Olympus 1 vs Sony HX50V

The following is a detailed review of the Olympus 1 versus Sony HX50V, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the sensor resolutions of the 1 (12MP) and HX50V (20MP) and the 1 (1/1.7") and HX50V (1/2.3") boast different sensor size.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The 1 was revealed 8 months after the HX50V so they are of a similar generation. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus 1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony HX50V being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief summary of how the 1 matches up vs the HX50V with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus 1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V. The full galleries are available at Olympus 1 Gallery and Sony HX50V Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera, you have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus 1 offers physical measurements of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") with a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) and the Sony HX50V has proportions of 108mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 272 grams (0.60 lbs).

See the Olympus 1 versus Sony HX50V in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you use during that time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the 1 against the HX50V.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the 1 and HX50V is 79 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it is hard to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions just by going over specs. The picture here should give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the 1 and HX50V.

All in all, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The 1 with its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Sony HX50V will deliver more detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The fresher 1 provides an edge in sensor technology.