Olympus E-PL7 vs Sony HX1

Below, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-PL7 versus Sony HX1, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a huge difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL7 (16MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and HX1 (1/2.4") use totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL7 was unveiled 5 years later than the HX1 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-PL7 grades vs the HX1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL7 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery and Sony HX1 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera, you will need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL7 enjoys physical dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") and a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) and the Sony HX1 has measurements of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") having a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL7 versus Sony HX1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL7 vs the HX1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL7 and HX1 is 86 and 67 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to visualise the difference in sensor sizing purely by going through specs. The graphic here should give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL7 and HX1.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL7 with its bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-PL7 will produce more detail having an extra 7 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The newer E-PL7 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.