Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony HX50V

Below, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony HX50V, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the HX50V (20MP) is very well matched but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and HX50V (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL5 was brought out 7 months earlier than the HX50V so they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX50V being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief overview of how the E-PL5 scores vs the HX50V with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Sony HX50V Gallery.

In case you're looking to lug around your camera, you are going to need to consider 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") along with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Sony HX50V has proportions of 108mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 272 grams (0.60 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony HX50V in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are working with at that time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL5 and the HX50V.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL5 and HX50V is 88 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, it is very difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor measurements merely by checking specifications. The graphic below might give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL5 and HX50V.

To sum up, the 2 cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Sony HX50V will resolve greater detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The older E-PL5 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.