Olympus PEN E-PL5 vs Sony Alpha NEX-5T: A Practical Showdown of Entry-Level Mirrorless Cameras

In the bustling market of entry-level mirrorless cameras, the Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Sony Alpha NEX-5T have both carved out their roles as popular choices for enthusiasts looking to dip their toes into interchangeable-lens systems without breaking the bank. Announced just under a year apart - Olympus in late 2012 and Sony in mid-2013 - they share some semblance of specs but bring rather different philosophies to the table. I've spent extensive time with both cameras, handling them across genres from portraits to landscapes to fast-action sports, putting their touted features through their real-world paces. Join me on this detailed comparison as we dissect how these two fare head-to-head in the many facets that matter most to photographers.

Size and Handling: How They Feel in Your Hands Matters

Right off the bat, size and ergonomics set a tone that lasts throughout the shooting experience. Both these cameras sport rangefinder-style mirrorless bodies - a compact, retro-inspired aesthetic - but they differ subtly in dimensions and grip comfort.

The Olympus E-PL5 measures approximately 111×64×38 mm and weighs around 325 grams, while the Sony NEX-5T is slightly slimmer (111×59×39 mm) and lighter at 276 grams. Those few millimeters and grams do make a tangible difference in hand fatigue during longer shoots, especially without the luxury of a substantial grip.

Handling-wise, the Olympus feels more substantial and stable thanks to a more pronounced grip bulge, which helps counterbalance heavier Micro Four Thirds lenses. The Sony’s sleeker silhouette leans toward portability - a plus for street and travel photographers craving discretion. But the trade-off is a more minimalist control layout that can feel cramped, particularly for those with larger fingers or wearing gloves.

Speaking of controls, the top ergonomics also tell a story.

Top-Deck Controls: Intuitive or Intentional Minimalism?

Peeking at the camera tops, both models rely on a streamlined array of buttons and dials to navigate exposure modes and shooting settings. The Olympus offers a dedicated mode dial with clear tactile feedback - a boon for quickly switching between Auto, Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Custom modes. In contrast, the Sony’s mode dial is recessed and flatter, requiring closer inspection to adjust, which can interrupt the flow in dynamic shooting.

Continuous shooting controls and playback buttons are thoughtfully placed on the Olympus, reinforcing its user-friendly approach. Meanwhile, the Sony compensates with a customizable Fn (function) button to access frequently used settings but demands greater menu diving, which might frustrate users used to more direct control.

Neither camera includes built-in electronic viewfinders (EVF), though both can accommodate external ones, albeit adding to bulk and cost.

The Sensor Showdown: Micro Four Thirds vs APS-C

Now, onto the heart of any camera - the sensor. The Olympus E-PL5 features a 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor (17.3 × 13 mm, approx. 225 mm² sensor area), while the Sony NEX-5T houses a similarly 16MP but larger APS-C sensor (23.4 × 15.6 mm, approx. 365 mm²). This difference in sensor size easily becomes the biggest single factor influencing image quality, especially in low-light and dynamic range performance.

Olympus’s Four Thirds sensor saves on body size and lens dimensions but inherently loses some capability in gathering light compared to the APS-C sensor. Testing in well-lit studio conditions, both deliver sharp images with decent detail, but the Sony’s sensor shows a slight edge in resolving fine textures and smoother tonal gradations.

Where it really matters is low-light. DxO Mark data concurs with my hands-on observations - the Sony’s higher low-light ISO rating (1015 vs. Olympus’s 889) translates into cleaner images at ISO 1600 and beyond, with less luminance noise and better shadow detail retention.

Color depth also favors Sony (23.6 bits vs. Olympus’s 22.8 bits), though the difference is subtle and possibly unnoticeable for casual shooting. Dynamic range advantage further goes to Sony (13.0 EV vs 12.3 EV), allowing more highlight and shadow recovery during post-processing.

That said, Olympus still impresses with good color rendition and pleasing skin tones, making it a fine option for portraits if shooting in controlled lighting or outdoors on bright days.

Screens and Interface: Touch and Tilt with Different Attitudes

Both cameras feature tilting 3-inch LCDs with touch capabilities but diverge in resolution and design fluency.

The Olympus’s 460k-dot screen offers decent clarity and benefits from a fully articulating tilt, which flips 180 degrees upward - ideal for vlogging-style selfies or awkward angles. Touch controls are responsive but limited mainly to focus point selection and menu navigation. It’s a practical screen but feels somewhat dated next to 2013 standards.

Conversely, the Sony NEX-5T boasts a sharper 922k-dot TFT LCD with a tilt range of 180 degrees up and 50 degrees down. The touchscreen interface is notably smoother and more integrated into menu shortcuts and autofocus point placement, giving Sony the edge in intuitive operation and framing versatility.

Neither has a built-in EVF, as we noted earlier, so reliance on the rear screen is absolute, making screen quality a non-trivial consideration.

Autofocus: How Fast Can They Nail the Shot?

Autofocus (AF) performance is the quickened heartbeat of mirrorless cameras, especially when chasing moving subjects or working in unpredictable environments.

The Olympus E-PL5 employs a 35-point contrast-detection AF system with face detection and touch AF. While fairly comprehensive for its era, this system has a modest acquisition time, and continuous autofocus (AF-C) can struggle to keep track if subjects move erratically or quickly.

The Sony NEX-5T steps up with a hybrid AF combining contrast detection with 99 phase-detection points spread over the sensor. This significantly boosts AF speed and accuracy, especially under continuous autofocus tracking and live view, where phase detection can more predictably anticipate subject movement.

In real-world wildlife and sports shooting, the Sony’s AF reliably locked onto faster targets and maintained focus on moving eyes better - a feature crucial for portrait photographers working with restless models or wildlife enthusiasts trying to capture fleeting expressions.

Neither model includes animal eye AF, a modern luxury, but the Sony’s larger number of cross-type area sensors intuitively produces better focus precision overall.

Burst Shooting and Buffer: Catching Fast Action

Consider this: The Olympus E-PL5 offers 8 frames-per-second (fps) burst shooting, while the Sony NEX-5T ups the ante with a 10 fps max continuous shooting speed.

Yet, the Sony’s buffer capacity makes a bigger impact than raw frame rates alone. Its ability to sustain a longer burst without sluggishness during processing caught more decisive moments in my rifle-range action tests.

The Olympus holds fine for casual bursts - think sports fans or wildlife enthusiasts with moderate movement - but for the fast-paced street shooter or sports professional, Sony excels in delivering more frames for more possible keepers.

Olympus E PL5 front Olympus E PL5 screen back Sony NEX 5T front Sony NEX 5T screen back

Image Output and Lens Ecosystem: Creative Freedom and Choices

Both cameras shoot 16MP raw files and feature built-in image stabilization - but only Olympus provides sensor-based 3-axis stabilization. This is a boon for handheld shooting with non-stabilized lenses, especially in low light or macro photography. The Sony, lacking in-body stabilization, relies instead on stabilized lenses - a factor that can inflate system cost and restrict lens choice if you’re budget-conscious.

Lens access is an interesting duel. Olympus uses the venerable Micro Four Thirds mount with over 107 native lenses - including fast primes and specialty optics - supporting a wide array from budget to high-end pro options. The lens community is quite mature here.

Sony’s E-mount ecosystem, while comparatively younger then, already offered 121 lenses as of 2013, including many compelling third-party options from Sigma, Tamron, and Zeiss. The APS-C crop factor (1.5x) expands reach for telephoto lenses - useful for wildlife and sports photographers craving extra focal length without heavy glass.

When it comes to colors and image characteristics, Olympus leans toward warmer tonality with punchier contrast out of camera, while Sony captures more neutral colors, perhaps favoring post-processing flexibility.

Video Capabilities: Simple Shooters or Semi-Pro Video?

Both shooters record Full HD 1080p video but differ in frame rate options and codecs.

Olympus maxes out at 30 fps in MPEG-4, H.264, and Motion JPEG formats, which is serviceable for casual users but limited when capturing fast movement or cinematic footage.

Sony’s offering is a bit more versatile, shooting 1080p at 60p, 60i, and 24p in AVCHD and MPEG-4 formats. This supports smoother motion and wider editing possibilities. Unfortunately, neither camera includes microphone or headphone jacks, which tightens the leash on audio quality control for vloggers or indie filmmakers.

Battery Life and Storage: The Practical Nuts and Bolts

Battery endurance is modest on both.

Olympus promises around 360 shots per charge (CIPA rating), which aligns with moderate day use but necessitates spares for longer excursions. Sony lags slightly with 330 shots. Both cameras use proprietary lithium-ion packs with similar recharge times.

Storage-wise, the Olympus sticks to standard SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, while Sony's flexibility includes Memory Stick Pro Duo, a plus for existing Sony users but potentially confusing for newcomers.

Connectivity and Wireless: Ready for the Connected Age?

Sony’s built-in Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities stand out, enabling straightforward image transfers to mobile devices - a feature photographers increasingly value for on-the-go sharing and social media. Olympus offers Eye-Fi card compatibility but relies on an external accessory for wireless transfers, a bit cumbersome by today’s standards.

Toughness and Weather Sealing: Could You Take Them Outdoors?

Both are entry-level, non-weather-sealed bodies - meaning avoidance of rain, dust, and extremes is advisable to extend their lifespan. Neither is shockproof or freezeproof, so treating them like delicate instruments rather than rugged tools is prudent.

The Final Scores: How They Stack Up Across the Board

According to comprehensive assessments such as DxOMark, and through hands-on experimentation, the Sony NEX-5T generally nudges ahead with a score of 78 overall, outpacing the Olympus E-PL5's 72. This difference encompasses sensor image quality, low-light capability, and autofocus performance.

The gap reflects Sony’s newer hybrid AF, superior sensor size, and more nimble continuous shooting rather than Olympus’s formidable image stabilization and slightly better ergonomics.

Tailoring Your Choice to Your Photography Style

Breaking down their suitability by genre provides sharper guidance:

• Portraits: Olympus’s in-body stabilization helps with slower lenses and handheld lighting setups; its color science renders skin tones flat-out pleasing. Sony’s better autofocus and richer dynamic range benefit demanding portraiture needing critical focus on eyes and more post-processing latitude.

• Landscape: Sony’s APS-C sensor offers wider dynamic range and higher resolution for massive prints. Olympus’s more compact lenses and tilting screen support creative angles. Weather sealing isn't offered by either, so protection is equal.

• Wildlife: Sony’s faster continuous shooting and phase-detection AF translate to higher keeper rates of fleeting wildlife moments, with the APS-C crop factor giving a telephoto advantage.

• Sports: Sony again shines with a faster burst rate and better tracking AF, though both cameras lag behind professional sports shooters with dedicated high-speed bodies.

• Street Photography: Olympus’s marginally larger size notwithstanding, its tactile controls and stabilization aid shutter speed selection in low light, while Sony’s lighter build and superior screen resolution make discreet shooting easier.

• Macro Photography: Olympus’s sensor-shift stabilization is invaluable for close-up work where camera shake is amplified. Sony requires stabilized lenses or tripods to equalize.

• Night/Astro: Sony’s superior high ISO performance and dynamic range afford cleaner images and less noise - critical in dark conditions.

• Video: Sony’s flexible frame rates and codecs give filmmakers a wider playing field; Olympus is more point-and-shoot friendly for casual video.

• Travel: Sony’s lighter weight and wireless connectivity streamline travel shooting and sharing; Olympus prioritizes stable stills handheld in varying conditions.

• Professional Work: Neither quite hits professional standards for robustness or frame rates, but Sony’s APS-C files integrate better into workflows needing cleaner high ISO images and faster action capture.

Pulling It All Together: Who Should Buy Which?

Choosing between these two cameras often comes down to priorities and shooting style rather than price - both launched around $400 in their heyday.

If you crave:

• Portability with stabilized handheld shooting
• User-friendly controls and tactile dials
• Excellent still image quality in daylight portraits and travel
• A vast Micro Four Thirds lens selection

...then Olympus PEN E-PL5 may be your friend.

On the other hand, if you require:

• Better low-light and dynamic range performance
• Faster and more accurate autofocus, especially for action
• Superior continuous shooting for sports or wildlife
• A more modern touchscreen experience and wireless ease

...Sony Alpha NEX-5T is likely to reward your investment.

A Few Closing Thoughts and My Testing Approach

I always advocate evaluating cameras in the context of the lenses and accessories you plan to use, your handling comfort, and your subject matter. In putting both these cameras through standardized tests - color charts, ISO ramps, AF tracking trials - and immersive field shooting across multiple disciplines, I’ve found real-world differences sometimes overshadow raw specs. Olympus’s stabilization often allowed me to capture sharper handheld shots where Sony needed a tripod. Sony’s superior sensor and AF, however, delivered keepers when subjects were fleeting and light was challenging.

Neither is a panacea, and neither will replace a full-frame beast for professionals - but both offer substantial bang for your buck in learning, casual, or even semi-serious photographic pursuits.

In the end, the Olympus E-PL5 and Sony NEX-5T stand as solid, approachable gateways into mirrorless photography, each with their own strengths and quirks. Your choice? It boils down to what and how you shoot, and which compromises you’re willing to make in the endless quest for the perfect image.

Happy shooting!

Note: Images integrated at appropriate moments to visually support and contrast points discussed.