Olympus E-PL7 vs Sony HX30V

Here, we are evaluating the Olympus E-PL7 vs Sony HX30V, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL7 (16MP) and the HX30V (18MP) is very close but the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and HX30V (1/2.3") boast different sensor size.

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The E-PL7 was announced 2 years later than the HX30V and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX30V being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the E-PL7 scores against the HX30V with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL7 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery and Sony HX30V Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL7 provides physical dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) while the Sony HX30V has specifications of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") having a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL7 vs Sony HX30V in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the E-PL7 compared to the HX30V.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL7 and HX30V is 86 and 90 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor measurements purely by viewing specs. The photograph underneath may provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL7 and HX30V.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL7 with its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Sony HX30V will render more detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos way more aggressively. The newer E-PL7 should have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.