Olympus E-500 vs Sony HX5

On this page, we are comparing the Olympus E-500 and Sony HX5, former is a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-500 (8MP) and the HX5 (10MP) is very similar but the E-500 (Four Thirds) and HX5 (1/2.4") provide different sensor dimensions.

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The E-500 was released 5 years before the HX5 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony HX5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the E-500 scores versus the HX5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-500 Gallery & Sony HX5 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-500 offers physical dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) while the Sony HX5 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-500 and Sony HX5 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use at that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the E-500 and the HX5.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-500 and HX5 is 70 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to imagine the difference between sensor sizes just by reading specs. The picture below will help give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-500 and HX5.

All in all, the 2 cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-500 because of its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony HX5 will deliver greater detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-500 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.