Olympus E-P5 vs Sony HX9V

Choosing Your Next Camera: An Experienced Side-by-Side Look at the Olympus PEN E-P5 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V

Selecting the right camera can feel overwhelming, especially with two very different models like the Olympus PEN E-P5 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V sitting side by side. Both cameras have their own unique strengths but target different kinds of photographers and shooting styles. Having tested thousands of cameras over 15 years - spanning everything from compact superzooms to high-end mirrorless systems - I’ll walk you through a comprehensive, technical, and practical comparison to help you find what suits your creative journey best.

Let’s dive in, looking beyond specs and marketing, and explore how these cameras perform across genres with real-world usability in mind.

First Impressions: Size, Handling, and Ergonomics

The way a camera feels in your hands is fundamental. Comfort affects your shooting endurance, control precision, and ultimately, the photos you capture.

• Olympus E-P5: The PEN E-P5 is a rangefinder-style mirrorless camera weighing 420 grams with dimensions of roughly 122x69x37 mm. It’s solid, with a substantial grip considering its compact size, and a quality metal body that inspires confidence in build.
• Sony HX9V: At 245 grams and more compact (105x59x34 mm), the HX9V is a pocket-friendly superzoom camera. Its slim profile is ideal for everyday carry but offers less in terms of physical control surfaces.

Ergonomics: The E-P5’s design is more tactile and flexible, featuring more customizable buttons and dials. The Sony, as a compact point-and-shoot, has fewer controls, which may slow down manual operation but suits users seeking simplicity. The E-P5’s tilting touchscreen adds versatility for shooting angles, something the HX9V lacks with its fixed screen.

Recommendation: If you prioritize handling and manual control for creative confidence, the Olympus is a clear winner. For ultra-portability and occasionally snapping versatile shots with minimal fuss, Sony delivers.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Camera

Sensor quality profoundly affects image sharpness, dynamic range, noise performance, and color fidelity. Here the cameras diverge significantly.

Thanks to its larger Four Thirds sensor, the Olympus E-P5 boasts:

• Superior dynamic range (~12.4 EV)
• Greater low-light capability (~ISO 800 usable, pushing higher)
• Better color depth (22.8 bits)
• More detail retention and less noise at higher ISOs

The Sony HX9V’s small sensor limits image quality, particularly in low light and high-contrast scenes, resulting in more noise and less dynamic range. Yet, its 16MP resolution matches the PEN’s, giving good detail under bright lighting and depending on output size needs.

In practical terms:

• The Olympus captures cleaner, more vibrant images with a wide exposure latitude.
• The Sony performs adequately in daylight and excels at providing extreme zoom at the expense of image quality.

If image quality is a priority, especially for prints or creative post-processing, the Olympus PEN E-P5 is indisputably superior.

Viewfinders, Screens, and Interface: Connecting You to Your Vision

A camera’s user interface affects how intuitively you can compose, review, and adjust settings on the fly.

• Olympus E-P5: Features a 3-inch, 1037k-dot, capacitive touchscreen LCD that tilts up and down, excellent for shooting from low or awkward angles. It also supports touch-to-focus and touch shutter. No built-in EVF, but compatible external electronic viewfinders can be attached.
• Sony HX9V: Offers a 3-inch, fixed 921k-dot XtraFine LCD with TruBlack technology, improving contrast and reflections outdoors but provides no touchscreen or EVF.

The PEN E-P5’s interface is highly customizable with plenty of manual controls, physical dials for aperture and shutter speed, and quick access to white balance and ISO - key for photographers mastering exposure.

The HX9V’s simplified menu suits casual users but may feel limiting for manual shooters, lacking aperture or shutter priority modes outright. The touchscreen absence means menu navigation relies solely on buttons and small dials.

Summary: For intuitive control and versatile composition, the PEN’s touchscreen and manual dials give it a clear edge. The Sony’s screen is good but less flexible.

Autofocus System: Speed, Accuracy, and Subject Tracking

Autofocus performance is critical for genres requiring precise focus, such as portraits, wildlife, and sports.

Despite using contrast-detection AF - slower than phase-detection - Olympus’s 35-point AF with face and eye detection provides reliable focusing, especially for portraits. It tracks moving subjects reasonably in decent light but is not cutting-edge sports autofocus.

The Sony HX9V’s AF is more rudimentary:

• No continuous or tracking AF.
• Slower focus acquisition.
• Poor performance in challenging light.
• Not suited for fast action or wildlife.

Practical takeaway: If your photography involves portraits or moving subjects, the Olympus will help you nail focus faster and more accurately.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Performance: Freezing the Action

The Olympus’s ultra-fast 1/8000 sec shutter speed enables capturing bright daylight shots wide open or freezing very fast movement, aiding sports and wildlife photographers.

Burst rates are nearly identical, but the Olympus’s better AF tracking means more keeper shots during continuous shooting.

Sony’s maximum shutter speed (1/1600) limits its versatility outdoors and under bright flash.

Lens Ecosystem and Zoom Versatility

• Olympus E-P5: Uses the Micro Four Thirds mount compatible with over 100 lenses from Olympus, Panasonic, and third parties. This freedom lets you choose everything from ultra-wide primes to bright portrait lenses and long telephotos, tailoring your kit to any genre.
• Sony HX9V: Fixed 24-384 mm equivalent zoom lens (16x optical zoom) f/3.3-5.9. Good range for travel and casual shooting, but zoom quality drops and aperture narrows significantly at telephoto end.

The E-P5’s interchangeable lens advantage is transformative for creative flexibility, allowing precise control over depth of field, framing, and desired bokeh quality. The Sony’s built-in zoom is convenient but a compromise.

Image Stabilization

• Olympus E-P5 boasts 5-axis sensor-shift stabilization, one of the best in-camera IS systems, delivering sharper handheld shots across all lenses and boosting low-light usability.
• Sony HX9V uses optical stabilization in the lens which helps reduce blur during zoomed shots, but is less effective than Olympus’s comprehensive system.

This makes the PEN far more capable in low light and macro photography without a tripod.

Video Recording Capabilities

The Sony edges out slightly with 1080/60p video for smoother motion capture, but lacks manual audio controls and external audio inputs. Olympus’s video is solid, with excellent stabilization but limited frame rates.

For casual vloggers or travel filming, both offer respectable video but fall short of advanced users’ expectations.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity

The Olympus supports Wi-Fi out of the box for easy sharing and remote control. Sony offers limited wireless connectivity primarily via Eye-Fi card support but otherwise lacks Bluetooth or NFC. The Sony is the better choice if GPS geotagging is essential for your travel photography.

Weather Sealing and Durability

Neither camera is weather-sealed or ruggedized. Both are vulnerable to dust and moisture, so careful handling is necessary outdoors.

Real World Photography Applications Across Genres

Let’s look at how these cameras perform for various photography types, keeping in mind their design focuses:

Olympus E P5 front Olympus E P5 screen back Sony HX9V front Sony HX9V screen back

• Portraiture: The Olympus E-P5’s larger sensor and full manual controls produce excellent skin tones and creamy bokeh, especially with premium Micro Four Thirds primes. Eye detection AF adds pinpoint focus on faces. Sony’s HX9V, with a smaller sensor and no eye AF, is less suited for professional portraits but OK for casual snapshots.

• Landscape: Olympus wins with higher dynamic range and resolution that capture fine detail and wide tonal gradations. The availability of wide-angle lenses further highlights its capability. Sony’s small sensor limits image quality for landscape enthusiasts.

• Wildlife: The E-P5’s relatively quick AF and better shutter speeds help freeze action; the ability to attach telephoto lenses greatly increases reach and quality. Sony’s HX9V zoom is handy but can’t compete for sharpness or focus speed on fast-moving subjects.

• Sports: Olympus’s 9fps continuous shooting with AF tracking makes it moderately competent here; Sony lacks tracking AF and slower shutter caps limit usability.

• Street: Sony’s tiny size and long zoom is great for discreet shooting and varied framing on the go. The Olympus is larger but still compact enough, with superior image quality and controls.

• Macro: Olympus’s 5-axis IS and compatibility with dedicated macro lenses deliver outstanding close-up photography. Sony’s fixed lens options are limited for genuine macros.

• Astro / Night: The larger sensor and higher ISO ranges of the Olympus make night sky and low-light shooting feasible. Sony’s small sensor cannot match noise control needed for astrophotography.

• Video: Sony edges out with 60p Full HD for smoother motion but limited manual controls reduce creative flexibility. Olympus offers robust stabilization and manual exposure but capped at 30p.

• Travel: Sony’s light weight and huge zoom range is perfect for travel snapshots without lens changes. Olympus offers more versatility and image quality but requires more bulk and extra lenses.

• Professional Use: Olympus’s raw support, superior sensor, and lens ecosystem provide a more professional toolset. Sony’s HX9V is aimed at consumer convenience.

Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses

Who Should Choose Which?

If your photography priorities include image quality, creative lens choice, manual control, and versatility - especially for portraits, landscapes, wildlife, or professional work - the Olympus PEN E-P5 is your best pick.

• Ideal for enthusiast and advanced photographers wanting a fully featured mirrorless system.
• Excellent investment for someone building a lens collection and seeking high image fidelity.
• Great for low-light shooting and creative video stabilization.

If you want a pocketable, all-in-one travel companion with a powerful zoom, simple operation, and GPS for geotagging, the Sony HX9V suits casual shooters and travelers looking to document daily life with no fuss.

• Perfect for those who value convenience over ultimate image quality.
• Great entry-level point-and-shoot for snapshots, street, and travel.
• Not recommended if you want professional control or high-performance autofocus.

Technical Insights from Our Testing Methodologies

We evaluated both cameras using controlled lab tests and field scenarios to balance technical metrics with artistic usability:

• Image quality tests measured DxO Mark metrics for the Olympus and practical noise grading for Sony.
• AF speed and accuracy were tested using controlled moving targets under various lighting conditions.
• Ergonomics and user interface assessments involved timed tasks handling manual exposure adjustments under pressure.
• Lens compatibility checks included practical portrait and landscape shoots using premium Micro Four Thirds glass on the Olympus.
• Video capabilities tested stabilization and frame rate quality by recording handheld movement and color profiling.

Final Thoughts and Next Steps for You

Both cameras fill different niches - one offers a robust mirrorless platform, the other a straightforward superzoom compact. The Olympus E-P5 is still a compelling choice for photographers demanding creative flexibility, quality, and manual control. The Sony HX9V remains a handy travel and casual photography model, shining with its zoom range and portability.

Before deciding, I recommend:

• Try them in hand at your local camera store to compare their ergonomics and control intuitiveness.
• Consider your photography goals and which features serve those needs.
• Check lens options if going for the Olympus to find those primes or zooms that will inspire you.
• Explore sample galleries or user forums to see real-world images that reflect your style.
• Factor budget as the Olympus system may entail additional lens investment, whereas Sony delivers a fixed-lens package.

By understanding your style, priorities, and preferences, you can find a camera that doesn’t just meet your needs but excites you to create.

Get Started: Whether you lean toward the Olympus PEN E-P5’s creative power or the Sony HX9V’s all-in-one convenience, embark on your next photographic adventure with confidence - and don’t forget to pair your new camera with the right accessories and learning resources.

Happy shooting!