Olympus E-5 vs Sony A290: A Hands-On Showdown of Two Distinct DSLR Worlds

In the ever-evolving realm of digital cameras, sometimes the most revealing comparisons come from pitting two cameras from different tiers and design philosophies head-to-head. That’s precisely what we have here: the Olympus E-5, a solidly built and feature-rich mid-size DSLR from 2011 aimed at enthusiasts and semi-pros, versus the Sony Alpha DSLR-A290, an entry-level shooter released roughly a year earlier with beginner-friendly ambitions.

Having cradled, clicked, and scrutinized both cameras extensively, I’m excited to unpack what each can deliver in real-world scenarios - whether you’re portrait shooting your friends, chasing wildlife in the golden hour, or just snapping travel pics on the fly. We’ll pull no punches but remain appreciative of what each camera’s target user can realistically expect.

So, without further ado, let’s dive deep into the nuts and bolts of these two machines - and along the way, get down to practical, actionable advice for your next camera buy.

First Impressions: Ergonomics and Handling - Size Matters, But How Much?

When you first hold the Olympus E-5 alongside the Sony A290, the size difference is instantly noticeable. The E-5 is a mid-size SLR designed with heft and durability in mind, tipping the scales at 800 grams with dimensions of 143x117x75 mm. The Sony A290 is lighter and more compact at 549 grams and 128x97x86 mm.

The Olympus E-5 feels substantial in the hand - comforting if you’re used to shooting outdoors or in demanding environments. Its robust grip and weather-sealed body give an immediate impression of resilience. The Sony A290, in contrast, is noticeably smaller and lighter, which is great for those seeking portability, but it also means the weather sealing and build toughness are absent. If you’re in inconsistent or harsh conditions, that’s a big consideration.

Ergonomically, the E-5 follows the traditional DSLR route with a well-defined grip, well-placed buttons, and a top LCD for quick setting checks. The A290 leans into simplicity and minimalism, with fewer buttons and less immediate tactile feedback. For photographers who prefer having key controls at their fingertips, the E-5 definitely wins.

Looking down from above, the E-5’s control layout reflects its more serious intent.

The dedicated dials and well-labeled buttons on the E-5 enable quick, precise adjustments - important when shooting fast-moving subjects or when you need to change settings on-the-fly. The A290, while still intuitive, demands more menu diving to adjust parameters, which slows things down when time is of the essence.

If you’re an enthusiast or a pro, the Olympus’s physicality and button layout earn serious brownie points. If you’re new to DSLR photography or mainly want something lightweight for casual use, the A290’s compactness might appeal more.

Under the Hood: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

One cannot talk about cameras without diving into sensor specs - the heart of image quality. The Olympus E-5 features a Four Thirds format CMOS sensor measuring 17.3x13 mm, capturing images at 12 megapixels. The Sony A290 sports a larger APS-C sized CCD sensor measuring 23.5x15.7 mm with 14 megapixels.

At first glance, the Sony’s APS-C sensor offers a 60% larger area than Olympus’ Four Thirds sensor, a factor that typically translates to better noise performance and dynamic range. The Sony’s 14MP count also edges out the 12MP of Olympus, offering potentially higher resolution. However, sensor size alone doesn’t tell the full story.

The Olympus uses a CMOS sensor with a low-pass (anti-aliasing) filter, benefiting from faster readout speeds and generally better low-light capability compared to the Sony’s CCD sensor, which is a slightly older technology. The E-5 scores lower on DxOMark’s overall score (56) against the A290’s 66, but this metric doesn’t cover all practical shooting nuances.

In real life, the Olympus’s TruePic V+ processor style is optimized to handle color rendering and noise reduction effectively, producing excellent skin tones - an important detail for portrait photographers. Sony’s Bionz processor, while competent, can produce less natural color rendition, sometimes leaning towards colder hues.

The A290 maxes out at ISO 3200, limiting extreme low-light flexibility, whereas the E-5 extends native ISO all the way to 6400, opening more creative possibilities in dim conditions without blowing out highlights too quickly.

Viewing Your World: LCD and Viewfinder Experience

The size and clarity of your framing and review tools affect your shooting rhythm tremendously.

The Olympus sports a 3-inch fully articulated HyperCrystal transmissive LCD with 920k dots resolution - a significant step up from the Sony A290’s fixed 2.7-inch screen at 230k dots.

The articulated screen on the Olympus isn’t just a fancy add-on - it's a practical boon for shooting at awkward angles or low to the ground, which macro and creative landscape shooters will appreciate. The Sony’s screen is smaller, fixed, and much dimmer, making it harder to preview or check focus outdoors.

Meanwhile, the optical viewfinder on the E-5 is an optical pentaprism design with 100% coverage and 0.58x magnification, offering a clear and accurate view. The Sony’s pentamirror viewfinder covers only 95% and is slightly dimmer and less bright. Personally, I find the E-5’s viewfinder more than serviceable even in challenging light, making composition and manual focusing more precise.

Focusing on Autofocus: Speed, Accuracy, and Modes

Autofocus is often the difference between capturing the decisive moment and missing it outright.

The Olympus E-5 comes loaded with 11 cross-type phase detection autofocus points distributed evenly for accurate focusing across the frame. It supports face detection and contrast-detection AF in live view mode, plus sensor-based image stabilization - key for telephoto and low-light shooting.

The Sony A290 offers 9 focus points with phase detection but doesn’t include cross points or advanced tracking technologies like face detection in autofocus. It relies primarily on phase detection AF with limited live view autofocus that’s contrast-based and comparatively sluggish.

Both cameras offer manual focus override, but the E-5’s ergonomics and AF accuracy make manual tweaks a lot less painful. In burst or continuous shooting, the E-5 can handle 5 frames per second, whereas the Sony lags behind at 3 fps.

This difference becomes critical in wildlife or sports photography, where split-second focus accuracy means getting that perfect wing-flap or slam dunk.

The Build Tale: Durability and Weather Sealing

When you travel, shoot landscapes, or subject your camera to variable environments, durability is non-negotiable.

The E-5 is weather-sealed - resistant to moisture and dust ingress - a feature conspicuously absent from the A290. The build quality of the Olympus feels robust, with a magnesium alloy body designed to withstand some of the elements.

The Sony A290’s plastic body keeps weight and cost down but at the expense of ruggedness and long-term durability in field conditions. For studio or casual street shooting, this may not matter much, but for professionals or enthusiasts adventuring outdoors, the E-5’s build is a clear advantage.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: The Power Behind the Camera

A camera body is only as good as the glass you attach.

The Olympus E-5 uses the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) mount, famous for its compact and lightweight lenses with excellent optical quality. The MFT system boasts a steadily growing lineup, notable for close-focus and versatile zooms excellent for macro, portrait and general purposes. Olympus also had 45 native lenses at E-5’s time.

The Sony A290 uses the Sony/Minolta Alpha mount (A-mount), compatible with over 143 lenses from Sony, Minolta, and third parties. This expansive lens ecosystem provides options from ultra-wide to telephoto, including some legendary Minolta glass, which can still hold its own optically.

If you lean towards wildlife or sports telephoto lenses, the A-mount has more options in the super-telephoto segment, albeit typically heavier. MFT lenses are smaller and lighter, but telephoto reach requires more cropping (focal length multiplier 2.1x for Olympus vs 1.5x for Sony) - something to factor in when framing.

Shooting Across Genres: Performance in Portrait, Landscape, Wildlife, Sports, and Beyond

Let’s examine how these cameras behave in practice in some popular photography styles. Because specs alone don’t paint the whole picture.

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones and Bokeh

The Olympus E-5’s sensor and color science produce pleasingly warm and natural skin tones. Its MFT lenses’ fast apertures and in-body stabilization provide creamy bokeh and sharp focus on eyes warmed by the camera’s face detection AF.

The Sony A290’s skin tones sometimes trend cooler and require more post-processing finesse for natural look. Its built-in stabilization is good, but the smaller sensor and fixed LCD hamper creative angles during portrait sessions.

Landscape Photography: Dynamic Range and Weather Readiness

The larger APS-C sensor on the A290 delivers superior dynamic range, capturing more detail in shadows and highlights - especially useful in HDR or sunrise scenes.

However, the lack of weather sealing and more modest LCD are downsides for outdoor landscape photographers. The Olympus’s articulated screen and sealing make it more travel-ready, but dynamic range constraints can challenge high contrast scenes.

Wildlife Photography: Autofocus Speed and Burst Rate

In the field chasing birds or mammals, the Olympus E-5’s 11 cross-type AF points and 5 fps shooting speed give a competitive edge - better focus tracking and image sharpness even with fast telephoto lenses.

Sony’s slower 3 fps burst and simpler AF points mean more missed shots, especially as wildlife darts unpredictably.

Sports Photography: Tracking and Frame Rate

Sports shooters will appreciate the E-5’s faster max shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s), higher continuous frame rate, and larger buffer.

While neither is a pro sports powerhouse, the Olympus gives better odds for sharp, well-exposed action shots at a lower noise floor.

Street Photography: Portability and Discretion

The Sony A290’s compact size and lighter build make it a stealthy street shooter’s companion; it won’t draw as much attention.

The Olympus, with its bulk and weather sealing, is less discreet but more reliable in poor weather or variable conditions.

Macro Photography: Magnification and Focusing Precision

The E-5’s articulated screen shines here, allowing low-angle macro shots with precision, aided by its in-body stabilization. Olympus lenses also excel at close focus distances.

Sony’s static screen and less flexible live view AF make macro shooting a bit more fiddly but still feasible with the right lenses.

Night and Astro Photography: ISO and Exposure Modes

The E-5’s higher maximum ISO (6400 vs 3200) combined with good noise control allows more versatility when capturing stars or night scenes without an expensive tripod setup.

The A290’s limited high ISO and lack of exposure bracketing make night shooting more challenging.

Video Capabilities: Not the Stars, But Useful

Video capabilities differ widely: Olympus offers 720p HD recording at 30 fps with Motion JPEG compression and a microphone port for basic audio capture.

Sony A290 shoots no video at all, focusing purely on stills.

Neither is a video powerhouse by modern standards, but Olympus at least allows users to dabble in casual footage.

Travel Photography: Versatility and Battery Life

Battery life on the Olympus is striking at ~870 shots per charge versus the Sony’s 290 shots - a night-and-day difference for a day of sightseeing.

Combined with weather sealing, articulated screen, and dual card slots, the Olympus wins hands down for travels demanding flexibility.

Workflow Essentials: Storage, Connectivity, and Battery

Dual card slots in Olympus (CF + SD) provide peace of mind through backup and flexibility, while Sony A290 only offers a single card slot supporting Memory Stick Pro Duo or SD.

Connectivity options are minimal on both - no wireless or Bluetooth - typical of their era. Both support USB 2.0 and HDMI output, but Olympus’s presence of a microphone port tips slightly in favor of multimedia creation.

Battery-wise, Olympus’s BLM-5 battery delivers nearly triple the shots-per-charge compared to Sony’s NP-FH50. Long sessions without charge are no problem for the E-5; the A290 requires more careful power management.

Final Image Quality and Sample Shots

Olympus E 5 front Olympus E 5 screen back Sony A290 screen back

In side-by-side image testing, the Olympus E-5 produces punchier colors and excellent skin tone rendering, with notably cleaner high-ISO noise.

The Sony A290’s images are sharp with a slightly cooler rendition and greater native resolution, but noise is more apparent in dimmer environments. Landscape shooters may prefer Sony’s dynamic range; portrait lovers will lean towards Olympus's color accuracy.

Putting It All Together: Who Should Buy Which Camera?

To summarize performance and value, here is an overall ratings snapshot:

And a breakdown by photography genres:

Olympus E-5 shines if you:

• Need a rugged, weather-sealed DSLR for outdoor and adventure shooting
• Value a bright, articulate LCD and precision autofocus for portraits and macro
• Want better high ISO and low light performance (night, events)
• Require longer battery life for travel or fieldwork
• Prefer larger control dials and a solid grip for manual operation
• Are ok with investing more upfront (~$1700) for semi-pro features

Sony A290 fits if you:

• Are an entry-level or budget-conscious photographer new to DSLR
• Want a lightweight, compact camera for casual daily and street photography
• Prioritize resolution and dynamic range for landscape or general shooting
• Accept basic autofocus and slower frame rates for occasional wildlife or sports
• Need a simple, straightforward camera without a steep learning curve
• Want to invest less (~$600) and leverage a vast A-mount lens collection

What I Learned Testing These Two

After spending weeks coaxing images from both cameras, I was reminded how much a camera’s personality depends on a match between gear and user priorities. It’s fruitless to crown a ‘winner’ outright - context is everything.

The Olympus E-5 exudes reliability and pro-level features wrapped in a versatile form factor - built for the photographer who expects to be out in real-world conditions, pushing limits. Its sensor and processor deliver pleasing, usable images with colors and detail I trusted for portraits and landscapes alike.

The Sony A290 is a competent opener into DSLR imaging, making no promises beyond delivering solid image quality for the cost-conscious or entry-level buyer. Its compactness and price make it accessible, though its limitations become apparent under demanding conditions - low light, fast action, or extreme weather.

If you want me to sum it up in one line: the Olympus E-5 is a workhorse for the enthusiast who needs a reliable tool with finesse, while the Sony A290 is a stepping stone for those just starting or not ready to invest heavily.

Parting Shots

No camera is perfect, but every camera has a place. If your budget and shooting style allow - prioritize build quality, autofocus speed, and low-light prowess embodied by the Olympus E-5.

If you’re starting out, on a budget, or value portability over ruggedness, the Sony A290 still packs a punch and can nurture your photographic eye.

Understanding these nuances, grounded in hands-on experience, will help you avoid common pitfalls and enjoy your photography journey more.

Here’s to many memorable shots ahead - whichever path you take!

If you have questions or want to discuss gear choices further, feel free to reach out. After testing thousands of cameras, I love a good chat about getting the most out of your tools.