Olympus E-5 vs Sony H20

In this write-up, we are evaluating the Olympus E-5 vs Sony H20, former is a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-5 (12MP) and the H20 (10MP) is fairly well matched but the E-5 (Four Thirds) and H20 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-5 was introduced 21 months after the H20 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony H20 being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a thorough comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-5 scores vs the H20 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-5 Gallery & Sony H20 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry around your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-5 comes with exterior measurements of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) while the Sony H20 has sizing of 107mm x 69mm x 47mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.9") having a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-5 vs Sony H20 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the E-5 versus the H20.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-5 and H20 is 58 and 87 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is hard to envision the gap between sensor sizes simply by looking at technical specs. The picture underneath will give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-5 and H20.

As you have seen, both cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-5 with its larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-5 will give greater detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos a little more aggressively. The fresher E-5 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.