Olympus E-PL6 vs Sony HX20V

Below is a extended assessment of the Olympus E-PL6 versus Sony HX20V, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL6 (16MP) and the HX20V (18MP) is fairly similar but the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and HX20V (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL6 was introduced 2 years later than the HX20V and that is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX20V being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a brief view of how the E-PL6 grades against the HX20V with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL6 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery & Sony HX20V Gallery.

If you are intending to lug around your camera regularly, you should factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL6 offers exterior dimensions 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 HX20V has proportions of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") along with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL6 versus Sony HX20V in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are working with at the time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL6 versus the HX20V.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL6 and HX20V is 88 and 90 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to see the difference between sensor measurements simply by reviewing a spec sheet. The visual below will give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL6 and HX20V.

Clearly, both cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL6 having a larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Sony HX20V will offer you more detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics much more aggressively. The newer E-PL6 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.