Olympus E-PM2 vs Sony HX30V

Following is a comprehensive overview of the Olympus E-PM2 and Sony HX30V, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-PM2 (16MP) and the HX30V (18MP) is pretty similar but the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and HX30V (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizes.

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The E-PM2 was revealed 15 months after the HX30V which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX30V being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a complete comparison, below is a quick summation of how the E-PM2 grades vs the HX30V in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PM2 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery & Sony HX30V Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PM2 has external dimensions 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 HX30V has measurements of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PM2 and Sony HX30V in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you select at that time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the E-PM2 vs the HX30V.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM2 and HX30V is 89 and 90 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to visualize the gap between sensor sizes simply by reading a spec sheet. The image below will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PM2 and HX30V.

As you can see, both the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-PM2 using its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Sony HX30V will deliver more detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more recent E-PM2 provides a benefit with regard to sensor tech.