Olympus E-M1 vs Sony RX100 VA

In this write-up, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-M1 and Sony RX100 VA, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the RX100 VA (20MP) is relatively well matched but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and RX100 VA (1") possess different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 was announced 5 years prior to the RX100 VA and that is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 VA being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going through a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-M1 scores versus the RX100 VA with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V(A). The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Sony RX100 VA Gallery.

In case you're intending to lug around your camera often, you will want to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-M1 has exterior measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") having a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) and the Sony RX100 VA has measurements of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") along with a weight of 299 grams (0.66 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-M1 and Sony RX100 VA in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-M1 vs the RX100 VA.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 and RX100 VA is 71 and 89 respectively.

Often, its difficult to imagine the difference between sensor measurements only by checking specs. The photograph here will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 and RX100 VA.

All in all, each of the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-M1 with its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field easier and the Sony RX100 VA will give you extra detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots a little more aggressively. The older E-M1 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.