Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony HX5

Here, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony HX5, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the E-PL8 (16MP) and HX5 (10MP) and the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and HX5 (1/2.4") posses totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL8 was brought out 6 years after the HX5 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a in depth comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the E-PL8 scores versus the HX5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Sony HX5 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera, you're going to have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL8 provides external measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") along with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) while the Sony HX5 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony HX5 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have chosen at the time. Below is a front view size comparison of the E-PL8 compared to the HX5.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and HX5 is 86 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to envision the difference in sensor sizes only by going through specs. The pic here may provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL8 and HX5.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL8 featuring a bigger sensor will make shooting bokeh easier and the Olympus E-PL8 will show greater detail having its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots way more aggressively. The fresher E-PL8 will have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.