Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX50V

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony HX50V, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Sony. There is a significant difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and HX50V (20MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and HX50V (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL1 was released 3 years before the HX50V and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX50V being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a detailed comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-PL1 grades vs the HX50V when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Sony HX50V Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL1 features outer dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Sony HX50V has proportions of 108mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 272 grams (0.60 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony HX50V in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select at the time. The following is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL1 versus the HX50V.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL1 and HX50V is 86 and 89 respectively.

Often, it is very tough to envision the gap in sensor measurements simply by looking through specs. The graphic underneath will offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and HX50V.

All in all, the 2 cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL1 due to its bigger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Sony HX50V will result in extra detail as a result of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures much more aggressively. The older E-PL1 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.