Olympus E-M5 vs Sony WX80

In this write-up, we are analyzing the Olympus E-M5 and Sony WX80, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the WX80 (16MP) is fairly well matched but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and WX80 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-M5 was released 8 months earlier than the WX80 and they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony WX80 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a full comparison, below is a simple summation of how the E-M5 grades against the WX80 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Sony WX80 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M5 comes with exterior dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Sony WX80 has sizing of 92mm x 52mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.9") and a weight of 124 grams (0.27 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-M5 and Sony WX80 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the E-M5 compared to the WX80.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 and WX80 is 81 and 96 respectively.

Usually, its hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizing merely by checking technical specs. The visual underneath will provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 and WX80.

As you have seen, both cameras offer the same exact MP but not the same sensor sizing. The E-M5 has the larger sensor which is going to make getting shallow depth of field simpler. The older E-M5 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.