Olympus E-M1 vs Sony RX100

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-M1 vs Sony RX100, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the RX100 (20MP) is fairly similar but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and RX100 (1") offer totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was launched 15 months after the RX100 making them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting right into a full comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-M1 grades versus the RX100 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Sony RX100 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you will have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M1 has got outer measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") along with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) while the Sony RX100 has proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") having a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M1 vs Sony RX100 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the E-M1 against the RX100.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and RX100 is 71 and 91 respectively.

Normally, it can be difficult to envision the gap between sensor sizes simply by reading specs. The pic here will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 and RX100.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Sony RX100 will deliver greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The younger E-M1 will have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.