Olympus E-M1 II vs Olympus SH-2

Here is a comprehensive review of the Olympus E-M1 II and Olympus SH-2, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are offered by Olympus. There exists a substantial gap between the image resolutions of the E-M1 II (20MP) and SH-2 (16MP) and the E-M1 II (Four Thirds) and SH-2 (1/2.3") feature different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 II was announced 19 months later than the SH-2 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SH-2 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a complete comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the E-M1 II grades vs the SH-2 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II & Olympus Stylus SH-2. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 II Gallery & Olympus SH-2 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera often, you're going to have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M1 II provides external dimensions of 134mm x 91mm x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6") and a weight of 574 grams (1.27 lbs) while the Olympus SH-2 has proportions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-M1 II and Olympus SH-2 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is the front view physical size comparison of the E-M1 II against the SH-2.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 II and SH-2 is 68 and 88 respectively.

Quite often, it is very tough to visualize the difference between sensor sizing merely by reviewing specifications. The photograph below should give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M1 II and SH-2.

To sum up, the two cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-M1 II with its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF easier and the Olympus E-M1 II will offer extra detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a little more aggressively. The newer E-M1 II provides a benefit in sensor innovation.