Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX1

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX1, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and HX1 (1/2.4") use different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL1 was manufactured 13 months later than the HX1 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the E-PL1 scores against the HX1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery & Sony HX1 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera, you have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL1 provides external dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Sony HX1 has specifications of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") along with a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1 versus the HX1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and HX1 is 86 and 67 respectively.

Normally, it can be difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizing merely by going through specs. The graphic here may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL1 and HX1.

All in all, both the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF easier and the Olympus E-PL1 will produce extra detail due to its extra 3MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures much more aggressively. The younger E-PL1 should have an edge with regard to sensor tech.