Olympus E-M1 III vs Samsung CL5

The following is a complete overview of the Olympus E-M1 III and Samsung CL5, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Ultracompact by manufacturers Olympus and Samsung. There is a significant difference among the image resolutions of the E-M1 III (20MP) and CL5 (9MP) and the E-M1 III (Four Thirds) and CL5 (1/2.5") offer different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 III was brought out 11 years after the CL5 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M1 III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Samsung CL5 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief summary of how the E-M1 III grades vs the CL5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III and Samsung CL5. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 III Gallery and Samsung CL5 Gallery.

If you are intending to travel with your camera frequently, you'll have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M1 III has physical measurements of 134mm x 91mm x 69mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.7") and a weight of 580 grams (1.28 lbs) and the Samsung CL5 has sizing of 93mm x 60mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.7") and a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs).

See the Olympus E-M1 III and Samsung CL5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose at the time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the E-M1 III and the CL5.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 III and CL5 is 67 and 95 respectively.

Oftentimes, its tough to picture the difference in sensor dimensions simply by viewing specs. The image underneath will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 III and CL5.

All in all, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-M1 III featuring a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Olympus E-M1 III will render greater detail having its extra 11MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop pics a bit more aggressively. The younger E-M1 III should have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.