Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony HX10V

Following is a in-depth analysis of the Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony HX10V, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a sizable difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and HX10V (18MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and HX10V (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor size.

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The E-PM1 was announced 3 months earlier than the HX10V which means that they are of a similar age. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX10V being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-PM1 scores against the HX10V with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Sony HX10V Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera regularly, you need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PM1 has external measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) while the Sony HX10V has sizing of 105mm x 60mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 234 grams (0.52 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony HX10V in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you select at that moment. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PM1 versus the HX10V.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PM1 and HX10V is 89 and 91 respectively.

Usually, it's tough to visualise the difference between sensor sizes only by checking specifications. The pic below will provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PM1 and HX10V.

To sum up, both cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PM1 having a larger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Sony HX10V will give greater detail with its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop pics a bit more aggressively.