Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony HX200V

On this page, we are analyzing the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony HX200V, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap among the image resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and HX200V (18MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and HX200V (1/2.3") posses different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PM1 was released 5 months prior to the HX200V so they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX200V being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting right into a thorough comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-PM1 scores against the HX200V with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Sony HX200V Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera regularly, you have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PM1 offers exterior measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Sony HX200V has measurements of 122mm x 87mm x 93mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 3.7") with a weight of 583 grams (1.29 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony HX200V in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you choose at the time. Here is a front view size comparison of the E-PM1 versus the HX200V.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and HX200V is 89 and 66 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to picture the difference in sensor measurements just by looking through specifications. The graphic underneath will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PM1 and HX200V.

To sum up, the two cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PM1 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony HX200V will result in extra detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively.