Olympus E-PM2 vs Sony HX5

Here, we will be comparing the Olympus E-PM2 and Sony HX5, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a big difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-PM2 (16MP) and HX5 (10MP) and the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and HX5 (1/2.4") have different sensor sizing.

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The E-PM2 was manufactured 2 years after the HX5 which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX5 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a full comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-PM2 scores against the HX5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PM2 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery and Sony HX5 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera often, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM2 has got outer measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Sony HX5 has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PM2 and Sony HX5 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have chosen at the time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the E-PM2 compared to the HX5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM2 and HX5 is 89 and 92 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions only by looking at technical specs. The pic below might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PM2 and HX5.

As you can tell, both of those cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM2 due to its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field easier and the Olympus E-PM2 will resolve extra detail due to its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The fresher E-PM2 provides an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.