Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony HX50V

Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony HX50V: A Rigorous Comparison for Discerning Photographers

In an increasingly crowded camera market, selecting equipment that best fits one’s photographic ambitions requires more than skimming spec sheets. It demands an understanding of nuanced performance characteristics and real-world usability, gleaned through extensive hands-on evaluation and methodical testing. This article ventures beyond surface-level comparison, dissecting two distinct - yet contemporaneous - offerings: the Olympus PEN E-PL5, an entry-level mirrorless with Micro Four Thirds heritage, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V, a compact superzoom bridging versatility with pocket portability.

Our aim is to deliver not only an in-depth technical assessment but also to contextualize these cameras’ strengths and compromises across various photographic disciplines and practical use cases. Throughout this discourse, we systematically examine sensor architecture, autofocus precision, ergonomics, and more, culminating in actionable recommendations for photographers ranging from enthusiasts to semi-professionals.

Physical Ergonomics and Control Designs: Handling Realities in the Field

The form factor directly impacts the photographic experience - handling comfort, accessibility of controls, and stability during extended shooting sessions.

Olympus PEN E-PL5: Shaped in a classic rangefinder-style with a body size of 111 x 64 x 38 mm and weighing 325 g, the E-PL5 provides a substantial grip surface, which, despite its compactness, affords confident handling, especially when paired with compatible Micro Four Thirds lenses known for their modest dimensions. The presence of a tilting 3-inch touchscreen further facilitates flexible composition at high or low angles, advantageous for event or creative portraiture work.

Sony HX50V: Marginally more compact at 108 x 64 x 38 mm and lighter at 272 g, it is designed for maximum portability. Its integrated 24-720mm equivalent zoom lens, however, means that while pocketable, the camera’s balance shifts noticeably at extended focal lengths. The fixed 3-inch screen has a higher resolution (921k vs. 460k dots) but lacks touchscreen function, which may slow interface navigation, especially considering the more compact button layout.

Top view assessments reveal Olympus’s more traditional control scheme, with dedicated dials and buttons - favoring manual operation aficionados - while Sony prioritizes simplicity, perhaps better suited for users favoring point-and-shoot convenience or travel scenarios demanding rapid focal length adjustments.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Analyzing Capture Fidelity

The heart of any camera’s image quality derives from its sensor capabilities, encompassing size, resolution, and sensor design nuances.

The Olympus E-PL5 utilizes a Four Thirds sensor measuring 17.3 x 13 mm (~224.9 mm²) with a 16MP resolution and a CMOS design including an anti-aliasing filter. The Micro Four Thirds sensor's larger physical dimensions relative to the HX50V’s 1/2.3" sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm, ~28.07 mm²) intrinsically provide superior light-gathering capacity, enhancing dynamic range and noise performance at higher ISOs.

Sony’s HX50V offers a 20MP BSI-CMOS sensor with reduced physical size, optimized for compactness and range rather than absolute image quality. While the sensor resolution nominally exceeds the Olympus, this comes with increased pixel density, which often leads to greater noise, particularly in low-light situations - a critical consideration for demanding disciplines such as night or astro photography.

Measured via DxOMark metrics, the Olympus E-PL5 scores a commendable overall 72 points, with 22.8 bits color depth and 12.3 EV dynamic range, reflecting its balanced sensor-experience performance for an entry-level mirrorless at its launch era. The HX50V has not been formally tested on DxOMark to date, but smaller sensor class cameras typically lag in these metrics.

Autofocus Systems: Precision, Speed, and Tracking Capabilities

Autofocus (AF) performance significantly affects the viability of a camera across genres requiring movement capture or swift focusing.

Olympus E-PL5:

• Employs contrast-detection AF with 35 focus points
• Supports face detection and live-view AF with touch-enabled focusing
• Delivers 8 fps continuous shooting with AF tracking enabled
• Lacks phase-detection autofocus and animal eye AF, limiting fast-moving wildlife capture efficacy
• Offers selective, single, and continuous AF modes, suitable for varying photographic needs

Sony HX50V:

• Utilizes contrast-detection AF system
• Continuous shooting rate peaks at 10 fps, albeit with AF locked after first frame due to no continuous AF
• Features face detection and multi-area AF, but no touch AF or eye detection
• The contrast-based AF demonstrates slower acquisition speeds at longer focal lengths and in lower light
• The extended zoom range introduces potential challenges in AF speed and tracking reliability at telephoto settings

For fast-action genres like sports or wildlife, Olympus’s continuous AF tracking combined with a faster sustained burst mode holds practical advantages. Conversely, Sony’s faster snap speeds sans continuous AF tracking limit it primarily to static or slower-moving subjects.

Build Quality, Weather Resistance, and Durability

Neither model offers environmental sealing or ruggedized construction critical for harsh outdoor conditions. The lack of water, dust, shock, crush, or freeze proofing restricts their reliability in challenging or professional environments.

This weakness necessitates caution for landscape or adventure photographers prioritizing robustness - an important factor in evaluating suitability for travel or intense outdoor shooting.

Display Systems and User Interface: Composition and Workflow Implications

The E-PL5’s tiltable 3.0-inch (460k dot) touchscreen is invaluable for framing unconventional shots, promoting ergonomic flexibility, especially during portrait sessions where awkward angles are common.

Alternatively, the HX50V features a fixed 3.0-inch (921k dot) non-touchscreen XtraFine LCD promising sharper live views but lacking interface agility, which slows manual menu adjustments. The lack of a pop-up or electronic viewfinder (both cameras offer optional EVFs) directs reliance on LCD articulation as the main composition and review tool, a limitation for bright outdoor shooting.

Lens Ecosystem and Optical Variability: Mount-Based Versus Fixed Zoom

The E-PL5’s adoption of the Micro Four Thirds mount unlocks a significant advantage: access to an extensive library of over 100 native lenses, spanning primes, zooms, macros, and specialty optics. This adaptability allows photographers to tailor their kit specifically toward portrait, macro, landscape, or wildlife needs, often improving image quality well beyond a fixed-lens camera’s capabilities.

The HX50V, with its fixed 24-720mm (30×) zoom, excels in reach and convenience, ideal when changing optics is undesirable or impractical. However, aperture limitation (f/3.5-6.3) impedes low-light and shallow depth-of-field control relative to interchangeable-lens systems. The fixed zoom also restricts creative flexibility - particularly for bokeh-rich portraits or ultra-wide landscapes.

Specialized Photography Performance: Stretching Limits Across Genres

Olympus E PL5 front Olympus E PL5 screen back Sony HX50V front Sony HX50V screen back

Portrait Photography

• Olympus E-PL5 delivers superior depth-of-field control via interchangeable lenses with wider apertures, enabling smooth bokeh and skin tone rendition through larger sensor capture and refined color science.
• Face detection AF and touchscreen focusing further aid in eye-critical sharpness.
• Sony HX50V suffers limited shallow depth-of-field effects due to small sensor and slower lens, also making nuanced skin tones less distinct.

Landscape Photography

• The E-PL5's sensor size equates to better dynamic range, enabling more nuanced highlight and shadow detail retrieval in RAW processing.
• Interchangeable lenses afford ultra-wide fields of view, essential for expansive scenes.
• The HX50V’s extensive zoom allows framing distant scenes but not wide perspectives, and smaller sensor dynamic range reduces image depth.
• Neither camera provides weather sealing, a shortfall for landscape adventures.

Wildlife Photography

• Olympus's faster continuous AF and burst rate increase hit rate on moving subjects.
• The E-PL5’s teleconverter-compatible lens options enable further reach.
• Sony’s HX50V provides instant 30× zoom without lens changing but AF limitations and fixed aperture constrain low-light or action capture.

Sports Photography

• Olympus slightly edges with reliable continuous AF and faster burst cadence.
• Smaller buffer and slower AF acquisition of Sony impose practical capture limitations for rapid sequences.

Street Photography

• Sony HX50V’s smaller, pocket-friendly compactness supports discreet shooting.
• Olympus, while compact, is bulkier and potentially less inconspicuous.
• Low ISO performance favors Olympus, but Sony’s zoom versatility can enable candid cityscape framing at distance.

Macro Photography

• Olympus benefits from compatible, high-quality macro lenses offering true 1:1 magnification and precise manual focusing.
• The HX50V’s 5cm macro mode is limited in magnification and detail resolution.

Night and Astrophotography

• E-PL5’s sensor excels in high ISO noise control and dynamic range necessary for night scenes.
• Sony’s small sensor underperforms at elevated ISOs, leading to significant noise.
• Neither camera offers dedicated astro exposure modes.

Video Capabilities

• Both models can capture 1080p Full HD video; the HX50V offers 60 fps, allowing smoother slow-motion playback.
• Olympus incorporates sensor-based image stabilization, aiding handheld video stability.
• Sony uses optical stabilization but lacks microphone inputs, limiting professional audio capture.
• Neither supports 4K or advanced video codecs.

Travel Photography

• Sony HX50V’s compact size and extensive zoom suite serve travelists prioritizing versatility without lens swaps.
• Olympus offers superior image quality and creative control but demands lens selection diligence and engenders bulk.

Professional Work

• Olympus supports RAW shooting for comprehensive post-processing flexibility.
• Sony HX50V lacks RAW support, restricting professional-grade workflow integration.
• Both models lack extensive weatherproofing and rugged construction required for professional reliability.

Battery Endurance, Connectivity, and Storage Considerations

Battery life is a practical concern for long shooting sessions:

• Olympus E-PL5 offers approximately 360 shots per charge (CIPA standard) powered by BLS-5 battery.
• Sony HX50V slightly outperforms with 400 shots per NP-BX1 battery, extending field longevity.

Both utilize single card slots with support for SD/SDHC/SDXC cards; the Sony additionally supports Memory Stick variants, increasing storage flexibility but adding complexity.

Wireless connectivity differs markedly:

• Olympus supports Eye-Fi card connectivity for image transfer, a technology now largely outdated and unsupported in modern ecosystems.
• Sony incorporates built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, an advantage for geotagging travel photography and streamlined image sharing workflows.

Performance Summary and Ratings

An aggregate assessment across tested domains positions the Olympus E-PL5 as a camera prioritizing image quality, system flexibility, and manual control, fulfilling needs varying from portraiture to landscape work. It garners higher evaluations in low-light capability and overall photographic fidelity.

The Sony HX50V scores well for travel, convenience, and zoom versatility, but lags in creative depth, sensor performance, and pro-level workflow integration.

Final Verdict: Matching Cameras to Photographic Ambitions

Choose Olympus PEN E-PL5 if:

• You prioritize image quality, especially in portraits, landscapes, and low-light scenarios
• You seek expandable lens versatility for multiple genres including macro and wildlife
• Manual control, touchscreen focusing, and RAW workflow are important
• You are comfortable carrying a slightly bulkier kit for quality trade-offs

Opt for Sony HX50V if:

• You require a truly compact, travel-friendly camera with an extensive zoom range
• Convenience and all-in-one zoom without lens-changing trump ultimate image fidelity
• You want built-in GPS for travel image geotagging without external accessories
• Video at 60fps and fast snapshot shooting are desirable, over manual controls or RAW capability

Closing Reflections

Choosing between the Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Sony HX50V reflects divergent photographic philosophies: system-based image quality and manual expansibility versus ultra-zoom convenience and travelability. Thorough hands-on testing confirms that users will not find a singular “best” but rather cameras optimized for distinct priorities. Understanding these trade-offs empowers informed investment tailored to one’s creative trajectory.

By combining sensor technology analysis, autofocusing evaluation, ergonomics inspection, and genre-specific imaging tests, this comparative study equips photographers to judiciously navigate their acquisition decision with precision and confidence.