Canon G5 X vs Olympus Stylus 1s

The Canon PowerShot G5 X and the Olympus Stylus 1s are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in October 2015 and April 2015. Both the G5X and the Stylus 1s are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on an one-inch (G5X) and a 1/1.7-inch (Stylus 1s) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 11.8 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon G5 X		Olympus Stylus 1s
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-100mm f/1.8-2.8		28-300mm f/2.8
20 MP – 1" sensor		11.8 MP – 1/1.7" sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 125-12,800 (125 - 25,600)		ISO 100-12,800
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
5.9 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
210 shots per battery charge		450 shots per battery charge
112 x 76 x 44 mm, 353 g		116 x 87 x 57 mm, 402 g

Check G5X offers at
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Check Stylus 1s offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot G5 X and the Olympus Stylus 1s? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon G5 X and the Olympus Stylus 1s. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus Stylus 1s is notably larger (19 percent) than the Canon G5 X. Moreover, the Stylus 1s is markedly heavier (14 percent) than the G5X. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the G5X nor the Stylus 1s are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the G5X gets 210 shots out of its Canon NB-13L battery, while the Stylus 1s can take 450 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-50 power pack. The power pack in the G5X can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	450	n	Apr 2015	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
5.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
7.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
9.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
10.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X30	119 mm	72 mm	60 mm	423 g	470	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus Stylus 1	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	410	n	Oct 2013	699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-420	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2008	599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic TZ100	111 mm	65 mm	44 mm	312 g	300	n	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Stylus 1s was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 13 percent) than the G5X, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon G5 X features an one-inch sensor and the Olympus Stylus 1s a 1/1.7-inch sensor. The sensor area in the Stylus 1s is 63 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 4.5. The sensor in the G5X has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the Stylus 1s offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 20MP, the G5X offers a higher resolution than the Stylus 1s (11.8MP), but the G5X nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 2.41μm versus 1.91μm for the Stylus 1s) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the G5X is a somewhat more recent model (by 6 months) than the Stylus 1s, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Stylus 1s has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon G5 X implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the G5X for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus Stylus 1s are 19.8 x 14.9 inches or 50.4 x 37.8 cm for good quality, 15.9 x 11.9 inches or 40.3 x 30.2 cm for very good quality, and 13.2 x 9.9 inches or 33.6 x 25.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon PowerShot G5 X has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 125-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus Stylus 1s are ISO 100 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.2	11.3	-111	47
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
5.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
6.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
7.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
8.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
9.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
10.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
11.		Fujifilm X30	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.4	11.2	-312	49
12.		Olympus Stylus 1	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.7	11.6	179	51
13.		Olympus E-420	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.4	527	56
14.		Panasonic TZ100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	559	70
15.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
16.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the G5X provides a higher frame rate than the Stylus 1s. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the G5X offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the Stylus 1s (2360k vs 1440k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon G5 X and Olympus Stylus 1s in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
8.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
11.		Fujifilm X30	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Olympus Stylus 1	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Olympus E-420	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic TZ100	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Canon G5 X and the Olympus Stylus 1s both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Both the G5X and the Stylus 1s have zoom lenses built in. The G5X has a 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 optic and the Stylus 1s offers a 28-300mm f/2.8-2.8 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Canon provides a wider angle of view at the short end than the Olympus, but less tele-photo reach at the long end. The G5X offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the G5X and the Stylus 1s write their files to SDXC cards. The G5X supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the Stylus 1s cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon PowerShot G5 X and Olympus Stylus 1s and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Fujifilm X30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Olympus Stylus 1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Olympus E-420	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic TZ100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the G5X and the Stylus 1s have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The G5X was replaced by the Canon G5 X Mark II, while the Stylus 1s does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the G5X and Stylus 1s can be found, respectively, in the Canon G5 X Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus Stylus 1s Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon G5 X or the Olympus Stylus 1s – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot G5 X:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20 vs 11.8MP) with a 33% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2360k vs 1440k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/1.8 vs f/2.8).
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More compact: Is smaller (112x76mm vs 116x87mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 49g or 12 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 6 months after the Stylus 1s).

Reasons to prefer the Olympus Stylus 1s:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 5.9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (450 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (13 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in April 2015).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the G5X is the clear winner of the match-up (18 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon G5 X and the Olympus Stylus 1s place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the G5X or the Stylus 1s perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2015	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
5.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
7.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	279	ebay.com
9.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
10.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X30	4/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus Stylus 1	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-420	..	85/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2008	599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic TZ100	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Check Stylus 1s offers at
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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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