Olympus E-M10 vs Sony S950

The following is a extensive review of the Olympus E-M10 and Sony S950, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. There is a huge difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-M10 (16MP) and S950 (10MP) and the E-M10 (Four Thirds) and S950 (1/2.3") feature different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-M10 was announced 5 years after the S950 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M10 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony S950 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short view of how the E-M10 grades vs the S950 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M10 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S950. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M10 Gallery and Sony S950 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to travel with your camera frequently, you will need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-M10 offers outer measurements of 119mm x 82mm x 46mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 1.8") with a weight of 396 grams (0.87 lbs) and the Sony S950 has specifications of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M10 and Sony S950 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising during that time. Following is the front view size comparison of the E-M10 compared to the S950.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-M10 and S950 is 82 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it is difficult to imagine the difference between sensor dimensions only by checking a spec sheet. The picture underneath might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M10 and S950.

Clearly, the 2 cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-M10 with its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-M10 will give you extra detail with its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images a little more aggressively. The fresher E-M10 should have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.