Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony HX9V

Here is a thorough assessment of the Olympus E-M1 II and Sony HX9V, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a considerable difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-M1 II (20MP) and HX9V (16MP) and the E-M1 II (Four Thirds) and HX9V (1/2.3") have totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 II was introduced 5 years later than the HX9V and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX9V being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick summary of how the E-M1 II grades versus the HX9V in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 II Gallery & Sony HX9V Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera often, you're going to have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-M1 II offers physical dimensions of 134mm x 91mm x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6") and a weight of 574 grams (1.27 lbs) and the Sony HX9V has specifications of 105mm x 59mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") having a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M1 II and Sony HX9V in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you select at that time. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the E-M1 II and the HX9V.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 II and HX9V is 68 and 91 respectively.

Often, it can be hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizing merely by checking out technical specs. The graphic underneath will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 II and HX9V.

As you can tell, each of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-M1 II having a larger sensor will make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Olympus E-M1 II will produce extra detail using its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images way more aggressively. The more modern E-M1 II is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.