Olympus E-M1 vs Sony A580

Here, we are contrasting the Olympus E-M1 versus Sony A580, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the A580 (16MP) is fairly comparable but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and A580 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was unveiled 2 years after the A580 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the E-M1 matches up against the A580 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Sony A580 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-M1 offers outside dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") along with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Sony A580 has measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M1 versus Sony A580 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are using during that time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the E-M1 against the A580.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and A580 is 71 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizes just by seeing a spec sheet. The pic below might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 and A580.

As you can see, both of those cameras feature the identical MP but not the same sensor sizes. The E-M1 contains the smaller sensor which will make obtaining shallower depth of field more difficult. The more modern E-M1 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.