Olympus E-M5 vs Sony HX80

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-M5 versus Sony HX80, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the HX80 (18MP) is fairly similar but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and HX80 (1/2.3") have different sensor size.

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The E-M5 was released 4 years earlier than the HX80 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX80 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a simple view of how the E-M5 scores vs the HX80 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX80. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Sony HX80 Gallery.

If you're aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you should think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M5 features outer measurements of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Sony HX80 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") with a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M5 versus Sony HX80 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at that time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-M5 versus the HX80.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and HX80 is 81 and 91 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to imagine the difference between sensor dimensions simply by reviewing specifications. The image underneath will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M5 and HX80.

To sum up, the two cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-M5 because of its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Sony HX80 will deliver greater detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics more aggressively. The more aged E-M5 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.