Olympus E-M1 III vs Sony A7
67 Imaging
61 Features
96 Overall
75
78 Imaging
69 Features
80 Overall
73
Olympus E-M1 III vs Sony A7 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 20MP - Four Thirds Sensor
- 3" Fully Articulated Display
- ISO 200 - 25600
- Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
- No Anti-Alias Filter
- 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
- 4096 x 2160 video
- Micro Four Thirds Mount
- 580g - 134 x 91 x 69mm
- Introduced February 2020
- Older Model is Olympus E-M1 II
(Full Review)
- 24MP - Full frame Sensor
- 3" Tilting Display
- ISO 50 - 25600
- 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
- 1920 x 1080 video
- Sony E Mount
- 474g - 127 x 94 x 48mm
- Revealed January 2014
- Replacement is Sony A7 II
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Following is a thorough comparison of the Olympus E-M1 III and Sony A7, both Pro Mirrorless cameras by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-M1 III (20MP) and the A7 (24MP) is fairly close but the E-M1 III (Four Thirds) and A7 (Full frame) boast totally different sensor sizes.
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created ImagesThe E-M1 III was revealed 6 years after the A7 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature the same body design (SLR-style mirrorless).
Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-M1 III scores against the A7 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.
Photography Glossary Olympus E-M1 III vs Sony A7 Gallery
Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III & Sony Alpha A7. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 III Gallery & Sony A7 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Olympus E-M1 III over the Sony A7
| E-M1 III | A7 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revealed | February 2020 | January 2014 | More modern by 74 months | |
| Display type | Fully Articulated | Tilting | Fully Articulating display | |
| Selfie screen | Take selfies | |||
| Touch friendly display | Easily navigate |
Reasons to pick Sony A7 over the Olympus E-M1 III
| A7 | E-M1 III | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display resolution | 1230k | 1037k | Sharper display (+193k dot) |
Common features in the Olympus E-M1 III and Sony A7
| E-M1 III | A7 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual focus | More accurate focus | |||
| Display size | 3" | 3" | Same display dimensions |
Olympus E-M1 III vs Sony A7 Physical Comparison
In case you're aiming to carry around your camera, you'll have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 III has got exterior dimensions of 134mm x 91mm x 69mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.7") and a weight of 580 grams (1.28 lbs) whilst the Sony A7 has dimensions of 127mm x 94mm x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9") along with a weight of 474 grams (1.04 lbs).
Check out the Olympus E-M1 III and Sony A7 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the E-M1 III compared to the A7.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 III and A7 is 67 and 78 respectively.
Olympus E-M1 III vs Sony A7 Sensor Comparison
Oftentimes, it's difficult to envision the gap in sensor sizes just by looking through a spec sheet. The pic below should provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 III and A7.
As you can see, each of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 III having a smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field harder and the Sony A7 will result in more detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more modern E-M1 III is going to have an edge in sensor technology.
Olympus E-M1 III vs Sony A7 Screen and ViewFinder
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Olympus E-M1 III vs Sony A7 Specifications
| Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III | Sony Alpha A7 | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Brand | Olympus | Sony |
| Model type | Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III | Sony Alpha A7 |
| Category | Pro Mirrorless | Pro Mirrorless |
| Introduced | 2020-02-11 | 2014-01-22 |
| Body design | SLR-style mirrorless | SLR-style mirrorless |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Processor Chip | TruePic IX | Bionz X |
| Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor size | Four Thirds | Full frame |
| Sensor dimensions | 17.4 x 13mm | 35.8 x 23.9mm |
| Sensor area | 226.2mm² | 855.6mm² |
| Sensor resolution | 20MP | 24MP |
| Anti alias filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 | 3:2 and 16:9 |
| Highest resolution | 5184 x 3888 | 6000 x 4000 |
| Highest native ISO | 25600 | 25600 |
| Min native ISO | 200 | 50 |
| RAW format | ||
| Min boosted ISO | 64 | - |
| Autofocusing | ||
| Manual focusing | ||
| Autofocus touch | ||
| Continuous autofocus | ||
| Autofocus single | ||
| Autofocus tracking | ||
| Autofocus selectice | ||
| Autofocus center weighted | ||
| Autofocus multi area | ||
| Live view autofocus | ||
| Face detect focus | ||
| Contract detect focus | ||
| Phase detect focus | ||
| Total focus points | 121 | 117 |
| Cross type focus points | 121 | 25 |
| Lens | ||
| Lens support | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E |
| Total lenses | 107 | 121 |
| Focal length multiplier | 2.1 | 1 |
| Screen | ||
| Display type | Fully Articulated | Tilting |
| Display size | 3 inch | 3 inch |
| Resolution of display | 1,037k dot | 1,230k dot |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch function | ||
| Display technology | - | Xtra Fine LCD |
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder type | Electronic | Electronic |
| Viewfinder resolution | 2,360k dot | 2,359k dot |
| Viewfinder coverage | 100 percent | 100 percent |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.74x | 0.71x |
| Features | ||
| Slowest shutter speed | 60 secs | 30 secs |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/8000 secs | 1/8000 secs |
| Maximum quiet shutter speed | 1/32000 secs | - |
| Continuous shooting speed | 60.0 frames/s | 5.0 frames/s |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Manual exposure | ||
| Exposure compensation | Yes | Yes |
| Custom white balance | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Inbuilt flash | ||
| Flash distance | no built-in flash | no built-in flash |
| Flash options | Redeye, Fill-in, Flash Off, Red-eye Slow sync.(1st curtain), Slow sync.(1st curtain), Slow sync.(2nd curtain), Manual | no built-in flash |
| Hot shoe | ||
| AEB | ||
| WB bracketing | ||
| Maximum flash sync | 1/250 secs | 1/250 secs |
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment exposure | ||
| Average exposure | ||
| Spot exposure | ||
| Partial exposure | ||
| AF area exposure | ||
| Center weighted exposure | ||
| Video features | ||
| Supported video resolutions | 4096 x 2160 @ 24p / 237 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 23.98p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 60p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 50p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 30p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 25p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 23.98p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM | 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p), 1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p) |
| Highest video resolution | 4096x2160 | 1920x1080 |
| Video file format | MPEG-4, H.264 | MPEG-4, AVCHD |
| Mic input | ||
| Headphone input | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | Built-In | Built-In |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | None | None |
| Physical | ||
| Environmental seal | ||
| Water proofing | ||
| Dust proofing | ||
| Shock proofing | ||
| Crush proofing | ||
| Freeze proofing | ||
| Weight | 580g (1.28 pounds) | 474g (1.04 pounds) |
| Physical dimensions | 134 x 91 x 69mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.7") | 127 x 94 x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9") |
| DXO scores | ||
| DXO All around rating | not tested | 90 |
| DXO Color Depth rating | not tested | 24.8 |
| DXO Dynamic range rating | not tested | 14.2 |
| DXO Low light rating | not tested | 2248 |
| Other | ||
| Battery life | 420 pictures | 340 pictures |
| Form of battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery ID | BLH-1 | NP-FW50 |
| Self timer | Yes (2 or 12 secs, custom) | Yes (2 or 10 sec; continuous (3 or 5 exposures)) |
| Time lapse shooting | With downloadable app | |
| Storage media | Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots (UHS-II on first slot) | SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo |
| Storage slots | Two | Single |
| Pricing at launch | $1,800 | $798 |