Olympus E-M1 vs Sony S980

In this article, we are contrasting the Olympus E-M1 versus Sony S980, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the resolutions of the E-M1 (16MP) and S980 (12MP) and the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and S980 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-M1 was unveiled 4 years after the S980 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a complete comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-M1 matches up against the S980 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 Gallery and Sony S980 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry around your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 has outside dimensions 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 S980 has dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M1 versus Sony S980 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are working with during that time. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the E-M1 versus the S980.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 and S980 is 71 and 94 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to see the difference in sensor sizes purely by viewing a spec sheet. The picture below may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M1 and S980.

Clearly, each of these cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-M1 having a larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus E-M1 will provide you with greater detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics a little more aggressively. The more modern E-M1 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.