Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony HX350

Below, we will be matching up the Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony HX350, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the HX350 (20MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and HX350 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL5 was unveiled 5 years prior to the HX350 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX350 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going through a in-depth comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-PL5 grades versus the HX350 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Sony HX350 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry around your camera, you should think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL5 features 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) while the Sony HX350 has proportions of 130mm x 93mm x 103mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.1") having a weight of 652 grams (1.44 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony HX350 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL5 versus the HX350.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL5 and HX350 is 88 and 62 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to visualize the difference in sensor sizes merely by going through specs. The image below should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL5 and HX350.

As you can plainly see, both cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL5 with its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Sony HX350 will produce greater detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-PL5 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.