Olympus E-M1 vs Sony TX20: The Tale of Two Cameras for Two Worlds

When you bring together the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20, you're essentially staring at two remarkably different photographic beasts - one a professional-grade mirrorless camera engineered for serious enthusiasts, the other a sleek ultra-compact aimed at casual shooters who value portability and ease. This comparison might seem like stacking apples against oranges, but it’s precisely these contrasts that highlight the wide spectrum of what cameras bring to the table - and which tool fits your style and needs.

Having personally tested thousands of cameras over the years - from pro DSLRs tucked under rain covers in wild jungles to pocketable compacts squeezed into city pockets - let me share the nuanced truths these specs don’t always reveal. Whether you crave professional reliability or just want a point-and-shoot that fits in your jeans, understanding these two cameras’ DNA will help light your path.

Getting Physical: Size, Ergonomics, and Handling

Let’s start by unzipping the bag and taking them in hand. The Olympus E-M1 is a robust, SLR-style mirrorless offering a confident grip, top dials, and serious heft - clocking in around 497 grams (with battery). The Sony TX20, by contrast, is an ultracompact that slips comfortably into a pocket - just 133 grams and far, far smaller.

This size differential is no accident but the result of divergent philosophies. Olympus targets serious shooters who demand tactile control - a traditional reflexive shooting experience with custom buttons and dials at your fingertips. The magnesium alloy body has environmental sealing, reassuring you that it’s built to endure travel’s bumps and weather’s tantrums.

Sony’s TX20 aims for absolute portability and simplicity. It’s more gadget than camera, designed to vanish in your hand or handbag. The controls are minimal and intuitive but far from a full manual experience - think point, tap, and capture.

If you’re a photographer who loves having complete manual override and a body you can wield firmly during bursts of action, E-M1’s ergonomic design will sing to you. For casual or travel photographers prioritizing inconspicuousness and pocketability, the TX20 is a pocket-friendly sidekick.

First Impressions in Design: Control Layout and User Interface

Handling cameras is as much about feeling in control as technical specs. The Olympus E-M1 presents an approachable yet professional interface with an array of physical controls, including a top control wheel, multiple function buttons, and a tilting screen for creative angles.

The TX20’s interface is streamlined - centered mostly around its touchscreen, flanked by a few buttons. Its fixed LCD is bright and clear, but you won't find dials for aperture or shutter speed because it’s geared mostly for automatic shooting modes.

I appreciate the E-M1’s tactile feedback, which lets you adjust settings without taking your eye away from the viewfinder. The Sony’s touchscreen feels modern and smooth, but touch controls can be fiddly for quick adjustments or when on the move.

Takeaway: For photographers who want fast, confident manual control, Olympus’s layout is a triumph. Casual shooters or those new to photography might prefer Sony’s minimalist approach, which streamlines snapping shots without fuss.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Here's where the big guns fire. Olympus E-M1 features a Four Thirds CMOS sensor sized 17.3 x 13 mm with a 16MP resolution. Sony’s TX20 goes tiny with a 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor - roughly 6.17 x 4.55 mm, also at 16MP.

Sensor size directly impacts image quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance. Larger sensors like Olympus’s Four Thirds allow for bigger pixels, better light gathering, and less noise at high ISO settings. The TX20’s tiny sensor struggles by comparison - common among ultra-compact cameras - resulting in less dynamic range, higher noise in shadows, and limited low-light prowess.

Measurements from DxOMark give the E-M1 an overall score of 73, including a color depth of 23 bits and a dynamic range around 12.7 EV, with usable ISO up to about 750 before grain becomes distracting. The TX20 was not officially tested, but typical sensors in this class perform significantly lower, with degraded color and noise handling above ISO 400.

Now, settings aside, how does this translate to real photos? The Olympus will deliver richer colors, cleaner images in dim conditions, and better detail retention in highlights and shadows. The Sony is serviceable in good daylight but starts to show softness and noise creeping in indoors or at dusk.

Bottom line: The E-M1 clearly wins for image quality - essential for printing large, cropping creatively, or shooting professional work.

Eye on the Prize: Autofocus Systems Compared

Autofocus (AF) can make or break your shoot, especially in action, portraits, or wildlife. Olympus’s E-M1 employs a hybrid AF system combining phase and contrast detection with 81 focus points across the frame, supporting touch, face detection, continuous tracking, and selective focus.

Sony’s TX20 uses contrast-detection with a smaller number of AF points (exact count undisclosed), face detection, and limited tracking capabilities. It lacks phase detection, which means its autofocus struggles with fast subjects.

The E-M1’s system can focus down to -3 EV in low light - impressive for challenging environments. Its tracking can confidently follow moving subjects through the frame’s eye detection autofocus, though animal eye AF isn't supported on this model.

TX20’s AF is optimized for stationary subjects at moderate distances. Macro shots are easy (more on that soon), but fast-moving subjects? Not its forte.

In practical experience, I found the Olympus AF locks on quickly when shooting sports or wildlife, delivering consistent sharpness in bursts at up to 10 fps. The Sony’s autofocus can be hesitant and hunts during dim lighting or fast action, but with still subjects in good light, it performs adequately.

So if you chase crisply focused images of movers and shakers, nature, or kids at play, E-M1’s autofocus system is a pro-level asset.

Views, Touches, and Screens: Interface Showdown

Both cameras sport a 3" screen, but the details tell a different story.

Olympus offers a tilting LCD with a resolution of just over 1 million dots and a quality electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 2.36 million dots, 100% coverage, and 0.74x magnification. The EVF lets you compose with stability and clarity, especially useful in bright outdoor settings where rear screens can become washed out. The screen is touchscreen-enabled, adding a modern layer of control.

The Sony TX20’s fixed LCD is a 922k-dot XtraFine TruBlack TFT LCD, quite sharp for a compact of its day, and also touchscreen capable. But it lacks any EVF.

Using the Olympus EVF with real-time exposure preview while shooting is a boon - something the Sony cannot match. For street, travel, or hiking photography, that little viewfinder can make all the difference in bright sun.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: The Glass Makes the Image

The E-M1’s Micro Four Thirds mount taps into an extensive system - over 107 lenses at launch and hundreds more from Olympus, Panasonic, and third parties offer wide angles, telephotos, primes, macro, and specialty glass. The 2.1x crop factor compared to full-frame means lenses cover a wide effective focal range.

Sony’s TX20 has a fixed 4x zoom lens equivalent to 25-100mm, offering flexibility from moderate wide-angle to short tele, though restricted by aperture F3.5-4.6 which can limit low light and bokeh options.

Having hands-on with MFT zooms and Olympus PRO primes, I prized the lens diversity and optical quality. The TX20’s lens is versatile for everyday casual shots but won’t satisfy the selective, artistic bokeh control or reach of an interchangeable lens system.

For creatives exploring specialized photography - portraits requiring creamy background blur, wildlife needing long reach, or macro photography - the Olympus MFT ecosystem is a huge advantage.

Hold It Up To the Elements: Build Quality and Weather Sealing

Photography isn’t just what happens indoors or at city expeditions - sometimes you angle into rain, dust, or cold. Olympus designed the E-M1 with pro build quality including splash-proof, dustproof, and freeze-resistant sealing. Magnesium alloy body reinforces durability against knocks and mishandling.

Surprisingly, the Sony TX20 also claims some environmental sealing, though its plastic body and no weather sealing explicitly limit outdoor abuse tolerance.

If you shoot outdoors often - landscapes, wildlife, action sports or travel - the Olympus’s robust build adds peace of mind you won’t find in an ultracompact.

Burst Rates and Shutter Mechanics: Capturing the Decisive Moment

Continuous shooting at 10 fps with full AF tracking on the E-M1 means you won’t miss a critical split second in sports or wildlife. The mechanical shutter tops out at 1/8000 second, allowing creative use of wide apertures in bright light.

TX20 also offers 10 fps burst, but without continuous AF; it’s more suited for snapping multiple images of still or slow subjects. Its maximum shutter speed is 1/1600 second, adequate but limiting for some fast action or high ISO exposure control.

For sports and wildlife photographers where timing is everything, the E-M1 confidently outpaces the TX20.

Battery Grip and Storage: Powering Your Journey

Olympus packs the E-M1 with a replaceable BLN-1 battery rated for 350 shots per charge, which is solid if not stellar by mirrorless standards. Meanwhile, the Sony TX20’s NP-BN battery offers around 250 shots per charge, respectable for compacts of its type.

Both have a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot, but the Olympus supports faster UHS-I cards and the increased buffer of large storage cards helps in continuous shooting or extended video sessions.

If battery life is critical - for example, long hikes or professional shoots - Olympus generally outperforms compacts and can be supplemented with external grips or spare batteries easily.

Video Capabilities: Moving Pictures on the Move

The Olympus E-M1 records Full HD (1920x1080) at 30 fps with support for H.264 and Motion JPEG formats, and includes a mic port for improved audio capture. It lacks 4K video, which was rare in cameras released in 2013.

The Sony TX20 surprisingly offers Full HD 1080p at 60 fps, as well as AVCHD and MPEG-4 formats, but no mic input or headphone output. It’s a straightforward point-and-shoot video recorder.

If video is a major use case, the E-M1’s video is serviceable but not cutting edge, while the TX20 may tempt casual videographers with smooth 60fps options in a palm-sized package - but limited controls and audio ports limit its versatility.

Specialized Photography: Portraits, Landscapes, Wildlife, Macro, and More

To round out this practical assessment, let’s look at how each camera serves key photography disciplines.

• Portraits: The Olympus E-M1’s larger sensor, accurate eye-detection AF, and extensive lens selection give it a distingué edge in flattering skin tones and luscious bokeh. The TX20’s small sensor and limited aperture range make it less flattering for subject isolation, though it tries with face detection.

• Landscapes: With a broader dynamic range and better image quality, the E-M1 excels at capturing detailed textures, subtle shadow detail, and expansive scenes. Its weather sealing lets you push boundaries in varied conditions. The TX20 is more limited but fine for casual or vacation snaps on bright days.

• Wildlife: E-M1’s burst rate, tracking AF, and long tele lenses make it a solid contender in the field. The TX20’s short zoom and slow AF hinder capturing quick movers.

• Sports: Precise pre-focusing, rapid shooting, and durable build let E-M1 thrive on the sidelines. The TX20 simply can’t keep pace.

• Street: This is where it gets fun. The TX20’s discreet size and quiet operation give it an edge for candid shots. The Olympus is larger and more conspicuous but offers greater versatility.

• Macro: While the TX20 has an impressively close 1cm macro focus range and optical image stabilization, Olympus’s interchangeable lenses and focus stacking features create superior macro results.

• Night / Astro: The E-M1’s low light ISO capabilities and longer shutter times, combined with stabilization, position it better to capture stars or cityscapes at night.

• Travel: Both cameras have their niche - the E-M1 for serious travelers wanting creative control and superior image quality; the TX20 for light travel or daily carry with less fuss.

• Professional Work: Olympus supports RAW files, bracketing, advanced metering, and has ruggedness professionals demand. Sony TX20 is a casual snapshot camera with no RAW support and limited manual control.

Olympus E M1 front Olympus E M1 screen back Sony TX20 front Sony TX20 screen back

Connectivity and Extras: Sharing and Workflow Integration

Wireless connectivity in the Olympus E-M1 includes built-in Wi-Fi (Bluetooth and NFC absent), allowing remote control and image transfers. Sony TX20 offers Eye-Fi card support for wireless transfers but no native Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Olympus supports USB 2.0 and HDMI out, microphone inputs for video, and works well with professional workflows involving RAW files. Sony’s simpler ports (USB 2.0, HDMI) are compatible with standard transfers but lack professional-level workflow flexibility.

Price-to-Performance: What Does Your Dollar Buy?

At launch, the Olympus E-M1 retailed around $799 (body only), providing a comprehensive pro mirrorless package that commonly remains competitively priced on the used market given its capabilities.

The Sony TX20 hovered closer to $330, targeting entry-level buyers seeking compact convenience.

While the Olympus commands a higher price, it delivers substantial value with its build, sensor, lens system, and user controls. The TX20 is an affordable, ultra-portable camera for snapshots but cannot be directly compared in professional photographic value.

Breaking It Down: How Each Camera Scores by Photography Type

This quick look at genre-specific ratings suggests:

• Olympus E-M1 leads heavily in professional disciplines: sports, wildlife, landscapes.
• Sony TX20 shines in pocketability and casual street or travel use.
• For entry-level users seeking simplicity or a compact without many technical demands, TX20 remains relevant.
• Serious photographers and enthusiasts seeking creative control and image quality will favor Olympus.

Parting Thoughts and Recommendations

If you asked me to recommend without context, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 is the clear choice for those serious about photography - whether professional shooters or serious enthusiasts craving manual control, advanced autofocus, excellent image quality, and system flexibility. It’s a camera that rewards investment with years of reliable, creative use.

On the other hand, the Sony TX20 has a niche as an ultra-compact, economical daily shooter, perfect for travelers or casual users who prioritize unobtrusive design and simplicity over creative specs. It's the camera you pull out when you want to keep things light and uncomplicated.

Both cameras occupy distinct spaces on the photographic spectrum - much like a thoroughbred vs. a speedy hatchback. Knowing your priorities, shooting style, and budget will guide you to the right pick.

If your photography dreams involve expressive portraits with luscious backgrounds, chasing wildlife on dawn safaris, or nailing sports shots without missing a beat, Olympus’s E-M1 is a proven companion. But if your camera is your casual friend, accompanying city walks and beach vacations without weighing you down, Sony’s TX20 offers a sweet blend of convenience and decent picture quality.

Happy shooting, whichever path you choose!

If you want me to dive into specific shooting scenarios or comparisons with other cameras, just say the word - I’m here with over 15 years of happily nerding out over gear and images.

Article images are scaled and integrated for illustration. Image data sources: manufacturer specs and validated real-world tests.