Olympus 1 vs Sony HX5

Below is a in depth overview of the Olympus 1 and Sony HX5, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the 1 (12MP) and the HX5 (10MP) is relatively similar but the 1 (1/1.7") and HX5 (1/2.4") have totally different sensor measurements.

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The 1 was unveiled 3 years later than the HX5 and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus 1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony HX5 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple view of how the 1 grades versus the HX5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus 1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5. The full galleries are provided at Olympus 1 Gallery and Sony HX5 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to lug around your camera, you will have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus 1 enjoys outside measurements of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") along with a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) and the Sony HX5 has measurements of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

See the Olympus 1 and Sony HX5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilising at the time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the 1 against the HX5.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the 1 and HX5 is 79 and 92 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to see the gap between sensor measurements simply by reading specs. The graphic here will help give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the 1 and HX5.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 1 using its bigger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus 1 will offer extra detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more modern 1 will have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.