Olympus E-620 vs Olympus Stylus SH-1: A Deep Dive into Two Distinct Cameras

In the ever-evolving landscape of camera technology, Olympus presents two very different options: the Olympus E-620, an entry-level DSLR introduced back in 2009, and the Olympus Stylus SH-1, a compact superzoom camera launched five years later in 2014. Both hail from the same brand but cater to different photographers with diverging priorities. Having extensively tested both models across diverse scenarios, I’ll unpack the nuances that differentiate them - from image quality and ergonomics to autofocus, handling, and overall versatility.

Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or a professional considering an affordable backup, this comparison offers a comprehensive, hands-on perspective. Along the way, I’ll highlight where each camera shines and where compromises appear, empowering you to make an informed decision suitable for your photographic style.

First Impressions and Handling: DSLR Solidity vs Compact Convenience

Handling forms a crucial aspect of any camera experience, dictating comfort during prolonged shoots and intuitive control access.

The E-620 wears its DSLR roots on its sleeve with a traditional mirrorless body measuring 130x94x60mm and weighing around 500g. Despite its “entry-level” tag, it’s fairly compact and light for a DSLR. The pronounced grip and solid heft impart balanced ergonomics - a boon when mounting longer lenses during portraits or wildlife sessions. Its physical size directly influences its control layout and button placement, allowing for manual exposure modes, shutter and aperture priority settings, and dedicated dials.

Contrast this with the SH-1’s pocketable, sleek profile of 109x63x42mm and weight of just 271g, placing it firmly in the realm of travel-friendly compacts. The SH-1 prioritizes portability, packing a fixed 25-600mm equivalent superzoom lens in its compact frame, perfect for casual shooting or tight travel packs. However, that size comes at the cost of fewer manual controls - manual exposure modes exist but no shutter or aperture priority modes - and a fixed lens limits creative lens choices.

The top-view layout reveals the DSLR’s physical dials and buttons on the E-620, contrasting against the simplified, streamlined control approach on the SH-1.

From a handling standpoint, I found the E-620's dedicated dials and shutter button responsiveness far superior for dynamic shooting styles like sports or street photography, where quick adjustments matter. The SH-1 excels as a grab-and-go daytrip companion or casual tourist camera, its touchscreen aiding focus and framing but requiring more menu diving for settings.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: The Battle of Four Thirds vs 1/2.3-Inch

Image quality is often the deciding factor between cameras, and here the E-620’s Four Thirds sensor and the SH-1’s smaller 1/2.3” sensor create very different photographic potentials.

The E-620 features a 12MP Four Thirds sensor (17.3x13 mm) with CMOS technology, paired with the TruePic III+ processor prevalent in Olympus DSLRs of its era. The relatively large sensor results in superior dynamic range (measured at about 10.3 EV) and color depth (21.3 bits). Low-light sensitivity peaks at ISO 3200 native, with usable results extending to 3200 but noise becoming increasingly apparent beyond 1600. Olympus also integrates 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization (IBIS) in this model, crucial for handheld shooting.

By contrast, the SH-1 sports a 16MP 1/2.3” BSI-CMOS sensor (6.17x4.55 mm) with the more advanced TruePic VII processor, enhancing noise handling and autofocusing. The compact sensor enables a higher maximum ISO of 6400, but physical size constrains dynamic range and color depth considerably below the E-620, affecting highlight and shadow recovery and introducing more pronounced noise at higher ISO settings.

In practical use, the E-620 delivers meticulously detailed JPEGs and RAW files with pleasing tones and gradation - especially when paired with quality glass. Landscapes, portraits, and indoor scenes show less noise and better overall image fidelity. The SH-1’s sensor shines in bright daylight zoom shots or casual snaps but reveals softer edges and more visible noise in low light or shadow-heavy scenes, limitations typical of a small sensor superzoom.

Viewing and Composing Your Shots: Articulated LCD vs Fixed Touchscreen

Composing images smoothly can differentiate a frustrating experience from a delightful one. Both cameras rely on LCDs for live view, but their approach to usability diverges.

The E-620 offers a 2.7-inch fully articulated HyperCrystal LCD with 230k dots, a real boon for creative angles and video framing. Though resolution is modest by today’s standards, articulation enhances versatility - useful for macro, low, or high-angle shooting.

The SH-1 opts for a larger 3.0-inch fixed touchscreen panel with 460k dots, delivering brighter, sharper previews. The touchscreen facilitates touch-to-focus and menu navigation, making it great for beginners or casual users who favor intuitive interaction.

While the SH-1's screen is easier on the eyes and responsive, I missed the articulation during field work - especially when capturing low-slung or overhead shots. Neither camera offers an electronic viewfinder; the E-620 uses a pentamirror optical viewfinder with 95% frame coverage, modest but effective. The SH-1 lacks a viewfinder altogether, requiring reliance on the LCD for framing - a limitation in bright outdoor settings.

Autofocus and Performance: Seven-Point Phase-Detect vs Contrast-Driven

Autofocus systems play a decisive role across genres - especially wildlife, sports, and street photography where speed and accuracy matter.

The E-620 boasts a 7-point autofocus system combining phase detection and contrast detection, including face detection, designed for both stills and live view. Although not cutting-edge today, this AF system performed reliably in our controlled tests, with smooth continuous AF tracking at up to 4 fps burst rates. However, it sometimes struggles with quick-moving subjects or in low contrast scenes due to older AF technology limitations.

The SH-1 forgoes phase detection but uses contrast detection with advanced AF algorithms and a faster 12 fps burst shooting speed - impressive for a compact superzoom. It offers face detection plus multi-area and center focusing, assisted by touchscreen focus point selection. However, the overall autofocus lag and hunting are noticeable under challenging conditions, especially at long zoom focal lengths where telephoto precision is critical.

Burst Rates and Shutter Performance: Speed Matters Differently

Burst shooting is essential for sports and wildlife shooters who need to capture fleeting moments. The E-620’s 4 fps burst is respectable considering its DSLR class and sensor size, offering enough buffer depth for short action sequences. The shutter speed maxes out at 1/4000s, sufficient for most daylight situations.

The SH-1 trades absolute resolution and image quality for speed, boasting 12 fps continuous shooting, making it suitable for casual action or wildlife spurts. However, shutter speed tops out at 1/2000s, which can limit freezing fast motion under bright conditions.

Lens Ecosystem: Interchangeability vs Fixed Superzoom

An undeniable advantage of the E-620 is its compatibility with the Micro Four Thirds lens mount, opening access to an extensive ecosystem of over 45 lenses covering primes, macros, and zooms. This expands the camera’s versatility significantly, enabling specialized portrait lenses with wide apertures for shallow depth of field, robust telephoto lenses for wildlife, and compact primes for street photography.

The SH-1 features a fixed 25-600mm equivalent zoom lens, covering an enormous focal range (24x zoom), very handy for casual users reluctant to carry extra glass. The lens aperture ranges from f/3.0-6.9, reflecting the physical constraints of such a zoom in a compact body. The trade-off is lower optical performance at extremes and limited creative control compared to interchangeable lenses.

Battery Life and Storage: The Practical Considerations

The E-620’s battery performance stands out with an enduring ~500 shots per charge using a BLS-1 battery - excellent for day-long shooting without frequent changes. Storage accepts CompactFlash or XD Picture Cards, which is less convenient today but reflective of its 2009 era.

The SH-1 offers around 380 shots per charge using a lithium-ion LI-92B battery, fairly average for a compact camera. It uses SD cards (SDHC/SDXC), standard today and more accessible.

Video Capability: A Clear Divide

Video needs are ever more relevant to many photographers. The E-620 does not offer video recording, a significant limitation today, especially for users dabbling in hybrid shooting.

Contrastingly, the SH-1 provides full HD 1080p video up to 60fps, recorded in H.264 format, also includes time-lapse recording, and includes a microphone port - features enhancing its suitability for casual videographers or travel vloggers.

Genre-Specific Performance: Where Each Camera Excels

Breaking down suitability by photographic discipline clarifies the distinct strengths of each model:

Portrait Photography

The E-620’s Four Thirds sensor and interchangeable lenses allow excellent skin tone rendition and pleasing bokeh effects using fast primes, aided by reliable face detection AF. The articulated screen helps with creative framing and consistent eye-level focus.

The SH-1 struggles here given its smaller sensor and fixed zoom lens with limited aperture. Bokeh is less pronounced and skin tones more susceptible to noise under less-than-ideal lighting.

Landscape Photography

The E-620’s high dynamic range and RAW capabilities stand out for detailed landscape captures, with weather sealing notably absent but manageable for conscientious shooting. Using compatible wide lenses maximizes the sensor’s potential.

The SH-1 is less suitable for fine landscape shooters; its smaller sensor limits tonal gradation and post-processing latitude, though the long zoom allows for distant subjects to enter the frame.

Wildlife and Sports

The E-620’s phase-detect AF and 4 fps burst serve amateur wildlife and sports scenarios adequately but lag behind modern standards.

The SH-1’s higher burst rate and extreme zoom make it compelling for casual wildlife photography but autofocus and image quality constrain professional-level results.

Street Photography

The E-620’s size may feel bulky for street shooters preferring discretion but offers superior control and image quality.

The SH-1 shines with its compactness, quick burst, and zoom versatility for capturing candid moments from a distance, albeit with some quality compromises.

Macro Photography

The E-620’s Micro Four Thirds mount unlocks macro lens access, enabling true macro magnification and sharpness.

The SH-1’s 3cm macro focus distance is impressive for a compact, but results cannot rival specialized macro DSLRs or mirrorless systems.

Night and Astro

The E-620’s higher ISO performance, manual exposure modes, and articulating screen aid night and astrophotography significantly.

The SH-1’s small sensor struggles with noise under low light, limiting its astro practicality.

Professional Use Considerations

From a professional standpoint, the E-620 offers file format flexibility with RAW support, manual exposure modes, and robust lens ecosystems - benefits for workflow integration. Its lack of video and basic build quality (no weather sealing) limit modern professional potential.

The SH-1 does not support RAW files and lacks advanced exposure modes, reducing its relevance for professional workflows. Its convenient zoom and video capabilities are better suited for casual or multimedia roles.

Connectivity and Modern Features

The SH-1 integrates wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi), HDMI output, a microphone input, and touchscreen controls - amenities expected in recent compact cameras.

The E-620 relies on USB 2.0 for data transfer, with no built-in Wi-Fi or HDMI, reflecting its 2009 vintage.

Value Assessment and Pricing Perspective

At launch, the E-620 was priced around $799, targeting first-time DSLR buyers wanting solid performance and flexibility.

The SH-1’s initial price was approximately $349, appealing to budget-conscious travelers and casual shooters seeking reach and easy sharing.

Given their age, both cameras now occupy secondhand or collector niches. The E-620 commands higher prices due to interchangeable lens compatibility, and the SH-1 remains attractive for point-and-shoot enthusiasts.

Final Thoughts: Which Olympus Camera Fits You?

Here’s my practical recommendation based on extensive field tests and technical analysis:

• Choose the Olympus E-620 if you prioritize superior image quality, manual controls, lens versatility, and plan to shoot portraits, landscapes, macro, or low-light photography. It suits enthusiasts willing to engage more deeply with camera settings and willing to carry an interchangeable lens system. Its DSLR ergonomics also benefit action and street shooting if size is acceptable.

• Opt for the Olympus Stylus SH-1 if you want a travel-friendly, all-in-one camera with powerful zoom range, solid video functionality, and touchscreen ease of use. It shines for casual photography, travel journaling, and scenarios where portability and convenience trump absolute image quality or professional-grade features.

Summary Scores at a Glance

Putting scores into perspective:

And by photography type:

Real-World Image Samples Comparison

To wrap up, here's a gallery showcasing both cameras’ outputs under various conditions: portraits, landscapes, telephoto wildlife, and low-light shots.

Olympus E 620 screen back Olympus SH 1 front Olympus SH 1 screen back

In conclusion, these two Olympus cameras epitomize distinct philosophies from their respective eras: the E-620’s DSLR promise of control and quality versus the SH-1’s compact playground of zoom and convenience. Either choice depends heavily on your photographic ambitions and shooting style, but armed with these insights, you can confidently lean into the system that serves your vision best. Happy shooting!