Olympus E-M5 II vs Olympus SZ-12

Its time to examine more closely at the Olympus E-M5 II versus Olympus SZ-12, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are created by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-M5 II (16MP) and the SZ-12 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the E-M5 II (Four Thirds) and SZ-12 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 II was released 3 years later than the SZ-12 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a short introduction of how the E-M5 II matches up versus the SZ-12 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus OM-D E-M5 II & Olympus SZ-12. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-M5 II Gallery & Olympus SZ-12 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to lug around your camera often, you'll have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M5 II offers exterior measurements of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") and a weight of 469 grams (1.03 lbs) whilst the Olympus SZ-12 has proportions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") along with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-M5 II versus Olympus SZ-12 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have attached at that time. Following is the front view size comparison of the E-M5 II vs the SZ-12.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 II and SZ-12 is 80 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements only by checking specs. The visual below might provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M5 II and SZ-12.

All in all, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-M5 II featuring a bigger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-M5 II will resolve more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The newer E-M5 II will have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.