 m with basic modes (Auto, On, Off, Slow syncro) and no external flash port, limiting lighting scenarios. The absence of exposure bracketing and white balance control further limits compensatory shooting techniques.

Body Durability, Weather Sealing and Environmental Resistance

Both cameras target casual and entry-level users; thus, extensive weather sealing is lacking.

Neither offers dustproof, waterproof, shockproof, or freezeproof features, meaning extra care is essential during adverse conditions. The Olympus's more robust DSLR build may offer marginal endurance advantages in handling, but ultimate durability is modest.

Battery Life and Storage Expansion

Battery longevity and memory card flexibility affect duty cycles and shooting convenience.

The Olympus E-420 boasts an excellent battery life around 500 shots per charge using proprietary battery packs, well above average for DSLRs of its era. Storage supports both Compact Flash (Type I/II) and xD Picture Cards, promoting archival versatility though with the need for specific card readers.

Sony W320, lighter but less detailed on battery specs, uses the NP-BN1 lithium-ion battery offering decent endurance suitable for casual users, storing images on the common SD/SDHC or Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo formats, maximizing compatibility with current card readers.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

Both cameras lack built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, or GPS, reflecting their production eras and entry-level positioning. USB 2.0 is available for PC connection; HDMI output exists only on the Sony W320, facilitating easy image playback on compatible displays.

Video Recording Capabilities

One critical functional disparity is in video support.

The Olympus E-420 lacks video recording ability entirely, reflecting DSLR technology trends of 2008 prior to video DSLRs’ mainstream adoption. This limits its versatility for multimedia content creation.

The Sony W320 supports 640x480 VGA video at 30 fps in Motion JPEG format, offering basic home movie capturing, albeit at low resolution and limited editing flexibility.

Real-World Use Case Evaluations

Portrait Photography

Olympus E-420, with its DSLR sensor size and interchangeable lenses, yields superior skin tone rendition, background separation (bokeh), and especially benefits from selective manual focus and aperture control enabled by lenses with wide apertures. However, it lacks face or eye-detection autofocus, requiring more manual precision.

Sony W320 offers convenience but suffers from a smaller sensor, limiting shallow depth-of-field effects and nuanced skin tones. Autofocus systems lack sophisticated face tracking, resulting in more reliance on auto exposure and post-capture corrections.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range and resolution favor the Olympus, providing richer tonal rendition in shadows and highlights and a file size conducive to large prints. Its weather sealing is absent but physical robustness helps field conditions.

The Sony provides higher megapixels but with limited sensor size and dynamic range, affecting highlight recovery and shadow detail. Compactness is strong for travel landscapes.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Burst rate and autofocus tracking favor Olympus but remain modest overall. Sony’s autofocus and frame rate are insufficient for fast subjects.

Longer telephoto lenses for Olympus (enabled by the Four Thirds mount) facilitate better reach, though camera weight and bulk increase.

Street and Travel Photography

Sony’s lightweight, compact design and quiet operation excel in street photography and travel scenarios demanding discretion.

Olympus demands more bulk but delivers creative control and superior image quality, acceptable for travel with selection of prime pancake lenses.

Macro and Night/Astro Photography

Olympus benefits from specialized macro lenses and manual focusing, supporting focus stacking and night shooting with longer shutter capabilities.

Sony lens limitations and less sensitive sensor undermine macro fine detail and astro performance.

Professional Use and Workflow

Olympus’s RAW file support, larger sensor, and lens ecosystem integrate well with professional workflows.

Sony W320 does not support RAW, limiting post-processing depth.

Performance Summaries and Scoring

Olympus E 420 screen back Sony W320 front Sony W320 screen back

Side-by-side imagery demonstrates the Olympus E-420’s richer color depth, better low-light handling, and superior subject isolation compared to the flatter, higher noise Sony W320 photos, despite the latter’s higher resolution.

Benchmark-style ratings affirm the Olympus E-420’s advantages in image quality, autofocus, and versatility, with the Sony shining only in portability and casual video capture.

Olympus leads strongly in demanding genres (portrait, landscape, wildlife), while Sony’s ultracompact design suits casual street and travel applications.

Final Recommendations: Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Choose Olympus E-420 if you:

• Prioritize image quality, dynamic range, and creative control
• Want a beginner-friendly DSLR system expandable with quality lenses
• Need a camera for portraits, landscapes, or moderate action shooting
• Prefer full manual exposure modes and RAW shooting for professional workflows
• Can accommodate a larger body and higher price point

Choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W320 if you:

• Require maximum portability and pocketability in a fixed-lens camera
• Seek simple point-and-shoot operation for snapshots and casual recordings
• Value basic video recording capabilities despite limited quality
• Have a limited budget and do not plan to expand lens systems
• Prefer integrated storage options compatible with mainstream memory cards

Closing Thoughts

The Olympus E-420 and Sony DSC-W320 represent distinct philosophies tailored to fundamentally different user profiles, despite their close release dates. The E-420, as a compact DSLR, offers a robust bridge towards serious photography with system-level flexibility and superior image fidelity. The Sony W320 focuses on convenience and ease for casual point-and-shoot users valuing ultra portability over professional features.

Choosing between these two hinges on your photographic ambitions, workflow demands, and tolerance for compromise between size and capability. This exhaustive evaluation grounded in technical specifications and empirical performance can steer you towards the camera best suited to your creative vision and practical needs.