Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony HX200V

In this write-up, we are contrasting the Olympus E-PL5 and Sony HX200V, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the HX200V (18MP) is very well matched but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and HX200V (1/2.3") use totally different sensor size.

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

The E-PL5 was revealed 5 months later than the HX200V and they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX200V being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the E-PL5 matches up vs the HX200V in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Sony HX200V Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera, you will have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL5 provides exterior measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Sony HX200V has measurements of 122mm x 87mm x 93mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 3.7") along with a weight of 583 grams (1.29 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL5 and Sony HX200V in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you select at that time. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the E-PL5 against the HX200V.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL5 and HX200V is 88 and 66 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to see the gap between sensor measurements purely by looking at specs. The graphic below may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL5 and HX200V.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 using its larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Sony HX200V will give extra detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics far more aggressively.