Clicky

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V

Portability
86
Imaging
47
Features
43
Overall
45
Olympus PEN E-PL1 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V front
Portability
91
Imaging
39
Features
46
Overall
41

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V Key Specs

Olympus E-PL1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 334g - 115 x 72 x 42mm
  • Revealed May 2010
  • Newer Model is Olympus E-PL1s
Sony HX9V
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-384mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 245g - 105 x 59 x 34mm
  • Released July 2011
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V Overview

The following is a extensive analysis of the Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a big gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and HX9V (16MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and HX9V (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor size.

Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video

The E-PL1 was launched 14 months prior to the HX9V making the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX9V being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a short summation of how the E-PL1 matches up vs the HX9V for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL1 over the Sony HX9V

 E-PL1 HX9V 

Reasons to pick Sony HX9V over the Olympus E-PL1

 HX9V E-PL1 
ReleasedJuly 2011May 2010Newer by 14 months
Display sizing3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution921k230kClearer display (+691k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-PL1 and Sony HX9V

 E-PL1 HX9V 
Manually focus More exact focusing
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch display Absent Touch display

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V Physical Comparison

If you're looking to travel with your camera regularly, you will want to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL1 comes with outside dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Sony HX9V has sizing of 105mm x 59mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") with a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL1 against the HX9V.

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V size comparison

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1 and HX9V is 86 and 91 respectively.

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it's hard to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by reading through technical specs. The pic here might give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and HX9V.

As you have seen, both the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Sony HX9V will give you extra detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images far more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V Screen and Viewfinder comparison
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images

Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 as a Portrait photography camera
Sony HX9V as a Portrait photography camera
60
has manual focus
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
features face detection focus
exports RAW formats
low resolution sensor (12 megapixels)
39
focusing manually
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
can't use external flash
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Street photography highlights
Sony HX9V Street photography highlights
74
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
no articulating screen
61
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition in class (245g)
screen is fixed
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 as a Sports photography camera
Sony HX9V as a Sports photography camera
44
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
features tracking autofocus
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 fps)
low resolution sensor (12MP)
bad battery power (290 CIPA)
has no phase detect auto focus
44
great zoom range (24-384mm 16.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
lack of shutter priority mode
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect AF
Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 as a Travel photography camera
Sony HX9V as a Travel photography camera
51
built-in flash
no Timelapse function
bad battery power (290 shots)
low resolution sensor (12MP)
screen is not selfie friendly
69
lighter than competition in class (245g)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
rather wide (24mm)
very long zoom (384mm)
missing Time Lapse recording
screen isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Landscape photography info
Sony HX9V Landscape photography info
55
has manual focus
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
screen is small (2.7 inch)
low resolution sensor (12 megapixels)
bad battery power (290 shots)
no Timelapse function
49
focusing manually
rather wide (24mm)
decent sized screen (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
cannot change lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
missing Time Lapse recording
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PL1 Vlogging information
Sony HX9V Vlogging information
29
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
features face detection focus
screen is not selfie friendly
low quality video (1280 x 720 resolution)
no external microphone port
33
rather wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competition in class (245 grams)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
screen isn't selfie friendly
missing mic port
Photography Glossary

Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony HX9V Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL1 and Sony HX9V
 Olympus PEN E-PL1Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V
General Information
Make Olympus Sony
Model Olympus PEN E-PL1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Superzoom
Revealed 2010-05-17 2011-07-19
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Chip Truepic V BIONZ
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Full resolution 4032 x 3024 4608 x 3456
Max native ISO 3200 3200
Lowest native ISO 100 100
RAW support
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 11 9
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 24-384mm (16.0x)
Maximum aperture - f/3.3-5.9
Total lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.8
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen size 2.7" 3"
Screen resolution 230k dot 921k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Screen technology HyperCrystal LCD AR (Anti-Reflective) coating XtraFine LCD display with TruBlack technology
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/1600 seconds
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 range 10.00 m 4.00 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/160 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 1280 x 720 (30fps), 640 x 480 (30fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 334 grams (0.74 lb) 245 grams (0.54 lb)
Dimensions 115 x 72 x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") 105 x 59 x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 54 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 21.5 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 10.1 not tested
DXO Low light score 487 not tested
Other
Battery life 290 pictures -
Battery form Battery Pack -
Battery model BLS-1 NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC card SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots 1 1
Launch pricing $288 $328