Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony H55

Here is a extensive overview of the Olympus E-PM1 and 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-PM1 (12MP) and the H55 (14MP) is very similar but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and H55 (1/2.3") feature different sensor measurements.

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The E-PM1 was revealed 18 months later than the H55 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony H55 being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a full comparison, below is a short introduction of how the E-PM1 matches up versus the H55 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Sony H55 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM1 offers outer measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Sony H55 has specifications of 103mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony H55 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are using at that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the E-PM1 compared to the H55.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and H55 is 89 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to imagine the contrast between sensor sizing simply by reviewing a spec sheet. The visual below will help offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM1 and H55.

Clearly, the two cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PM1 with its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Sony H55 will offer greater detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The fresher E-PM1 should have an edge in sensor technology.