Olympus E-M1 vs Samsung NX500

Lets look a little more closely at the Olympus E-M1 versus Samsung NX500, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Samsung. There exists a significant gap between the resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and NX500 (28MP) and the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and NX500 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizing.

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The E-M1 was announced 15 months before the NX500 making them a generation away from one another. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Samsung NX500 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short view of how the E-M1 matches up against the NX500 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Samsung NX500. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Samsung NX500 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera regularly, you will want to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 has exterior measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") and a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) while the Samsung NX500 has dimensions of 120mm x 64mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-M1 versus Samsung NX500 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select at that time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the E-M1 and the NX500.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and NX500 is 71 and 87 respectively.

Quite often, it is tough to imagine the difference between sensor dimensions simply by looking at technical specs. The image below might give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 and NX500.

As you have seen, both cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-M1 with its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Samsung NX500 will resolve greater detail with its extra 12 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-M1 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.