Olympus E-M1 III vs Sony HX20V

Below is a thorough review of the Olympus E-M1 III and Sony HX20V, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-M1 III (20MP) and the HX20V (18MP) is pretty close but the E-M1 III (Four Thirds) and HX20V (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 III was manufactured 7 years later than the HX20V and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX20V being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-M1 III matches up versus the HX20V in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 III Gallery and Sony HX20V Gallery.

If you're going to lug around your camera, you will need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 III comes with outside dimensions of 134mm x 91mm x 69mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.7") along with a weight of 580 grams (1.28 lbs) while the Sony HX20V has dimensions of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") along with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-M1 III and Sony HX20V in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at that time. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the E-M1 III against the HX20V.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 III and HX20V is 67 and 90 respectively.

Quite often, it is very hard to see the difference in sensor measurements just by viewing technical specs. The graphic below may provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 III and HX20V.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-M1 III because of its bigger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-M1 III will result in extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The more recent E-M1 III is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.