Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony W290

In this article, we are evaluating the Olympus E-M1 II and Sony W290, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a crucial gap among the resolutions of the E-M1 II (20MP) and W290 (12MP) and the E-M1 II (Four Thirds) and W290 (1/2.3") use different sensor sizes.

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The E-M1 II was manufactured 7 years after the W290 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W290 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the E-M1 II grades against the W290 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 II Gallery and Sony W290 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-M1 II has got outer measurements of 134mm x 91mm x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6") with a weight of 574 grams (1.27 lbs) and the Sony W290 has specifications of 98mm x 57mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-M1 II and Sony W290 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are employing at that time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the E-M1 II vs the W290.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 II and W290 is 68 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizes simply by going through technical specs. The image here will provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 II and W290.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 II featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-M1 II will show extra detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop photos far more aggressively. The fresher E-M1 II should have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.