Olympus E-M1 vs Sony A290

Here, we will be comparing the Olympus E-M1 vs Sony A290, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the A290 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and A290 (APS-C) boast different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was manufactured 3 years after the A290 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-M1 grades against the A290 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Sony A290 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry around your camera often, you will have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-M1 has got outer dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) and the Sony A290 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") along with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-M1 vs Sony A290 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the E-M1 compared to the A290.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 and A290 is 71 and 66 respectively.

Typically, it is very difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor sizes purely by checking out a spec sheet. The picture here will give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M1 and A290.

Clearly, both of the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Olympus E-M1 will show extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs way more aggressively. The more modern E-M1 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.