Olympus PEN-F vs Sony HX30V

Following is a in depth comparison of the Olympus PEN-F vs Sony HX30V, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the PEN-F (20MP) and the HX30V (18MP) is fairly close but the PEN-F (Four Thirds) and HX30V (1/2.3") use totally different sensor size.

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The PEN-F was revealed 3 years after the HX30V which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus PEN-F being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX30V being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a in depth comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the PEN-F scores against the HX30V in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN-F and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V. The full galleries are available at Olympus PEN-F Gallery and Sony HX30V Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus PEN-F provides external measurements of 125mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.5") along with a weight of 427 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Sony HX30V has specifications of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") along with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Check the Olympus PEN-F vs Sony HX30V in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have at that time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the PEN-F vs the HX30V.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the PEN-F and HX30V is 84 and 90 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to visualise the difference in sensor sizes purely by researching technical specs. The picture underneath might offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the PEN-F and HX30V.

As you have seen, the two cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The PEN-F having a larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF easier and the Olympus PEN-F will render extra detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The more modern PEN-F will have a benefit in sensor innovation.