Olympus FE-5010 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230: A 2009 Compact Camera Face-Off with a Modern Eye

In the world of compact cameras circa 2009, two notable contenders aimed to charm casual shooters and photography hobbyists alike: Olympus’ FE-5010 and Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-W230. Now, more than a decade on - when smartphones have largely eclipsed basic point-and-shoots - why revisit these models? Because understanding their technical merits and quirks offers timeless lessons about compact camera design, sensor tech limitations, and user experience. Plus, I’ve spent enough hours with both cameras to know their idiosyncrasies and how they perform across various photographic styles. Whether you’re a collector, a retro digital enthusiast, or simply curious about how compact cameras handled the transition from the mid-2000s into the golden age of mirrorless, this head-to-head reveals plenty.

Let’s dive into their design DNA, sensor tech, and practical workflow to see which camera still holds up - and in which scenarios each truly shines.

Size, Ergonomics, and Handling: Size Isn't Everything, But It Sure Helps

First impressions are tactile. The Olympus FE-5010 is featherlight, coming in at just 130 grams, compared to the slightly chunkier Sony W230's 156 grams. Both cameras boast a compact, pocket-friendly profile but with subtle design philosophies at play.

The FE-5010 measures a trim 96 x 57 x 21 mm - slightly thinner than Sony’s 95 x 57 x 22 mm - but the extra heft on the W230 feels marginally more substantial in hand. This is partly due to the Sony’s slightly larger grip contour and more robust build materials, which lend a touch more confidence when shooting with one hand. Ergonomically, Sony’s shutter button and zoom rocker offer better precision and less wobble, especially when zoomed in.

Notably, neither camera sports a viewfinder; both rely entirely on their rear LCDs for framing, which polished compact shooters may lament. Yet their non-touch fixed screens - 2.7 inches with 230k pixels on the Olympus versus 3 inches with the same resolution on Sony - reflect the era’s typical approach.

The FE-5010 impresses with its weather-sealing (yes, a rare feature for these cameras, even if modest). It’s not exactly military-grade, but this gives the Olympus a slight edge for those who shoot outdoors or in harsher conditions. The Sony W230 lacks any environmental sealing, so you’re on your own if caught in drizzle.

Looking at control layouts from above:

Olympus goes for minimalism - fewer buttons but no manual exposure modes or priority adjustments. Conversely, Sony provides manual focus, nine focus points, and a handful of customizable buttons - offering more control in a compact package.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Same Size, Different Performance

Both cameras pack a 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor with roughly 12 megapixels. Olympus’s sensor array measures 6.08 x 4.56 mm (27.72 mm² sensor area), while Sony’s is marginally larger at 6.17 x 4.55 mm (28.07 mm²). Pixel count is neck-and-neck, though Sony edges slightly higher resolution at 4000 x 3000 pixels compared to Olympus's 3968 x 2976.

CCD technology was king in compact cameras at the time, renowned for natural color rendition but also prone to higher noise levels at elevated ISOs. Neither camera supports RAW shooting, so you're stuck with JPEGs straight out of the box - a limitation for post-processing enthusiasts.

Regarding ISO, Olympus caps at 1600 with a 64 base ISO, whereas Sony stretches up to 3200 ISO starting at 80 - double sensitivity potential, in theory. In practice, though, the Sony’s noise at ISO 3200 wasn’t exactly clean; expect grainy results beyond ISO 400. The Olympus, while more limited, sometimes produced marginally cleaner high-ISO shots despite the lower ceiling, thanks in part to sensor tuning and in-camera noise reduction.

Dynamic range was modest on both - neither excelled at retaining highlight or shadow detail in challenging scenes. Landscape photographers who crave expansiveness should expect limited leeway, although shooting in RAW (which neither supports) could have helped if it were available.

Color accuracy and depth leaned towards Olympus’s favor, with images showing warmer skin tones and more pleasing saturation - something I appreciated during indoor portraits, where the Olympus felt more forgiving on pale complexions.

Viewing Experience: Screen Size Does Matter

Since both cameras lack viewfinders, the rear screen acts as the sole window into the world. Sony’s bigger 3-inch LCD with 230,000 pixels offers a brighter and visually more comfortable experience compared to Olympus’s 2.7-inch screen. In bright sunlight, however, both struggled with glare - typical of their time but an important factor for outdoor street photographers relying on accurate framing.

Sony offers a crisper image preview with slightly faster refresh rates. Olympus’s UI felt more dated, with slower menu navigation and no touchscreen capabilities - no surprises, but something to note if you want quick adjustments on the fly.

Autofocus Mechanism and Accuracy: Hunting the Perfect Focus or Failing Silently?

Both models employ contrast-detection autofocus systems, which - even by 2009 standards - were generally accurate but slower than DSLRs or emerging mirrorless hybrids.

Sony W230’s autofocus system leverages nine focus points and multi-area AF options, presenting a slight advantage over Olympus’s center-weighted single AF point with no face or eye detection. In real-world shooting, especially in macro or street settings, this made a tangible difference: Sony nailed focus faster and tracked subjects with less hunting.

Olympus’s fixed AF point occasionally led to missed focus in dynamic scenes or low contrast conditions, requiring manual refocus attempts (which are limited) or multiple tries. Neither model supports continuous AF or AF tracking, so fast-moving subjects like wildlife or sports remain out of reach.

Lens and Zoom Capabilities: How Far Can You Go?

Olympus’s FE-5010 sports a 36-180 mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens with a 5x optical zoom. Its aperture ranges from f/3.5 at the wide end to f/5.6 at telephoto. Meanwhile, Sony’s W230 offers a slightly wider 30-120 mm zoom (4x optical) with a brighter f/2.8 max aperture at the wide end, narrowing to f/5.8 at telephoto.

The Olympus’s longer reach emerges as a clear advantage for casual wildlife or distant landscape shots, while Sony’s faster wide aperture enhances low-light shooting and bokeh potential - though with limited sensor size and lens optics, juicy background blur remains challenging.

Macro modes show another contrast: Olympus offers a tight 3 cm minimum focusing distance; Sony, 4 cm - equally impressive for close-ups of flowers or insects, but Olympus’s marginally shorter distance translates to more dramatic close-ups in practice.

Real-World Performance Across Photography Genres: Who Shines Where?

Portrait Photography

When it comes to capturing human subjects, I found Olympus’s color science friendlier to skin tones. Its slightly longer zoom range enables flattering tight headshots without crowding your subject. However, the absence of face or eye detection autofocus means you need to be patient and precise with focus.

Sony's faster f/2.8 starting aperture offers more background separation - albeit subtle - helping produce softer backgrounds in controlled lighting. Its 9-point AF and center weighting boost accuracy in framing portraits.

Neither camera’s sensor size nor lens system produces pro-level bokeh, but for casual portraits, Sony nudges ahead in focusing speed, while Olympus wins on color warmth.

Landscape Photography

Landscape photographers demand wide dynamic range and sharpness. Both cameras disappoint here due to limited sensor sizes and lack of RAW, but Sony’s marginally larger sensor area and treatment produce marginally crisper images with respectable detail retention in daylight.

Olympus’s weather-sealing is a bonus, allowing shooting in mildly inclement weather, whereas Sony’s lack of sealing demands caution.

Neither camera offers advanced bracketing or HDR features, so in challenging light, expect to rely on post-processing from JPEGs.

Wildlife Photography

For wildlife, burst speed and autofocus tracking weight heavily. Unfortunately, neither camera was designed for such pursuit.

Olympus lacks continuous autofocus and manual focus capabilities, severely limiting its utility for fast-moving subjects. Sony’s limited 2 FPS burst and 9-point AF help a bit, but laggy sensor readout and buffer size break the deal. The longer Olympus zoom offers reach, but you’ll likely miss critical moments.

Sports Photography

Similar story to wildlife - both cameras falter due to slow focusing and lack of continuous shooting modes. Lens apertures and shutter speeds max out at 1/2000 on Olympus and 1/1600 on Sony, restricting freeze-frame capability indoors or at dusk.

Sony’s manual focus aids in certain conceptual shots but isn’t a substitute for a real sports camera.

Street Photography

Compact, discreet, and quick are gold in street photography. Both cameras, being pocket-sized and quiet, serve the purpose solidly.

Sony’s slightly larger screen aids composition, but Olympus’s weather-sealing gives it a hard edge in unpredictable urban climates. The slower minimum shutter speeds on Olympus (1/4 sec minimum) can cause blur without stabilization, while Sony’s faster shutter control helps freeze candid moments better.

Macro, Night, and Astro Photography: Touching New Extremes

Both cameras feature respectable macro focusing capabilities, though Olympus’s shorter minimum distance wins for creative close-up work. Neither features manual focus assists or focus peaking, making precise macro focusing tricky.

In low light and astrophotography, sensors shine in theory but not in practice here. Limited ISO ceilings, no long exposure modes, and absence of RAW crops nighttime shots. Olympus offers sensor-shift stabilization, which helps, but shutter speed ceilings limit exposure time. Sony’s marginally higher ISO range improves sensitivity but at the cost of noise.

Video and Connectivity: What About Moving Pictures?

Both cameras shoot VHS-resolution video (640x480), standard fare for their era, with no HD options. Olympus’s frame rates hover around 30 fps, and Sony matches this, with both using Motion JPEG - resulting in hefty files and mediocre quality.

Sony includes HDMI output, a helpful feature for playback, whereas Olympus lacks this entirely. Neither camera sports external microphone or headphone jacks, limiting audio quality control.

No wireless connectivity, no Bluetooth or GPS - streaming and instant sharing would require tethering to a computer post-shooting.

Battery Life and Storage: Practical Considerations

Both cameras use proprietary rechargeable batteries: Olympus utilizes the LI-42B, while Sony's battery specs are unspecified but similar era-type.

Storage mirrors the era’s fragmented formats; Olympus supports xD-Picture Cards and MicroSD (with an adapter), Sony uses Memory Stick Duo and Pro Duo cards plus internal memory. This could be a headache for a user having to source unique or obsolete media.

Build Quality, Weather Resistance, and Overall Reliability

Olympus’s environmental sealing distinguishes it significantly from Sony’s non-sealed body. This adds durability for those who shoot outdoors or in dusty conditions, enhancing reliability over time.

Sony trades off weather resistance for slightly bigger ergonomics and more manual controls, suggesting a priority on usability over ruggedness.

Neither camera is shock-, crush-, or freeze-proof, so rough handling and extreme climates remain off limits.

Verdict: Which Camera Deserves Your Pocket?

To wrap up this detailed showdown, let me share how I would recommend these cameras depending on your photography passion and priorities:

For Enthusiasts Seeking Casual Versatility and Durability

Olympus FE-5010 edges ahead with weather sealing, longer zoom, and stabilized sensor. It's perfect for travelers, casual outdoor photographers, and those who value compactness without fragility. However, limited manual controls and a more dated UI may frustrate seasoned users.

For Users Prioritizing Control and Image Clarity in Well-Lit Environments

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230 offers stronger manual focus, faster lens aperture, multi-point autofocus, and a sharper LCD. It suits street and portrait shooters who want a bit more creative control and prefer a slightly bigger screen. The lack of weather sealing means you’ll need to keep it dry.

Olympus FE 5010 front Olympus FE 5010 screen back Sony W230 front Sony W230 screen back

Looking at sample images side-by-side, Olympus tends to deliver warmer images with subtle saturation, while Sony provides crisper delineation and slightly better detail in daylight. Neither presents stellar low-light performance, but each has distinct character.

In an overall score context, the Sony W230 ranks modestly higher in autofocus and control, whereas Olympus scores better in build quality and zoom range.

Breaking down performance by photography genre: Sony scores better in portrait and street, Olympus leads in landscape and travel. Both lag in wildlife and sports.

Final Thoughts and Legacy

These two compacts epitomize the small sensor era's balance of affordability and basic tech. Neither is a powerhouse by modern standards, yet each offers a unique blend of features tailored to specific shooters. Olympus’s attention to durability contrasts nicely with Sony’s strides in control and optics.

If you’re hunting for a bargain collector’s piece or a starter compact with character, both cameras have merit. If you desire a practical daily-driver, I’d suggest braving a lightly used Sony W230 for its user flexibility - unless your adventures demand something tougher, in which case Olympus steals the show.

Either way, these cameras remind us that great photography hinges less on megapixels or specs sheet wars and more on knowing your tool, your workflow, and what you want to capture.

Thanks for reading. I hope this exploration helps you understand these old but curious cameras through the lens of modern photographic expectations. Got questions or want to share your own experiences? I’m all ears!