Olympus E-PM2 vs Sony HX20V

Following is a complete assessment of the Olympus E-PM2 and Sony HX20V, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PM2 (16MP) and the HX20V (18MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and HX20V (1/2.3") use different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-PM2 was brought out 11 months after the HX20V and they are of a similar generation. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX20V being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a full comparison, below is a simple summation of how the E-PM2 scores versus the HX20V when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM2 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery and Sony HX20V Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera regularly, you need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM2 has external measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Sony HX20V has specifications of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PM2 and Sony HX20V in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have at the time. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-PM2 compared to the HX20V.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PM2 and HX20V is 89 and 90 respectively.

In many cases, it is tough to visualize the contrast between sensor sizes just by checking technical specs. The pic below might give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM2 and HX20V.

As you can tell, each of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PM2 because of its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF easier and the Sony HX20V will resolve greater detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop photos much more aggressively. The newer E-PM2 should have an edge in sensor innovation.