Olympus E-M1 vs Sony A350

Below is a extended assessment of the Olympus E-M1 versus Sony A350, former being 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 A350 (14MP) is relatively close but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and A350 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was introduced 5 years later than the A350 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A350 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the E-M1 grades versus the A350 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A350. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Sony A350 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you are going to need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 enjoys exterior 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 A350 has dimensions of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") having a weight of 674 grams (1.49 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M1 versus Sony A350 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-M1 compared to the A350.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 and A350 is 71 and 62 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to see the contrast in sensor measurements merely by viewing a spec sheet. The photograph below might provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 and A350.

As you can see, both of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-M1 with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Olympus E-M1 will result in more detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs way more aggressively. The newer E-M1 will have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.