Olympus E-500 vs Sony TX1

Below is a detailed analysis of the Olympus E-500 versus Sony TX1, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Ultracompact by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-500 (8MP) and the TX1 (10MP) is relatively close but the E-500 (Four Thirds) and TX1 (1/2.4") enjoy different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-500 was announced 4 years earlier than the TX1 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony TX1 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving through a detailed comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-500 matches up vs the TX1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-500 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-500 Gallery & Sony TX1 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera, you should think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-500 has got external dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) while the Sony TX1 has specifications of 94mm x 58mm x 17mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.7") along with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-500 versus Sony TX1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are utilising at the time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the E-500 and the TX1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-500 and TX1 is 70 and 96 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to imagine the difference in sensor measurements purely by viewing technical specs. The visual below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and TX1.

As you can tell, both cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-500 with its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony TX1 will provide you with greater detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures far more aggressively. The older E-500 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.