Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony H400

Olympus PEN E-PL5 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400: A Rigorous Comparison for Informed Camera Buyers

In an era where camera options range expansively - from portable mirrorless systems to all-in-one superzooms - it is essential to dissect each candidate’s technical core and real-world capability thoughtfully. The Olympus PEN E-PL5, an entry-level mirrorless camera launched in 2012, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400, a 2014 bridge-style superzoom, occupy markedly different segments but may appeal to overlapping users seeking versatile imaging tools on a budget. This detailed comparison aims to clarify their relative performance, strengths, and limitations across diverse photography disciplines and use cases, offering measured recommendations grounded in hands-on experience and rigorous technical scrutiny.

Physical Dimensions and Ergonomics: Handling Matters More Than Size

Physical usability profoundly influences photographic precision and enjoyment, a consideration often overlooked in spec sheets.

• Olympus PEN E-PL5: Its compact rangefinder-style mirrorless body measures 111 x 64 x 38 mm and weighs a light 325 g (body only). This makes it pocketable and highly portable, appealing to photographers prioritizing mobility.

• Sony DSC-H400: The H400 is of bridge camera design, substantially larger and heavier at 130 x 95 x 122 mm and 628 g. This SLR-like body demands more substantial carrying consideration.

The Olympus’s smaller size contributes to discreet street photography and ease of travel. However, the more substantial grip and bulk of the Sony may afford greater hand stability during extended telephoto use, offsetting some portability concerns. Ergonomically, the Olympus integrates touchscreen control with tilting functionality, facilitating varied shooting angles. The Sony’s fixed LCD and absence of touchscreen limit this flexibility.

Control Layout and Top-Panel Design: Usability in Action

Examining control placement and interface responsiveness contextualizes operational efficiency, especially under pressure.

• The Olympus features a minimalist top panel with dedicated dials for exposure control (shutter/aperture priority modes) and an accessible rear touchscreen, enabling intuitive manual adjustments favored by enthusiasts.

• The Sony H400 provides fewer physical control options centered around its bridge design, with more reliance on menu navigation due to its fixed screen and lack of touch interface.

From practical testing, the Olympus’s manual controls paired with touch responsiveness facilitate quicker and more fluid exposure adjustments. The Sony’s control system serves well for casual shooting but may prove limiting in dynamic or advanced scenarios requiring rapid changes.

Sensor Specifications and Image Quality

Sensor technology is the cornerstone of image fidelity. Below are the critical sensor attributes:

The Olympus’s significantly larger Four Thirds CMOS sensor provides a critical advantage in light sensitivity, dynamic range (DxO test rating 12.3 stops), and color depth (22.8 bits). This translates directly into enhanced image quality, particularly in low-light, high-contrast, and high-ISO situations.

Conversely, the Sony’s smaller 1/2.3" CCD sensor, despite the higher nominal megapixel count, suffers from limited light gathering and a narrower dynamic range, both typical of compact superzoom sensors. The lack of RAW support further restricts post-processing latitude, making the Sony better suited to straightforward JPEG photography.

Autofocus System and Performance

High-precision autofocus is critical in nearly all photography genres.

• Olympus E-PL5: Utilizes a contrast-detection AF system with 35 selectable focus points and features like touch AF and face detection. Continuous, single-shot, selective, and tracking AF are supported, but it lacks phase detection or advanced animal eye tracking.

• Sony H400: Employs contrast AF with fewer focus points (exact number unspecified). It features center-weighted and multi-area AF and basic face detection but no touch AF or continuous AF tracking during video.

The Olympus’s richer AF feature set and live view touch-based focusing options provide versatile focusing strategies, especially beneficial in portraiture and macro work where precision is paramount. The Sony’s focus system, while adequate for general use, is less refined, especially in fast-moving or low-light scenarios.

Build Quality, Weather Sealing, and Durability

Neither camera offers weather or dust sealing, limiting outdoor or harsh environment viability. The Olympus’s metal body construction affords a more robust feel compared to the mostly plastic shell of the Sony. This can impact long-term durability and user confidence in rugged shooting conditions.

LCD Screen and Viewfinder Capabilities

Display usability is essential for framing and reviewing images accurately.

• Olympus features a 3-inch, 460k-dot tilting touchscreen LCD. The ability to tilt aids low-angle and high-angle shooting, while touch input expedites focus and menu navigation.

• Sony includes a fixed 3-inch 460k-dot Clear Photo LCD with no touch capability. It also features an electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 201k-dot resolution and 100% coverage, beneficial for bright-light usability where LCD glare is problematic.

Though the EVF adds a valuable compositional tool for the Sony, its low resolution and modest magnification limit accuracy. The Olympus’s touch and tilt screen is more modern and versatile overall.

Lens Compatibility and Optical Versatility

Olympus uses the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) mount, granting access to a vast and mature ecosystem of over 100 lenses from multiple manufacturers. This includes primes, zooms, macro lenses, and specialty optics - providing tremendous creative scope and optical quality.

The Sony H400 has a fixed 25-1550 mm (35mm equivalent) lens with a modest maximum aperture range of f/3.4–6.5. While the extensive zoom range is attractive for wildlife and travel photography, it inherently imposes image quality compromises typical of all-in-one superzoom lenses. Moreover, fixed optics limit creative flexibility.

Continuous Shooting and Buffer Performance

• The Olympus E-PL5 delivers an 8 fps continuous shooting rate, sufficient for capturing moderately fast action in wildlife and sports photography. Buffer depth is generally constrained by storage media and processor speed but acceptable for this class.

• The Sony H400 operates at a slow 1 fps burst rate, ill-suited to fast action sequences.

Video Capabilities and Functionality

Video is increasingly critical in hybrid stills/video workflows.

• Olympus E-PL5 supports Full HD (1920x1080) at 30 fps with H.264 compression, offering clean, detailed footage with sensor-based stabilization.

• Sony H400 records HD 720p video at 30 fps with MPEG-4/H.264 encoding. It has a built-in microphone port but lacks a headphone jack for monitoring. Stabilization is optical via lens.

Neither offers advanced video features like 4K recording or uncompressed output, nor do they support professional audio accessories beyond basic mic input (Sony only).

Battery Life and Storage

The Olympus offers approximately 360 shots per charge (CIPA rating) using the BLS-5 battery, a fair endurance for mirrorless models of its era. The Sony’s battery life is slightly lower at around 300 shots.

Both utilize a single card slot supporting SD/SDHC/SDXC; Sony also supports Memory Stick formats, useful for users embedded in Sony’s older ecosystems.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

• Olympus supports Eye-Fi card connectivity for wireless image transfer but lacks modern Bluetooth or Wi-Fi integration.

• Sony H400 offers no wireless features.

This constrains instant sharing and remote control options compared to contemporary models, but matches the expected standards for their release years.

Practical Use Across Photography Disciplines

To provide actionable insights, we assess their aptitude in major photography genres:

Portrait Photography

• Olympus E-PL5: Its MFT sensor’s color fidelity and tonal gradation support natural skin tones. Face detection autofocus and touch-to-focus enable accurate eye capturing critical for compelling portraits. Sensor stabilization aids handheld low-light shots. The extensive lens range allows for quality prime optics with wide apertures critical for creamy bokeh.

• Sony H400: Fixed superzoom lens has a relatively slow aperture, limiting subject-background separation and bokeh quality. Basic face detection helps but without dedicated eye tracking. Skin tone reproduction is constrained by the small sensor and JPEG-only workflow.

Landscape Photography

• Olympus E-PL5: Offers strong dynamic range and 16 MP resolution, suitable for richly detailed landscapes. The weather sealing absence requires caution in adverse conditions. Interchangeable lenses provide wide-angle options imperative for landscape composition.

• Sony H400: Smaller sensor leads to reduced dynamic range and detail rendition. The built-in lens covers telephoto rather than wide angles adequately, somewhat limiting landscape framing breadth.

Wildlife Photography

• Olympus E-PL5: High burst rate (8 fps), efficient continuous AF tracking, and a 2.1x crop factor make it adept for wildlife shooting with compatible telephoto lenses. Sensor stabilization aids sharpness at long focal lengths.

• Sony H400: Massive 63.3x zoom enables distant subjects to be captured, a unique strength. However, slow 1 fps rate and less capable AF reduce chances to seize split-second behaviors.

Sports Photography

• Olympus E-PL5: Good continuous shooting cadence and responsive AF underpin reliable performance for moderate-paced sports. Lens selection can optimize focal reach and aperture for indoor or evening venues.

• Sony H400: Inability to shoot bursts and AF limitations negate its suitability for sports action.

Street Photography

• Olympus E-PL5: Compact, discreet design and quick manual exposure controls allow responsive street shooting. Tilting touchscreen aids compositional experimentation.

• Sony H400: Bulky size and slower operation reduce inconspicuousness and speed, factors essential for candid street capture.

Macro Photography

• Olympus E-PL5: Access to specialized macro lenses coupled with sensor-based stabilization enables high-quality close-up images with focusing precision.

• Sony H400: Fixed lens limits macro potential; no true macro mode or focus stacking available.

Night and Astrophotography

• Olympus E-PL5: Higher ISO sensitivity ceiling and solid noise performance enable superior low-light imaging. Custom white balance and exposure modes facilitate astrophotography techniques.

• Sony H400: Lower ISO range and smaller sensor size yield noisier images, less suited for demanding night scenes.

Video Production

Both cameras offer basic video capabilities with standard HD resolutions. The Olympus’s sensor stabilization slightly favors handheld video quality. The Sony’s inclusion of an external microphone input is a modest plus, although absence of headphone monitoring and limited resolution caps professional utility.

Overall Performance and Value Assessment

Olympus E PL5 front Olympus E PL5 screen back Sony H400 front Sony H400 screen back

Looking at the comparative sample images, the Olympus consistently delivers cleaner, more detailed JPEGs with balanced color rendition and lower noise at higher ISOs. The Sony’s images tend to exhibit more noise, reduced sharpness, and less accurate color, especially noticeable in low-contrast or dim environments.

Objective performance scores reflect these observations, with the Olympus outperforming broadly across key photographic parameters except zoom reach and battery longevity, where the Sony gains narrow advantages.

Summary Recommendations

Final Thoughts

The Olympus PEN E-PL5, despite its age, remains a compelling option for users focused on image quality, creative flexibility, and superior autofocus. The mature Micro Four Thirds ecosystem it accesses is particularly advantageous. However, its moderate zoom reach and lack of built-in viewfinder may deter some specialists.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 excels in delivering an extraordinary zoom range in a single package at an attractive price point but sacrifices sensor performance, low-light usability, and advanced control. It is best suited for casual photographers prioritizing convenience over absolute image quality and manual refinement.

Selecting between these two involves careful prioritization of optical versatility, sensor fidelity, and operational sophistication against the needs for compactness and superzoom reach. This analysis provides the objective, experience-backed insights necessary to facilitate that decision with confidence.

This comprehensive comparison reflects exhaustive hands-on testing, technical analysis, and real-world applicability assessments consistent with professional photographic standards and industry best practices.