Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony HX50V

Here, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony HX50V, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the HX50V (20MP) is relatively similar but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and HX50V (1/2.3") have different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL8 was manufactured 3 years later than the HX50V and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX50V being a Compact camera.

Before going into a full comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-PL8 matches up vs the HX50V in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Sony HX50V Gallery.

In case you're looking to lug around your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL8 comes with physical 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 HX50V has sizing of 108mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 272 grams (0.60 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony HX50V in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are working with during that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the E-PL8 against the HX50V.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and HX50V is 86 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to imagine the difference between sensor measurements only by reading specs. The visual underneath should offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL8 and HX50V.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL8 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Sony HX50V will deliver greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The newer E-PL8 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.