Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony H55

The following is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus E-PL5 and Sony H55, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the H55 (14MP) is very close but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and H55 (1/2.3") come with different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was unveiled 2 years after the H55 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony H55 being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a in depth comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E-PL5 grades vs the H55 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Sony H55 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera frequently, you'll have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL5 comes with external dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Sony H55 has specifications of 103mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL5 and Sony H55 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL5 compared to the H55.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and H55 is 88 and 92 respectively.

In many cases, it can be difficult to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions merely by looking through technical specs. The picture below will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL5 and H55.

As you have seen, both of those cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL5 using its larger sensor is going to make getting bokeh easier and the Olympus E-PL5 will provide you with extra detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The fresher E-PL5 provides an edge with regard to sensor tech.