Olympus E-PL9 vs Sony H55

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-PL9 versus Sony H55, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the H55 (14MP) is very close but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and H55 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL9 was introduced 7 years later than the H55 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony H55 being a Compact camera.

Before going through a in depth comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the E-PL9 matches up against the H55 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL9 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery and Sony H55 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera, you will want to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL9 offers outer dimensions of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") having a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) and the Sony H55 has dimensions of 103mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL9 versus Sony H55 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are employing during that time. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PL9 and the H55.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL9 and H55 is 85 and 92 respectively.

Normally, its tough to see the contrast in sensor measurements just by researching a spec sheet. The graphic underneath should offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL9 and H55.

Clearly, both of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL9 having a larger sensor will make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Olympus E-PL9 will render greater detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more modern E-PL9 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.