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Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5

Portability
86
Imaging
47
Features
42
Overall
45
Olympus PEN E-P1 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 front
Portability
92
Imaging
33
Features
30
Overall
31

Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5 Key Specs

Olympus E-P1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 355g - 121 x 70 x 36mm
  • Launched July 2009
  • Later Model is Olympus E-P2
Sony HX5
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.4" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 125 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.5-5.5) lens
  • 200g - 102 x 58 x 29mm
  • Revealed June 2010
Photography Glossary

Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5 Overview

Let's look a bit more closely at the Olympus E-P1 versus Sony HX5, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the HX5 (10MP) is relatively well matched but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and HX5 (1/2.4") come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-P1 was unveiled 10 months before the HX5 and they are of a similar age. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a complete comparison, below is a short summation of how the E-P1 grades versus the HX5 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-P1 over the Sony HX5

 E-P1 HX5 
Focus manually Dial accurate focus

Reasons to pick Sony HX5 over the Olympus E-P1

 HX5 E-P1 
RevealedJune 2010July 2009More modern by 10 months

Common features in the Olympus E-P1 and Sony HX5

 E-P1 HX5 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen dimension3"3"Identical screen sizing
Screen resolution230k230kSame screen resolution
Selfie screen Neither includes selfie screen
Touch screen Neither includes Touch screen

Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5 Physical Comparison

When you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you will need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-P1 features outside dimensions of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") along with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Sony HX5 has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-P1 versus Sony HX5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the E-P1 against the HX5.

Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-P1 and HX5 is 86 and 92 respectively.

Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5 Sensor Comparison

Typically, it is tough to envision the contrast between sensor sizes purely by looking at technical specs. The image here will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-P1 and HX5.

As you have seen, both cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-P1 using its bigger sensor will make shooting bokeh easier and the Olympus E-P1 will give greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs much more aggressively. The more aged E-P1 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.

Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-P1 as a Portrait photography camera
Sony HX5 as a Portrait photography camera
60
manual focus
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports face detection autofocus
delivers RAW files
low megapixels (12MP)
19
focusing manually not possible
can't use external flash
low MP (10 megapixels)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.4")
doesn't have RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-P1 as a Street photography camera
Sony HX5 as a Street photography camera
74
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
fixed screen
55
built in image stabilization (Optical)
no moving screen
sensor size is tiny (1/2.4")
doesn't have RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-P1 as a Sports photography camera
Sony HX5 as a Sports photography camera
40
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 fps)
low megapixels (12MP)
not so great battery life (300 shots)
has no phase detect autofocus
26
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lack of shutter priority mode
low MP (10MP)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.4")
doesn't have phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus E-P1
Travel photography with Sony HX5
43
lack of Time Lapse recording
not so great battery life (300 shots)
low megapixels (12MP)
screen isn't selfie friendly
60
flash built-in
reasonably wide (25mm)
very long reach (250mm)
lack of Timelapse recording
low MP (10 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-P1 Landscape photography details
Sony HX5 Landscape photography details
60
manual focus
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen is a decent size (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
low megapixels (12MP)
not so great battery life (300 per charge)
lack of Time Lapse recording
37
reasonably wide (25mm)
decent sized screen (3")
built in image stabilization (Optical)
focusing manually not possible
can't swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
low MP (10MP)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.4")
doesn't have RAW format
lack of Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-P1 as a Vlogging camera
Sony HX5 as a Vlogging camera
29
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
supports face detection autofocus
screen isn't selfie friendly
low quality video (1280 x 720 pxls)
lack of external mic socket
31
reasonably wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen is not selfie friendly
lack of microphone port
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Olympus E-P1 vs Sony HX5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-P1 and Sony HX5
 Olympus PEN E-P1Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5
General Information
Company Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus PEN E-P1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Launched 2009-07-29 2010-06-16
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Processor TruePic V Bionz
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.4"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 6.104 x 4.578mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 27.9mm²
Sensor resolution 12MP 10MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4032 x 3024 3456 x 2592
Highest native ISO 6400 3200
Min native ISO 100 125
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points 11 9
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 25-250mm (10.0x)
Largest aperture - f/3.5-5.5
Macro focusing range - 5cm
Available lenses 107 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 5.9
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen size 3" 3"
Resolution of screen 230k dot 230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Screen tech HyperCrystal LCD with AR(Anti-Reflective) coating -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/4000s 1/1600s
Continuous shooting speed 3.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance no built-in flash 3.80 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) Auto, On, Off, Slow syncro
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/180s -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (60, 30fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video file format Motion JPEG AVCHD
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 355 gr (0.78 lbs) 200 gr (0.44 lbs)
Dimensions 121 x 70 x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") 102 x 58 x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 55 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 21.4 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.4 not tested
DXO Low light rating 536 not tested
Other
Battery life 300 shots -
Type of battery Battery Pack -
Battery ID BLS-1 NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, portrait1/portrait2)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC card Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo/ PRO HG-Duo, optional SD/SDHC, Internal
Storage slots 1 1
Launch pricing $182 $275