Olympus PEN-F vs Sony TX20

Below, we are reviewing the Olympus PEN-F and Sony TX20, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a sizable difference between the resolutions of the PEN-F (20MP) and TX20 (16MP) and the PEN-F (Four Thirds) and TX20 (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizing.

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The PEN-F was announced 3 years later than the TX20 and that is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus PEN-F being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony TX20 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving through a in depth comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the PEN-F grades against the TX20 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN-F & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20. The whole galleries are available at Olympus PEN-F Gallery & Sony TX20 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera frequently, you have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus PEN-F has got exterior measurements of 125mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 427 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Sony TX20 has sizing of 96mm x 56mm x 18mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of 133 grams (0.29 lbs).

Check out the Olympus PEN-F and Sony TX20 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Following is the front view size comparison of the PEN-F and the TX20.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the PEN-F and TX20 is 84 and 96 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to picture the contrast between sensor sizing merely by looking at technical specs. The visual underneath will give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the PEN-F and TX20.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The PEN-F having a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Olympus PEN-F will give extra detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos much more aggressively. The more recent PEN-F provides an advantage with regard to sensor tech.