Olympus E-M1 vs Sony A7R

The following is a comprehensive assessment of the Olympus E-M1 and Sony A7R, both Pro Mirrorless digital cameras by brands Olympus and Sony. There is a substantial difference between the resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and A7R (36MP) and the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and A7R (Full frame) offer different sensor size.

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The E-M1 was introduced 3 months before the A7R so they are of a similar age. Both the cameras feature the same body design (SLR-style mirrorless).

Before delving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-M1 scores against the A7R in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Sony Alpha A7R. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Sony A7R Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to travel with your camera, you have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-M1 offers outside measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") and a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) and the Sony A7R has specifications of 127mm x 94mm x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 465 grams (1.03 lbs).

See the Olympus E-M1 and Sony A7R in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are using at that moment. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the E-M1 compared to the A7R.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and A7R is 71 and 78 respectively.

Generally, it is tough to imagine the difference between sensor dimensions just by looking at technical specs. The image underneath may give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 and A7R.

As you have seen, each of these cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-M1 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving bokeh harder and the Sony A7R will give you greater detail using its extra 20MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively.