Olympus SP-820UZ vs Sony HX5

Here, we are looking at the Olympus SP-820UZ vs Sony HX5, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the image resolutions of the SP-820UZ (14MP) and HX5 (10MP) and the SP-820UZ (1/2.3") and HX5 (1/2.4") offer totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The SP-820UZ was unveiled 2 years later than the HX5 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before getting into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple summary of how the SP-820UZ scores against the HX5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5. The full galleries are available at Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery & Sony HX5 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera, you should factor its weight and volume. The Olympus SP-820UZ features outside dimensions of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") accompanied by a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs) and the Sony HX5 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SP-820UZ vs Sony HX5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with during that time. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the SP-820UZ against the HX5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the SP-820UZ and HX5 is 69 and 92 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to see the contrast in sensor sizing simply by looking through technical specs. The photograph below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-820UZ and HX5.

As you have seen, both the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SP-820UZ using its larger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus SP-820UZ will render extra detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images way more aggressively. The fresher SP-820UZ will have a benefit in sensor innovation.