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Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV

Portability
69
Imaging
44
Features
42
Overall
43
Olympus E-510 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV front
Portability
52
Imaging
53
Features
82
Overall
64

Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV Key Specs

Olympus E-510
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 490g - 136 x 92 x 68mm
  • Released November 2007
  • Also Known as EVOLT E-510
  • Superseded the Olympus E-500
  • Newer Model is Olympus E-520
Sony RX10 IV
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 125 - 12800 (Increase to 25600)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • 24-600mm (F2.4-4.0) lens
  • 1095g - 133 x 94 x 145mm
  • Released September 2017
  • Earlier Model is Sony RX10 III
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Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV Overview

Its time to look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-510 and Sony RX10 IV, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and RX10 IV (20MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and RX10 IV (1") provide different sensor sizing.

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The E-510 was introduced 10 years prior to the RX10 IV and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony RX10 IV being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-510 matches up vs the RX10 IV when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-510 over the Sony RX10 IV

 E-510 RX10 IV 

Reasons to pick Sony RX10 IV over the Olympus E-510

 RX10 IV E-510 
ReleasedSeptember 2017November 2007More recent by 119 months
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen dimensions3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution1440k230kClearer screen (+1210k dot)
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Common features in the Olympus E-510 and Sony RX10 IV

 E-510 RX10 IV 
Focus manually Very precise focus
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen

Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV Physical Comparison

For anybody who is aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-510 has exterior measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") along with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) while the Sony RX10 IV has measurements of 133mm x 94mm x 145mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 5.7") accompanied by a weight of 1095 grams (2.41 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-510 and Sony RX10 IV in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the E-510 against the RX10 IV.

Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-510 and RX10 IV is 69 and 52 respectively.

Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it is difficult to imagine the gap in sensor measurements just by seeing technical specs. The visual here will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-510 and RX10 IV.

As you have seen, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-510 with its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Sony RX10 IV will show greater detail using its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots more aggressively. The older E-510 will be behind in sensor tech.

Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV sensor size comparison

Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-510 as a Portrait photography camera
Sony RX10 IV as a Portrait photography camera
56
you can focus manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
MP count low (10MP)
71
focusing manually
high flash sync (1/2,000 seconds)
good resolution (20 megapixels)
good sensor size (1")
supports face detection focusing
delivers RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus E-510
Street photography with Sony RX10 IV
68
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
lighter than competitors (490g)
fixed screen
64
tilting screen
built in image stabilization (Optical)
good sensor size (1")
delivers RAW formats
features focus by touch
environment proof
more heavy than competition (1,095 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-510 Sports photography factors
Sony RX10 IV Sports photography factors
52
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports phase detect autofocus
max frames per second very slow (3.0 frames/s)
MP count low (10MP)
76
amazing zoom range (24-600mm 25.0 x zoom)
quiet shooting (1/32,000 seconds)
fast continuous shooting (24.0 frames per second)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (20 megapixels)
good sensor size (1")
supports tracking autofocus
environment proof
supports phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-510 Travel photography advice
Sony RX10 IV Travel photography advice
52
lighter than competitors (490 grams)
has built in flash
missing Timelapse recording
MP count low (10 megapixels)
display isn't selfie friendly
56
environment proof
supports bluetooth
features focus by touch
good resolution (20 megapixels)
has built in flash
relatively wide (24mm)
very long reach (600mm)
missing Timelapse recording
more heavy than competition (1,095 grams)
does not feature selfie friendly display
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.4)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-510 Landscape photography details
Sony RX10 IV Landscape photography details
55
you can focus manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
small screen (2.5")
MP count low (10 megapixels)
missing Timelapse recording
62
focusing manually
relatively wide (24mm)
screen size is good (3")
built in image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (20MP)
good sensor size (1")
delivers RAW formats
environment proof
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.4)
missing Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-510 Vlogging info
Sony RX10 IV Vlogging info
9
no video shooting
29
relatively wide (24mm)
touchscreen functionality
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detection focusing
high res video (3840 x 2160 pxls)
comes with external microphone port
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.4)
does not feature selfie friendly display
more heavy than competition (1,095g)
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Olympus E-510 vs Sony RX10 IV Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-510 and Sony RX10 IV
 Olympus E-510Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus E-510 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV
Also Known as EVOLT E-510 -
Class Advanced DSLR Large Sensor Superzoom
Released 2007-11-23 2017-09-12
Body design Mid-size SLR SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Powered by - Bionz X
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 13.2 x 8.8mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 116.2mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixels 20 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Peak resolution 3648 x 2736 5472 x 3648
Highest native ISO 1600 12800
Highest enhanced ISO - 25600
Min native ISO 100 125
RAW photos
Min enhanced ISO - 64
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Total focus points 3 315
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 24-600mm (25.0x)
Highest aperture - f/2.4-4.0
Macro focusing distance - 3cm
Number of lenses 45 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 2.7
Screen
Range of display Fixed Type Tilting
Display diagonal 2.5 inches 3 inches
Display resolution 230 thousand dot 1,440 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 2,359 thousand dot
Viewfinder coverage 95% 100%
Viewfinder magnification 0.46x 0.7x
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60 secs 30 secs
Fastest shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/2000 secs
Fastest quiet shutter speed - 1/32000 secs
Continuous shutter speed 3.0 frames per sec 24.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 12.00 m (at ISO 100) 10.80 m (at Auto ISO)
Flash settings Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, fill-flash, slow sync, rear sync, off
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Fastest flash sync 1/180 secs 1/2000 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions - 3840 x 2160 (30p, 25p, 24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p) ,1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Highest video resolution None 3840x2160
Video file format - MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 490 gr (1.08 lb) 1095 gr (2.41 lb)
Physical dimensions 136 x 92 x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") 133 x 94 x 145mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 5.7")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating 52 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 21.2 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.0 not tested
DXO Low light rating 442 not tested
Other
Battery life - 400 pictures
Battery form - Battery Pack
Battery ID - NP-FW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, continuous)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots 1 1
Retail pricing $550 $1,698