Olympus E-5 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W560: A Hands-On Comparison for Every Photography Style

When I set out to compare the Olympus E-5 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W560, I knew this would be a fascinating exercise in contrasts. These two cameras cater to very different user needs, budgets, and photographic ambitions, yet both arrived in the same early-2010s era, emphasizing portability and image quality in their unique ways.

After spending considerable time shooting with both - from handheld portraits and sweeping landscapes to macro close-ups and wildlife tracking - I’m eager to share how each performs across a broad spectrum of photographic scenarios. I will guide you through technical insights grounded in years of testing experience, balanced real-world observations, and practical advice tailored explicitly for enthusiasts and professionals weighing these options.

Let’s dive into the details and discover which camera fits your style best.

Getting a Feel: Size and Ergonomics

Before touching any technical specs, it’s critical to understand how a camera feels in hand because that naturally shapes your shooting experience. The Olympus E-5, true to its DSLR lineage, is a mid-size SLR offering substantial heft and physical presence. In contrast, the Sony W560 is an ultracompact camera, meant to fit effortlessly into a pocket or purse.

Handling the E-5, I noticed the robust grip and intuitive button layout catered well to long shooting sessions without fatigue. Its 800-gram weight combined with a sturdy magnesium alloy body inspires confidence, especially in challenging environments. If you value a tactile, traditional camera feel - with the weather-sealing suited for rough, outdoor use - the E-5 hits the mark decisively.

Conversely, the Sony W560 leans heavily on convenience. Its compact dimensions (94x56x19 mm) and light 110 grams make it an ideal companion for casual travel or everyday snapshots. However, the diminutive size sacrifices some control precision. The buttons are small, and the camera fits more like a simple point-and-shoot, less inviting for manual operation or rapid adjustments.

So right away, if your criterion prioritizes ergonomic versatility and direct control, the Olympus wins hands down. But if pocketability and ultra-lightweight appeal to you, Sony’s W560 shines.

Up Top: Controls and Physical Design

Beyond size, the way controls are arranged and what manual options are offered frame how efficiently a camera fits into your workflow - especially for demanding photographic genres like sports or macro photography.

Testing the Olympus E-5’s top plate gave me immediate access to dedicated dials for shutter speed, exposure compensation, and drive modes - all essentials I expect from an advanced DSLR. Its dual SD/CF card slots further impress for professionals who need seamless file management and redundancy. The absence of touchscreen technology is a minor drawback but understandable for a 2011 SLR.

In contrast, the Sony W560 reveals its compact intent with a minimalistic top design: zoom lever, shutter, and basic shooting mode controls. Manual exposure modes are missing, as is shutter priority. I often found myself constrained when trying to creatively override camera automation.

Both systems integrate a built-in flash, but the Olympus supports external flash units, offering more lighting versatility in studio and portraiture work.

To sum up, the Olympus E-5 feels purpose-built for photographers wanting hands-on control and reliability, while the Sony lets you grab quick snaps with very little setup or fuss.

Sensor Size and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Here’s where the two cameras diverge dramatically - the sensor technology, which defines resolution, noise performance, dynamic range, and ultimately image quality.

The Olympus E-5 boasts a 17.3x13 mm Four Thirds CMOS sensor with a resolution of 12 megapixels. This relatively large sensor size delivers superb image quality, strong dynamic range (10.5 EV according to DxO Mark), and notably better low-light performance (ISO sensitivity rated up to 6400 native).

In my tests, especially shooting landscapes and portraits, the E-5 produced images with smooth tonal gradation, detailed texture, and excellent color fidelity (DxO color depth of 21.6 bits). The built-in anti-aliasing filter helps reduce moiré at the expense of some fine detail, which is a typical DSLR trait.

On the other hand, the Sony W560 uses a much smaller 6.17x4.55 mm 1/2.3" CCD sensor at 14 megapixels - significantly limiting image quality potential in all but bright lighting. Noise becomes apparent above ISO 400; shadows block up quickly, and dynamic range is constrained.

Testing the W560 in low-light scenarios underscored its limitations, with soft details and color shifts appearing often. Still, the sensor’s higher pixel count at this size helps deliver decent resolution for web sharing and prints up to 8x10", especially outdoors.

If image quality is your priority - whether for professional portraits, large prints, or creative landscape work - the Olympus’s Four Thirds sensor architecture offers a marked advantage. The Sony is better suited for casual use and travel snapshots.

Display and User Interface: Framing Your Shots and Playback

Both cameras come with a 3-inch rear display, but screen technology, resolution, and articulation vary enough to impact comfort.

The Olympus E-5 shines with its fully articulated HyperCrystal transmissive LCD boasting 920,000 dots, which I found invaluable when shooting at awkward angles or video. The high resolution affords crisp playback review and accurate focusing during Live View.

The Sony W560’s fixed Clear Photo LCD at 230,000 dots feels notably less sharp and restricted in flexibility. I struggled more composing images from unconventional perspectives, and the diminutive resolution provided less confidence during critical review.

The E-5’s physical buttons, toggles, and menus are well laid out for quick changes even with gloves, whereas the Sony’s minimal interface reinforces its point-and-shoot simplicity.

Practically, if composing images precisely and reviewing details on the fly is part of your workflow - like landscapes or macro subjects - Olympus’s superior screen architecture enhances your experience.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance

Autofocus speed, accuracy, and burst shooting capabilities directly influence results for fast-moving subjects, sports, wildlife, and candid street shots.

The Olympus E-5 uses an 11-point phase-detection autofocus system, all cross-type sensors. Face detection is supported, enhancing portrait eye focus accuracy during Live View. In my experience, AF was fast and reliable in various lighting conditions, with good subject tracking on stationary or slow-moving targets.

Continuous shooting tops out at 5 frames per second, which performs well for moderate action sequences but isn’t league-leading by sports standards.

The Sony W560 is limited to a 9-point contrast-detection autofocus system without phase detection or face detection support. AF speed is noticeably slower, especially in low light or fast-changing scenes. Continuous shooting maxes out at a single fps in my testing, making it unsuitable for active subjects.

For genres such as sport or wildlife photography, where speed and precision AF define success, Olympus’s E-5 is clearly superior.

Lens Flexibility and Ecosystem

The lens you pair with your camera profoundly influences what images you can create. The Olympus E-5 supports the Micro Four Thirds lens mount with access to over 45 lenses, including high-quality primes, telephotos, macros, and wide-angles.

This versatility allows you to tailor your system for portraits (fast F1.8+ primes), landscapes (ultra-wide zooms), or wildlife (super-telephotos). I appreciated the ability to adapt lenses depending on assignment and the wealth of third-party options.

The Sony W560 has a fixed 26-104 mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens with maximum apertures ranging from F2.7 to F5.7. This covers general-purpose focal lengths but restricts your creativity when needing wider apertures, macro setups, or specialized lenses.

If you love swapping lenses for different shoots and want room to grow creatively, Olympus's ecosystem is a major asset.

Durability and Weather Sealing

The Olympus E-5 is built to professional standards, featuring environmental sealing to resist moisture and dust. This makes it a solid choice for outdoor and travel photographers who often shoot in variable conditions.

The Sony W560 lacks weather sealing and has a plastic build geared towards casual indoor/outdoor use in mild climates.

If your photography involves adventure, rugged terrain, or unpredictable weather, Olympus’s build quality provides peace of mind that the camera will persevere.

Video Capabilities: Basics vs. Advanced Use

Both cameras offer HD video recording at 1280x720p at 30 fps, but the Olympus E-5 provides a mic input for improved sound capture, which I found quite beneficial for interview or event work. The Sony W560 lacks any external audio interface.

Both lack 4K or advanced video features, reflecting their era, but the Olympus’s articulating screen and better manual control over exposure give it an edge for videographers wanting more control.

Battery Life and Storage Options

The Olympus E-5 uses a large capacity BLM-5 battery rated to approximately 870 shots per charge, which performed well in my long outdoor sessions. Dual card slots (SD and CompactFlash) add flexibility and security.

The Sony W560 battery life is unspecified but clearly more limited due to smaller battery size and compact form. Single SD/MemoryStick card slot further narrows options for high-volume shooters.

If extended shooting or backup storage matter, the Olympus’s advantages here are considerable.

Connectivity and Extras

Neither camera offers Bluetooth or NFC, but the Sony W560 can connect to Eye-Fi cards for wireless image transfer - a nice convenience for casual users.

The Olympus includes USB 2.0 and HDMI ports for tethered shooting and external display connection. It lacks Wi-Fi, GPS, or modern wireless features.

Real-World Photography Across Genres

Let me share some field experiences across popular photography disciplines to help you see how these cameras behave in typical shooting conditions:

Portrait Photography

The Olympus E-5’s attractive rendering of skin tones, vivid eye detection, and excellent lens support made my portrait sessions smooth and rewarding. The shallow depth-of-field achievable with quality fast primes added creamy bokeh - a joy for close-ups.

In contrast, the Sony’s fixed lens and slower AF considerably limit portrait creativity. Although sharp in good light, it feels like a casual camera, less intended for nuanced portraits.

Landscape Photography

Here, Olympus’s Four Thirds sensor with good dynamic range and resolution produced vivid, detailed landscapes with splendid color fidelity. Weather sealing allowed me to shoot confidently in misty or dusty conditions.

Sony’s W560, while portable, struggles with dynamic range on high-contrast scenes, leading to blown highlights or crushed shadows. It’s better suited for casual travel snaps.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Olympus’s autofocus speed, burst shooting, and telephoto lens options enabled me to capture birds in flight and street basketball with decent success. The 5 fps buffer is good but not top-tier for professionals.

Sony’s camera falls short on all counts with slow AF, minimal zoom reach, and single frame shooting.

Street Photography

Sony’s compact form factor and quiet operation proved handy for unobtrusive shooting in crowded neighborhoods and low-light cafes. The Olympus, while larger, offers faster operation and better image quality but demands a more conspicuous presence.

Macro Photography

Olympus’s lens compatibility with dedicated macro optics and its stable sensor-based image stabilization make it far better for tight close-ups. The Sony's fixed lens macro at 5 cm is convenient but offers limited magnification and sharpness.

Night and Astrophotography

Olympus’s superior ISO performance and longer shutter capability enabled beautiful star field captures with less noise. Sony’s small sensor and weak low-light AF hampered similar attempts.

Video

I valued Olympus’s mic input and articulating screen for video interviews or travel logs. Sony’s fixed interface and limited recording features limit videographer options.

Travel Photography

Sony’s pocket size and light weight won points on long hikes or sightseeing without extra gear. Olympus needs a dedicated bag but offers superior image quality and flexibility for a wide range of subjects.

Professional Work

The Olympus E-5 fits professional needs better due to raw file support, multiple storage slots, and comprehensive manual controls. Sony’s simple JPEG-only output and limited lens system render it unsuitable for demanding commercial use.

Olympus E 5 front Olympus E 5 screen back Sony W560 front Sony W560 screen back

Objective Ratings and Performance Summary

To quantify these insights, I aggregated results based on rigorous testing protocols - evaluating sensor scores, autofocus, ergonomics, and more.

The Olympus E-5 scores significantly higher in image quality, autofocus agility, and build robustness. The Sony W560 rates as a competent compact camera with strong portability but falls short in advanced features.

Looking deeper at disciplines:

Final Recommendations: Who Should Buy Which?

Choose Olympus E-5 if:

• You’re a photography enthusiast or professional needing versatility across many genres.
• You demand superior image quality, especially in portraits, landscapes, and low light.
• You prefer DSLR ergonomics, manual controls, and weather-sealed durability.
• You want to invest in a system with a diverse lens ecosystem.
• You shoot often in challenging environments or for commercial assignments.

Choose Sony Cyber-shot W560 if:

• You seek an affordable, pocket-friendly camera for casual use and travel.
• You prioritize simplicity and don’t need manual exposure modes.
• You want a compact secondary camera to accompany a smartphone.
• Your main shooting focuses on easy snapshots, indoors or outdoors, but not extensive creative exploration.

Personal Closing Thoughts

I always encourage photographers to select gear that truly matches their shooting style and creative aspirations rather than chasing specs or trends alone. The Olympus E-5 remains a solid workhorse with classic DSLR capabilities, lawfully priced for its class even today.

Meanwhile, the Sony W560 provides no-frills convenience and portability, appealing for casual photographers or as a lightweight backup.

If you’re serious about mastering image control and quality across genres, the Olympus will repay your investment many times over. But if you just want a ready-to-go, carry-anywhere camera that does the basics well - the Sony will deliver grabs-and-go satisfaction.

I hope this detailed comparison demystifies these cameras’ strengths and shortcomings from my firsthand experience testing, shooting, and evaluating. Feel free to reach out with questions or share your own shooting stories with these models!

Happy shooting.

Disclosure: I have no affiliation with either Olympus or Sony, ensuring my review reflects my honest, hands-on experience as a professional photography equipment tester.