Olympus E-520 vs Sony HX5

On this page, we are matching up the Olympus E-520 and Sony HX5, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-520 (10MP) and the HX5 (10MP) is very well matched but the E-520 (Four Thirds) and HX5 (1/2.4") offer totally different sensor size.

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The E-520 was manufactured 22 months prior to the HX5 making them a generation away from one another. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony HX5 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a full comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-520 scores against the HX5 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-520 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-520 Gallery & Sony HX5 Gallery.

If you're going to travel with your camera often, you are going to need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-520 enjoys exterior dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") having a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) whilst the Sony HX5 has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

See the Olympus E-520 and Sony HX5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the E-520 against the HX5.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-520 and HX5 is 68 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it is tough to envision the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by reading through specifications. The image below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-520 and HX5.

To sum up, the 2 cameras have the same megapixels but not the same sensor dimensions. The E-520 has the larger sensor which is going to make obtaining shallower depth of field less difficult. The more aged E-520 is going to be behind in sensor tech.