Choosing Between Olympus Stylus 5010 and Sony SLT-A65: A Hands-On Comparative Review

If you've poked around for a camera upgrade recently, you might have stumbled across two very different beasts: the Olympus Stylus 5010 (a.k.a. mju 5010) from early 2010 and Sony’s SLT-A65 launched about a year later. At first glance, these models almost couldn’t be more dissimilar - a pocketable ultracompact versus a robust entry-level DSLR with a serious pedigree. As someone who has tested thousands of cameras over 15+ years, I’m here to demystify these two and help you navigate your choice based on actual photographic needs, technical merit, and value.

We’ll peel back their layers from sensor tech to ergonomics, real-world shooting scenarios to video chops, exploring which crowds each camera truly serves best. Whether you’re a casual snapper, a street shooter, or edging towards pro-level work, this article lays out the facts and first-hand impressions that go beyond specs sheets. So let’s dive right in.

A Tale of Two Cameras: Ultra-Small Simplicity vs DSLR Versatility

Before we get to the nitty-gritty, let's set the stage with the physical context these cameras inhabit.

Size and Handling: Pocket Rocket against Clubs for Thumbs

The Olympus 5010 is part of the classic “mju” lineage, widely loved for ultra-compact form factors that fit effortlessly in your jacket pocket or clutch. It measures a petite 95 x 56 x 20 mm and weighs just 126 grams. In contrast, the Sony A65 is a proper compact SLR-style camera with dimensions of 132 x 97 x 81 mm and a heftier 622 grams on the scale - closer to carrying a small brick than a wallet camera.

This difference impacts how you shoot. The Olympus is nearly invisible to your surroundings, making it ideal for spontaneous street photography or travel when you want to stay under the radar. The Sony, while bulkier, provides sturdy grip and dedicated controls designed for multi-hour shooting sessions without hand fatigue.

Design and Control Layout: Minimalist vs Customizable

Sony’s DSLR approach means buttons, dials, and clubs for thumbs - you get dedicated controls for shutter speed, aperture, ISO, exposure compensation, and more. The Olympus takes a minimalist route: no manual focus, no direct exposure modes, and a fixed lens. If you cherish tactile controls or manual overrides, the Sony wins hands down here.

Sensor and Image Quality: Mega Pixel Count and Sensor Size Tell Half the Story

The heart of any camera is its sensor, and here is where that initial “two worlds” division becomes pronounced.

The Olympus 5010 sports a 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor with 14 megapixels, fairly common in compact cameras of its era. The sensor measures roughly 6.08 x 4.56 mm, sending data through the TruePic III processor. Despite its small size, 14 MP resolution can yield decent prints and cropping room if the optics hold up.

On the other hand, the Sony A65 boasts an APS-C-sized CMOS sensor (23.5 x 15.6 mm) with 24 megapixels. This sensor is approximately 13 times larger in area than the Olympus’s, providing the Sony massive advantages in noise control, dynamic range, and detail capture.

Real-world testing confirms the theory: the Olympus produces bright, reasonably sharp pictures under good lighting but struggles above ISO 1600. The Sony maintains excellent detail layout and color fidelity even near ISO 3200–6400, thanks to larger photodiodes and advanced Bionz processing. Highlight recovery and shadow delineation also favor the Sony, making it a much stronger candidate for demanding portraiture or landscape work.

Viewing and User Interface: From Fixed Screens to Fully Articulated LCDs

How you compose and review shots impacts workflow and shooting enjoyment, so let’s compare screens.

The Olympus 5010 uses a 2.7-inch fixed LCD with a dull resolution of 230k dots, lacking touchscreen or tilting functions. Its basic live view offers what you’d expect from an entry-level compact with limited feedback in bright sunlight or awkward angles.

Sony’s A65 embraces a fully articulated 3-inch LCD boasting a sharp 921k-dot resolution - that’s four times sharper than the Olympus screen. It’s not touchscreen but includes an electronic viewfinder (EVF) with great 2,359-dot resolution, 100% frame coverage, and 0.73x magnification, allowing traditional SLR-style framing even in bright daylight.

For street and travel photographers, that small, fixed screen on the Olympus might prove frustrating on sunny days. Meanwhile, the Sony offers much more flexible composition options and immediate feedback with informative menus and customizable buttons.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: Leisurely Point-and-Shoot vs Responsive Tracking

When testing autofocus, I focus on speed, precision, and modes - all crucial for nailing the shot in different situations.

The Olympus uses a contrast detection AF system with no manual focus option. It can focus reasonably well in bright conditions but slows down noticeably in low light or on moving subjects. Continuous AF or tracking is effectively non-existent. Continuous shooting tops out at 1 fps, so good luck catching action.

Sony’s A65 is more nimble: a phase-detection AF system with 15 focus points (3 cross-type), enabling eye detection, face detection, and subject tracking. Continuous AF works well in live view, and burst shooting races up to a remarkable 10 fps - great for sports, wildlife, or any fast action scenario.

In the wild, the Olympus might suffice for casual holiday snaps or macro close-ups, but professionals and enthusiasts will find its AF seriously limiting. The Sony opens creative doors with robust autofocus versatility.

Lens & System Compatibility: Fixed Optical Simplicity vs Expansive Ecosystem

Lens compatibility often dictates system longevity and creative scope. Olympus 5010 employs a fixed 26-130 mm (5x zoom) lens with an aperture range of f/2.8-6.5. While the lens covers popular focal lengths, you’re locked into its optical characteristics - no swapping out for faster primes or specialized optics.

Meanwhile, Sony’s A65 features the Alpha mount compatible with over 140 lenses, including high-quality Sony, Minolta, and third-party glass. Whether you’re hunting for fast primes for portrait work, ultra-wide lenses for sweeping landscapes, or super-telephoto zooms for wildlife, the Sony system grants incredible flexibility.

If you do macro, creative depth of field effects, or low-light shooting, the Sony’s lens ecosystem alone is a dominant consideration.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Light and Portable vs Substantial but Not Sealed

Neither camera sports specialized weather sealing, frost-proofing, or shock resistance, but construction differs markedly.

The Olympus 5010’s plastic body design focuses on weight and compactness, suitable for gentle everyday use. The Sony A65 features a more rugged polycarbonate shell on a metal chassis, delivering a higher level of durability and handling confidence during heavy shooting sessions or travel.

If you are shooting in demanding environments or seasons, neither camera is designed to replace a fully weather-sealed pro model, though the Sony feels considerably more substantial in hand and overall build.

Battery Life and Storage: Lightweight Energy Thrifter Meets DSLR Stamina

Here, the head-to-head is stark. Olympus 5010 uses a proprietary Li-50B battery with unlisted official rating, but my field tests mirror typical compact stamina - around 200-300 shots per charge.

The Sony A65’s NP-FM500H battery delivers roughly 560 shots per charge (CIPA rating), nearly double the Olympus, crucial when shooting outdoors or on long trips without chargers.

Both cameras accept SD/SDHC cards, but the Sony adds compatibility with Memory Stick formats. For someone shooting bursts or high-res video, the Sony’s battery advantage is significant.

Video Capabilities: Basic Clips or Serious HD Footage?

Video is often underestimated but increasingly important. Olympus 5010 records at HD 720p (1280 x 720) max at 30 fps, encoded as Motion JPEG - not the most efficient or modern codec. Video controls are minimal, no external mic port, and camera stabilization helps somewhat.

Sony A65 offers Full HD 1080p video at 60 and 24 fps, with AVCHD and MPEG-4 recording, improving quality and compression. The inclusion of an external microphone input gives more audio control - a must for video creators concerned with sound. Image stabilization is sensor-based but less effective during video.

For serious videographers or hybrid shooters, the Sony is clearly preferable. The Olympus video modes serve casual shooters or quick social clips but are dated by today’s standards.

Real-World Use Case Breakdown: Who Should Pick Which?

Let's now cut through the tech and address who will benefit most from these designs and feature sets.

Portrait Photography

Sony’s larger APS-C sensor and richer color depth let it capture realistic skin tones with natural gradation. Its eye-detection AF and expansive lens options let you shoot beautiful bokeh and pin-sharp details. Olympus can capture portraits on a sunny day but expect less control over depth of field and slightly harsher image noise.

Landscape and Travel

If weight and portability matter most (say, hiking or city-tripping light), Olympus fits easily in your pocket and delivers decent landscape snaps in good light. For more serious landscapes needing resolution and dynamic range, the Sony’s sensor and wide-angle lens options will reward you richly - but at the expense of bulk.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Sony’s blazing 10 fps burst rate and responsive AF tracking crush the Olympus’s single fps and sluggish focus. The Sony’s tele-zoom lens lineup lets you get closer, sharper shots. Olympus is best reserved for casual wildlife glimpses.

Street and Candid Photography

The Olympus’s stealthy size and silent operation lend it well to unobtrusive shooting. Sony’s electronic shutter/mirror system is quieter than a traditional DSLR, but the larger footprint may draw attention. Also note low-light finesse of the Sony helps frame-grabbing in dim conditions.

Macro Photography

Olympus edges ahead here with a macro focus distance of just 7 cm on its lens, combined with sensor-shift stabilization, enabling decent close-ups. Sony requires specialized macro lenses; however, you get more working distance and higher resolution captures.

Night and Astrophotography

Sony’s higher native ISO range (up to 12,800) and higher dynamic range allow for cleaner, longer exposure images needed for starscapes and low-light scenes. Olympus tops out at ISO 3200 and struggles with noise, limiting astro-capabilities unless you accept grainy images.

Professional and Workflow Integration

The Sony A65 supports RAW files and manual exposure modes, essential for post-processing workflow. Olympus offers JPEG output only, meaning less flexibility for professionals or enthusiasts wanting heavy editing. The Sony’s GPS tagging and wireless connectivity (via Eye-Fi cards) also aid travel workflow, another plus for pros on the go.

Price and Value: Budget-Conscious Insight

At their respective price points - around $150 for the Olympus and $700 for the Sony - the choices become clear based on intent:

• Olympus 5010: Brilliant for absolute beginners, vacationers, or those unwilling to juggle lens systems or technical settings. You get pocket-sized convenience and passable image quality for snapshots and social sharing.

• Sony A65: A fantastic entry-level DSLR alternative for serious amateurs ready to step up control, quality, and expandability without breaking the bank. The higher price reflects in significantly better performance across all dimensions.

Performance Summary at a Glance

Let's crystallize the complex data with objective performance ratings derived from hands-on tests and DxO Mark scores where applicable (the Olympus wasn’t DxO-tested).

Performance across Photography Genres

Here’s a quick breakdown of how each camera stacks up across different photographic disciplines:

In Action: Sample Images with Both Cameras

I captured images side-by-side in varied lighting to illustrate real-world differences.

Olympus 5010 front Olympus 5010 screen back Sony A65 front Sony A65 screen back

Shots reveal the Sony’s superior sharpness, dynamic range, and color fidelity, especially in shadow detail, plus buttery smooth bokeh. Olympus images are serviceable in daylight but not competitive under challenging conditions or large prints.

Verdict: Which Camera Should You Bring Home?

Choosing between the Olympus Stylus 5010 and Sony SLT-A65 boils down to your priorities, shooting style, and budget.

Pick the Olympus 5010 if:

• You want a camera as small and light as a smartphone but with better image quality.
• You primarily shoot casual photos, travel snapshots, and occasionally macro close-ups.
• Manual control, large files, or video quality are not priorities.
• Budget is tight and convenience trumps performance.

Choose the Sony SLT-A65 if:

• You want significant control over your images with stages for growth like RAW shooting and manual exposure.
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, or action and require faster autofocus and high frame rates.
• You value an extensive lens ecosystem and higher video quality.
• You don’t mind the bulk and higher price for considerably better image quality and durability.

Final Thoughts: When Pocket Meets Pro-Level Ambition

In my years of diving into both entry-level compacts and DSLRs, the Olympus 5010 and Sony A65 represent two ends of the spectrum circa 2010-11. The Olympus is a gem for no-fuss, everyday photography, perfect for those who want a point-and-shoot that just fits in a palm. The Sony is a true workhorse that punches well beyond its price, granting the creative freedoms and image quality essential for stepping into serious photography.

Ultimately, if you are after image quality, lens flexibility, and fast AF for varied genres - invest the extra dollars in the Sony. But if pocketability and simple operation drive your decision, the Olympus will serve you faithfully and economically.

Remember, the best camera is the one you carry and master - choose what aligns with your photographic journey today!