Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus SH-50

On this page, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-M1 and Olympus SH-50, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both built by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the SH-50 (16MP) is pretty close but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and SH-50 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-M1 was released 10 months later than the SH-50 and they are both of a similar age. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the E-M1 matches up vs the SH-50 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Olympus SH-50. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Olympus SH-50 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera, you will want to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-M1 features external measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") having a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) while the Olympus SH-50 has specifications of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-M1 and Olympus SH-50 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you use at that moment. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the E-M1 and the SH-50.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 and SH-50 is 71 and 88 respectively.

Generally, its tough to see the difference in sensor measurements purely by researching a spec sheet. The visual underneath should give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 and SH-50.

As you can see, both of the cameras provide the same MP albeit not the same sensor measurements. The E-M1 has got the bigger sensor which will make getting shallow depth of field easier. The more modern E-M1 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.