Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony HX30V

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Sony HX30V, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the HX30V (18MP) is fairly comparable but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and HX30V (1/2.3") boast different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL5 was launched 7 months later than the HX30V and they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX30V being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a complete comparison, here is a quick view of how the E-PL5 scores versus the HX30V with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Sony HX30V Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL5 comes with external measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Sony HX30V has sizing of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL5 versus Sony HX30V in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL5 compared to the HX30V.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and HX30V is 88 and 90 respectively.

Usually, it is hard to imagine the gap in sensor measurements simply by checking out a spec sheet. The photograph here should give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL5 and HX30V.

Clearly, the two cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Sony HX30V will provide more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more modern E-PL5 provides an edge in sensor technology.