Olympus E-M1 vs Sigma DP1

Below is a complete review of the Olympus E-M1 versus Sigma DP1, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sigma. There is a substantial difference between the resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and DP1 (5MP) and the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and DP1 (APS-C) come with different sensor dimensions.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The E-M1 was unveiled 5 years later than the DP1 and that is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sigma DP1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the E-M1 scores versus the DP1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Sigma DP1. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Sigma DP1 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 has got outer 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 Sigma DP1 has dimensions of 113mm x 60mm x 50mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 2.0") along with a weight of 270 grams (0.60 lbs).

See the Olympus E-M1 versus Sigma DP1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is the front view size comparison of the E-M1 compared to the DP1.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 and DP1 is 71 and 87 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to picture the gap between sensor measurements just by reviewing technical specs. The photograph below will give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 and DP1.

As you have seen, both the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-M1 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more challenging and the Olympus E-M1 will offer greater detail having an extra 11 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The fresher E-M1 should have an edge in sensor tech.