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Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300

Portability
86
Imaging
47
Features
43
Overall
45
Olympus PEN E-PL1s front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 front
Portability
63
Imaging
44
Features
51
Overall
46

Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL1s
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 334g - 115 x 72 x 42mm
  • Released November 2010
  • Succeeded the Olympus E-PL1
  • Newer Model is Olympus E-PL2
Sony HX300
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-1200mm (F2.8-6.3) lens
  • 623g - 130 x 103 x 93mm
  • Introduced February 2013
  • Older Model is Sony HX200V
  • Updated by Sony HX400V
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Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 Overview

Here is a detailed analysis of the Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Sony. There is a large difference between the image resolutions of the E-PL1s (12MP) and HX300 (20MP) and the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and HX300 (1/2.3") come with different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL1s was manufactured 3 years before the HX300 and that is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-PL1s grades vs the HX300 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL1s over the Sony HX300

 E-PL1s HX300 

Reasons to pick Sony HX300 over the Olympus E-PL1s

 HX300 E-PL1s 
IntroducedFebruary 2013November 2010Fresher by 27 months
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen sizing3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution921k230kCrisper screen (+691k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-PL1s and Sony HX300

 E-PL1s HX300 
Manual focus Dial exact focusing
Selfie screen Neither comes with selfie screen
Touch screen Lacking Touch screen

Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 Physical Comparison

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera regularly, you'll have to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL1s comes with physical dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Sony HX300 has measurements of 130mm x 103mm x 93mm (5.1" x 4.1" x 3.7") having a weight of 623 grams (1.37 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL1s compared to the HX300.

Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 size comparison

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1s and HX300 is 86 and 63 respectively.

Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 Sensor Comparison

Generally, it is difficult to picture the difference between sensor sizing only by going over specifications. The graphic here may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1s and HX300.

To sum up, both cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL1s because of its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Sony HX300 will deliver extra detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older E-PL1s is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.

Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s as a Portrait photography camera
Sony HX300 as a Portrait photography camera
60
focusing manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
features face detection focus
supports RAW formats
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
42
you can focus manually
good resolution (20 megapixels)
external flash not possible
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s Street photography information
Sony HX300 Street photography information
74
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
fixed screen
50
tilting screen
has image stabilization (Optical)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
more heavy than others (623 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s as a Sports photography camera
Sony HX300 as a Sports photography camera
44
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
features tracking autofocus
max fps very slow (3.0 fps)
sensor resolution not great (12 megapixels)
not so great battery pack (290 per charge)
does not have phase detect auto focus
55
amazing zoom range (24-1200mm 50.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (20 megapixels)
includes tracking autofocus
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PL1s Travel photography highlights
Sony HX300 Travel photography highlights
51
built-in flash
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
not so great battery pack (290 CIPA)
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
screen is not selfie friendly
54
good resolution (20 megapixels)
flash built-in
decently wide (24mm)
great reach (1200mm)
missing Timelapse recording
more heavy than others (623 grams)
display is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus E-PL1s
Landscape photography with Sony HX300
55
focusing manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
small screen (2.7 inches)
sensor resolution not great (12 megapixels)
not so great battery pack (290 per charge)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
48
you can focus manually
decently wide (24mm)
screen size is good (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (20MP)
can't switch lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
missing Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus E-PL1s
Vlogging with Sony HX300
29
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
features face detection focus
screen is not selfie friendly
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
doesn't have external mic support
25
decently wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
display is not selfie friendly
missing external microphone support
more heavy than others (623g)
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Olympus E-PL1s vs Sony HX300 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL1s and Sony HX300
 Olympus PEN E-PL1sSony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300
General Information
Make Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus PEN E-PL1s Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300
Type Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Superzoom
Released 2010-11-16 2013-02-20
Physical type Rangefinder-style mirrorless SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Chip Truepic V -
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 6.16 x 4.62mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 28.5mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixel 20 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 -
Max resolution 4032 x 3024 5184 x 3888
Max native ISO 6400 12800
Minimum native ISO 100 80
RAW support
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
AF center weighted
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Total focus points 11 9
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 24-1200mm (50.0x)
Max aperture - f/2.8-6.3
Amount of lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.8
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Tilting
Display sizing 2.7 inch 3 inch
Resolution of display 230 thousand dots 921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Display tech HyperCrystal LCD AR (Anti-Reflective) coating -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) Electronic
Features
Min shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shutter rate 3.0 frames per second 10.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 10.00 m -
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) -
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Max flash synchronize 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 (60, 50 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format Motion JPEG -
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 334g (0.74 lbs) 623g (1.37 lbs)
Dimensions 115 x 72 x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") 130 x 103 x 93mm (5.1" x 4.1" x 3.7")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 290 pictures -
Type of battery Battery Pack -
Battery ID BLS-1 -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) -
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC -
Card slots Single Single
Retail pricing $599 $339