Olympus E-M5 vs Sony HX5

Here, we are contrasting the Olympus E-M5 vs Sony HX5, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a substantial gap between the image resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and HX5 (10MP) and the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and HX5 (1/2.4") posses totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-M5 was released 23 months later than the HX5 making them a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX5 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-M5 scores against the HX5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-M5 Gallery & Sony HX5 Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M5 has outside measurements of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Sony HX5 has dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M5 vs Sony HX5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the E-M5 against the HX5.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and HX5 is 81 and 92 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to see the gap between sensor measurements simply by reading technical specs. The photograph here may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M5 and HX5.

As you have seen, both cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-M5 due to its larger sensor will make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-M5 will deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The newer E-M5 will have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.