Olympus PEN E-PM2 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55: A Hands-On Comparison for the Practical Photographer

When looking for a camera these days, it’s easy to get wowed by the latest giants like mirrorless full-frames or pro-level compacts with ridiculous specs. But what if you’re budget-conscious or hunting for a camera that’s just right for entry-level shooting, travel, or casual creative projects? I spent some quality time putting the Olympus PEN E-PM2 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 through their paces. These two cameras come from different camps - one a mirrorless system camera with interchangeable lenses, the other a compact with a fixed zoom lens - but both target similar entry-friendly users.

Over the next several thousand words, I’ll share detailed comparisons covering everything from sensor tech to real-world usability, and ultimately help you pick the one that matches your style and needs. I’ve personally tested both extensively, referencing industry-standard measures (including DXO scores where applicable), plus my own solid experience with cameras in this class.

Let’s dive in!

First Impressions and Handling: Size, Weight & Ergonomics

I always start my hands-on reviews by physically handling the cameras - no specs sheet can replace how a camera feels in your hand when shooting all day.

The Olympus PEN E-PM2 is a petite, stylish rangefinder-style mirrorless camera, weighing in at 269 grams and measuring 110 x 64 x 34 mm. The body exudes a quality feel uncommon in entry-level cameras, sporting a mix of metal and high-quality plastics. Its thumb-friendly grip and thoughtfully placed buttons make for intuitive operation, especially when combined with the touchscreen.

Meanwhile, the Sony H55 is a classic small sensor compact, lighter and smaller - 200 grams and 103 x 58 x 29 mm - making it a great companion for street photography or when pocketability is a must. The smaller physical footprint is clear when the two cameras sit side by side.

In terms of handling, the Olympus provides more clubs for thumbs - the dials and buttons allow you to quickly change exposure, ISO, and shooting modes. The Sony’s minimal controls reflect its more automated, point-and-shoot nature, which can feel limiting for photography enthusiasts who like manual input.

Bottom line: If you prize portability and simplicity, the Sony H55 is hard to beat. But if you’re prepared to carry a slightly larger camera with more tactile controls for creative control, the Olympus E-PM2 earns high marks.

Design & Control Layout: How Easy Is It to Shoot?

On top of size, control access is critical for practical use.

The Olympus PEN E-PM2 sports a traditional layout familiar to mirrorless shooters: a mode dial, shutter button with zoom lever, a couple of customizable function buttons, and a dedicated exposure compensation dial on the front. While missing a built-in viewfinder (an optional electronic VF is available), the rear touchscreen typically compensates with touch AF and menu navigation. However, the relatively low-resolution screen can be a downside.

The Sony DSC-H55’s top plate is more minimalist, featuring just a power button and zoom toggle around the shutter button. No dedicated dials or exposure compensation - everything’s buried in menus. For quick shooting or beginners who want hassle-free operation, this simplicity works. But the lack of manual modes and controls can frustrate those who want to push exposure boundaries.

All in all, Olympus clearly aims at the creative hobbyist or beginner ready to learn manual exposure, while the Sony is for those desiring straightforward, grab-and-go shooting.

Sensor Technology & Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

This is where the cameras differ most profoundly, thanks to their sensor sizes and technologies.

The Olympus E-PM2 features a 16MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor (17.3x13 mm) with an anti-aliasing filter, offering a 224.9 mm² sensor area. This sensor size is significantly larger than the Sony’s tiny 1/2.3" CCD sensor (6.17x4.55 mm) with 14MP resolution and just 28.07 mm² sensor area.

Why does this matter? Larger sensors generally mean better image quality - greater dynamic range, deeper color depth, more detail resolving power, and superior low-light performance. Indeed, Olympus boasts a DXOmark overall score of 72, with a color depth of 22.7 bits and dynamic range of 12.2 EV, plus respectable low-light ISO performance up to 932 at the 12% SNR threshold.

Sony’s sensor isn’t officially benchmarked by DXOmark, but generally, these 1/2.3" sensors lag behind in all those categories. They produce images adequate for casual sharing but struggle with noise at high ISO and have limited dynamic range.

Real-world impact: Olympus’s larger sensor enables better portraits with cleaner skin tones and smoother bokeh, crisper landscapes that resolve more detail, and less noise in dim indoor scenes. The Sony’s images are fine for snapshots and web sharing but fall short in professional or enthusiast uses.

Autofocus Performance: Speed, Accuracy & Focus Modes

Autofocus (AF) era: fast, accurate AF can make or break your shooting experience.

The Olympus PEN E-PM2 uses a contrast-detection AF system with 35 focus points, including live view and face detection capabilities. It supports continuous AF, single AF, tracking AF, and even touch-to-focus on the rear screen, which is surprisingly responsive. Face detection is impressive here, aiding portrait and street shooters alike.

Sony’s DSC-H55, limited by its simpler design, offers just 9 AF points and only single AF mode with contrast detection. No face detection or tracking modes exist here. The smaller sensor’s crop factor (5.8x) means it’s less ideal for precise focusing, especially on moving subjects or low-light situations.

For fast action - wildlife, sports - the Olympus stands out with its 8 fps continuous shooting combined with continuous AF, which is adequate at this price point.

The Sony can shoot up to 10 fps continuous but lacks AF tracking, making it better suited for stationary subjects or casual shooting.

Build Quality & Weather Resistance

Neither camera is designed for rugged or professional weather-sealed use, but their build quality still differs.

The Olympus E-PM2 feels solid, with a sturdy metal top plate and a robust mount designed to last through lens changes. Although it lacks environmental sealing, it handles everyday bumps and knocks well.

The Sony H55 is all plastic, lightweight, and designed for casual use. No weather sealing or ruggedness, and build quality is more consumer-grade.

LCD Screens & Viewfinders: Composing the Shot

Both cameras sport 3-inch rear LCDs, but the specs differ:

Olympus E-PM2 has a 460k-dot touchscreen, allowing intuitive tap-to-focus and menu navigation. However, the resolution feels dated by modern standards.

Sony H55’s screen is lower-resolution at 230k dots, no touchscreen, which feels more restrictive.

Neither camera includes a built-in electronic viewfinder. The Olympus allows an optional EVF accessory mount but adds bulk and cost. For many users, relying on the LCD is fine, but bright outdoor shooting challenges remain.

Lens Ecosystem & Zoom Capabilities

Lens choices define long-term creative options.

The Olympus uses Micro Four Thirds lenses, with over 100 native lenses available from Olympus and Panasonic - ranging from affordable primes perfect for portraits and macros to pro-level zooms and specialty glass. You can choose your own lens focal length, aperture, and quality level, giving the E-PM2 an enormous creative advantage.

Olympus E PM2 front Olympus E PM2 screen back Sony H55 front Sony H55 screen back

Sony’s DSC-H55 has a fixed 10x zoom lens, 25-250mm equivalent at a modest f/3.5-5.5 aperture range, with a close macro focus of 5cm. While convenient for travel and casual shooting, the optical quality is typical of compact zoom lenses - noticeable softness and distortion toward the telephoto end, especially wide open.

Battery Life & Storage

Olympus E-PM2 packs a rechargeable BLS-5 battery rated for 360 shots per charge under CIPA conditions. It’s average for mirrorless cameras of its day.

Sony H55 uses an NP-BG1 battery; no official battery life data is published, but expect similar or slightly less than Olympus.

Both have a single SD card slot, although the Sony additionally supports Memory Stick Duo formats, a legacy format less common today.

Connectivity & Extras

Olympus supports Eye-Fi wireless SD cards (requiring compatible cards) for Wi-Fi image transfer but lacks native Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Sony DSC-H55 has no wireless connectivity.

Neither supports external microphones, headphone jacks, or 4K video.

Video Capabilities

Olympus E-PM2 shoots Full HD 1080p at 30fps, recording in MPEG-4, H.264, and Motion JPEG formats. It has sensor-based stabilization, which helps in handheld video.

Sony shoots 720p HD at 30fps in MPEG-4 format, decent for casual videos but limited resolution and no manual video controls.

Performance Ratings at a Glance

This chart summarizes their respective scores through a combination of DXO benchmarks (where available) and my hands-on tests.

The Olympus E-PM2 clearly pulls ahead in image quality metrics, autofocus, and versatility. The Sony, while decent for a compact, lags in most areas beyond portability and continuous shooting speed.

Photography Styles: Which Camera Works Best Where?

Let’s break down strengths and weaknesses of these two cameras across major photography types. I tested specific scenarios for each.

Portrait Photography

• Olympus E-PM2: Larger sensor and lens options yield beautiful bokeh, better skin tone rendition, and face detection autofocus. Touchscreen AF makes eye focus easier in practice.
• Sony H55: Limited zoom lens quality and small sensor hamper shallow depth of field and detail. No face detection; less control over exposures complicates lighting adjustments.

Landscape

• Olympus’s sensor dynamic range and lens sharpness excel here. Weather sealing would be nice but manageable.
• Sony’s sensor size reduces dynamic range and detail; however, compact size invites easy transport.

Wildlife

• Olympus’s AF tracking and 8fps burst speed assist capturing action with telephoto zoom lenses.
• Sony can shoot at 10fps but struggles with AF accuracy, small sensor limits image quality at long focal lengths.

Sports

• Similar to wildlife, Olympus has a clear advantage with manual control and burst speed with tracking.
• Sony better for casual, static moments.

Street Photography

• Sony’s portability and discreetness are attractive here.
• Olympus is larger but still compact compared to DSLRs and more capable for creative street portraits.

Macro

• Olympus benefits from extensive lens options with close focusing and stabilization.
• Sony's fixed lens minimum focus at 5cm is decent but limited.

Night/Astro

• Olympus wins with low noise at high ISO and manual exposure modes.
• Sony struggles with noise, inability to shoot RAW, and limited ISO range.

Video

• Olympus's 1080p 30fps with image stabilization is viable for casual filmmakers.
• Sony is limited to 720p with no stabilization.

Travel

• Sony is ultra-light and compact.
• Olympus offers more creative tools but at weight and size cost.

Professional Work

• Olympus’s RAW support, manual control, and interchangeable lenses are a must for pros or serious hobbyists.
• Sony is geared toward snapshot users.

Pros and Cons of Each Camera

Olympus PEN E-PM2

Pros:

• Large Four Thirds sensor with excellent image quality
• Interchangeable lens system with extensive options
• Touchscreen AF with face detection
• Manual exposure modes: full creative flexibility
• Decent burst speed and continuous AF
• Sensor-based image stabilization
• Solid build and handling for price

Cons:

• No built-in electronic viewfinder (optional accessory costs extra)
• Screen resolution could be higher
• No native Wi-Fi (reliant on Eye-Fi cards)
• Battery life average
• Slightly larger and heavier than compact cameras

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55

Pros:

• Ultra-compact and lightweight
• 10x optical zoom gives decent telephoto reach without lens changes
• Simple controls ideal for beginners and casual shooters
• Decent continuous shooting speed (10 fps)
• Affordable price point
• Built-in flash

Cons:

• Small 1/2.3" sensor limits image quality and low-light performance
• No manual exposure controls
• No face or eye detection autofocus
• No RAW image capture
• No touchscreen, no viewfinder
• Limited video resolution (720p max)
• No wireless connectivity
• Plastic build quality

Which Camera Should You Choose?

If you are a photography enthusiast or beginner ready to grow your skills - someone who wants control over aperture, shutter, ISO - and plans to explore portraiture, landscapes or casual wildlife shooting - the Olympus PEN E-PM2 is the clear choice. Its larger sensor and lens ecosystem provide a true advantage in image quality and creative flexibility.

If you’re a cheapskate or casual shooter who wants a simple point-and-shoot device for family snapshots, travel snapshots, and easy sharing, with the smallest possible package, and don’t need RAW files or manual exposure - the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 fits the bill.

Final Verdict: Balancing Value and Ambition

The Olympus PEN E-PM2 currently retails near $450, which is a bargain for what you get: a serious mirrorless platform with image quality and controls that punch above its price. For enthusiasts stepping up from smartphone or point-and-shoots, it offers a very satisfying learning curve and expandability.

The Sony H55 is considerably cheaper (just above $230), but comes with compromises that pigeonhole it into casual snapshot territory. While it might appeal as a travel compact for those who hate carrying gear, it isn’t suitable for any demanding work or artistic photography.

If your budget allows, I highly recommend investing in the Olympus E-PM2 system for its long-term value and versatility. If funds are tight and pocket-friendly size is paramount, the Sony H55 will serve as a modest but reliable companion.

Thanks for reading - and remember, the best camera is the one you actually enjoy using!

Feel free to ask me about lenses, accessories, or shooting techniques for either camera - I’m here to help you take the best pictures possible.

Appendix: Technical Snapshot Recap

Olympus E PM2 front Olympus E PM2 screen back Sony H55 front Sony H55 screen back

Image credits to original camera manufacturers as presented.