Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony WX30

Below, we will be comparing the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony WX30, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. There is a considerable difference between the resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and WX30 (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and WX30 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PM1 was introduced 5 months later than the WX30 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony WX30 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a full comparison, below is a short highlight of how the E-PM1 matches up against the WX30 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX30. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Sony WX30 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM1 provides external measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") along with a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Sony WX30 has specifications of 92mm x 52mm x 19mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.7") along with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony WX30 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use at the time. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PM1 against the WX30.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PM1 and WX30 is 89 and 96 respectively.

Often, it's hard to picture the gap between sensor sizing just by reading through a spec sheet. The visual underneath will help offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM1 and WX30.

As you can see, the 2 cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PM1 having a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF easier and the Sony WX30 will give you greater detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop shots much more aggressively.