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Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1

Portability
80
Imaging
53
Features
84
Overall
65
Olympus OM-D E-M5 II front
 
Pentax MX-1 front
Portability
84
Imaging
37
Features
60
Overall
46

Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 Key Specs

Olympus E-M5 II
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 469g - 124 x 85 x 45mm
  • Introduced February 2015
  • Succeeded the Olympus E-M5
  • Later Model is Olympus E-M5 III
Pentax MX-1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-112mm (F1.8-2.5) lens
  • 391g - 122 x 61 x 51mm
  • Launched July 2013
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Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 Overview

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Pentax. There exists a large gap among the image resolutions of the E-M5 II (16MP) and MX-1 (12MP) and the E-M5 II (Four Thirds) and MX-1 (1/1.7") come with different sensor dimensions.

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The E-M5 II was launched 20 months later than the MX-1 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax MX-1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick view of how the E-M5 II matches up versus the MX-1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-M5 II over the Pentax MX-1

 E-M5 II MX-1 
LaunchedFebruary 2015July 2013Fresher by 20 months
Display typeFully ArticulatedTiltingFully Articulating display
Display resolution1037k920kSharper display (+117k dot)
Selfie screen Easy selfies
Touch display Easily navigate

Reasons to pick Pentax MX-1 over the Olympus E-M5 II

 MX-1 E-M5 II 

Common features in the Olympus E-M5 II and Pentax MX-1

 E-M5 II MX-1 
Focus manually More accurate focusing
Display sizing3"3"Equivalent display sizing

Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 Physical Comparison

If you're intending to carry your camera, you'll have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M5 II provides outside measurements of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") having a weight of 469 grams (1.03 lbs) whilst the Pentax MX-1 has dimensions of 122mm x 61mm x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0") with a weight of 391 grams (0.86 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the E-M5 II against the MX-1.

Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M5 II and MX-1 is 80 and 84 respectively.

Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 Sensor Comparison

Typically, it's hard to picture the difference in sensor sizing purely by researching specifications. The visual underneath will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M5 II and MX-1.

Plainly, the two cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-M5 II due to its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-M5 II will provide you with more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will help you crop images a little more aggressively. The more modern E-M5 II should have a benefit in sensor tech.

Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-M5 II Portrait photography features
Pentax MX-1 Portrait photography features
71
has manual focus
good MP (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
provides face detect focus
delivers RAW files
42
you can focus manually
provides face detect focus
saves RAW formats
can't use external flash
low megapixels (12MP)
sensor is tiny (1/1.7")
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-M5 II as a Street photography camera
Pentax MX-1 as a Street photography camera
82
screen articulates
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
features focus by touch
environment sealing
very good high ISO (25,600)
65
tilting screen
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
saves RAW formats
sensor is tiny (1/1.7")
heavier than competition (391g)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-M5 II Sports photography highlights
Pentax MX-1 Sports photography highlights
65
high shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
quiet mode (1/16,000 seconds)
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good MP (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
provides tracking focus
environment sealing
terrible battery life (310 shots)
has no phase detect auto focus
43
maximum shutter speed is high (1/8,000s)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
provides tracking focus
great battery (290 CIPA)
max frames per second low (1.0 frames/s)
low megapixels (12MP)
sensor is tiny (1/1.7")
does not have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-M5 II Travel photography factors
Pentax MX-1 Travel photography factors
74
environment sealing
features focus by touch
good MP (16MP)
selfie friendly screen
terrible battery life (310 per charge)
61
great battery (290 shots)
has built in flash
quite wide (28mm)
great max aperture (f1.8)
doesn't have Time Lapse mode
heavier than competition (391g)
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
display is not selfie friendly
Photography Glossary

Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus E-M5 II
Landscape photography with Pentax MX-1
74
has manual focus
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
good sized screen (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good MP (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
very good high ISO (25,600)
delivers RAW files
environment sealing
terrible battery life (310 per charge)
55
you can focus manually
quite wide (28mm)
great max aperture (f1.8)
pretty good screen size (3")
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
saves RAW formats
great battery (290 CIPA)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
low megapixels (12MP)
sensor is tiny (1/1.7")
doesn't have Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus E-M5 II
Vlogging with Pentax MX-1
82
selfie friendly screen
screen is touchscreen
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
provides face detect focus
good video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
comes with microphone port
33
quite wide (28mm)
great max aperture (f1.8)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
provides face detect focus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
display is not selfie friendly
doesn't have mic support
heavier than competition (391 grams)
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Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax MX-1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-M5 II and Pentax MX-1
 Olympus OM-D E-M5 IIPentax MX-1
General Information
Company Olympus Pentax
Model type Olympus OM-D E-M5 II Pentax MX-1
Class Advanced Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Introduced 2015-02-06 2013-07-01
Physical type SLR-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Chip TruePic VII -
Sensor type MOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/1.7"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 41.5mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 12MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4608 x 3456 4000 x 3000
Max native ISO 25600 12800
Min native ISO 200 100
RAW images
Min boosted ISO 100 -
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Total focus points 81 25
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 28-112mm (4.0x)
Largest aperture - f/1.8-2.5
Macro focusing distance - 1cm
Total lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 4.8
Screen
Type of display Fully Articulated Tilting
Display size 3 inches 3 inches
Resolution of display 1,037k dots 920k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display technology - TFT LCD with AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic None
Viewfinder resolution 2,360k dots -
Viewfinder coverage 100 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.74x -
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60s 30s
Maximum shutter speed 1/8000s 1/8000s
Maximum quiet shutter speed 1/16000s -
Continuous shooting rate 10.0 frames per sec 1.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance no built-in flash 12.00 m
Flash modes Auto, redeye, fill, off, redeye slow sync, slow sync, 2nd-curtain slow sync, manual Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Speed sync, Trailing Curtain sync
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/250s -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), 640 x 480 (30p) 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format MPEG-4, H.264, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 469 gr (1.03 lbs) 391 gr (0.86 lbs)
Dimensions 124 x 85 x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") 122 x 61 x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 73 49
DXO Color Depth rating 23.0 20.4
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.4 11.3
DXO Low light rating 896 208
Other
Battery life 310 shots 290 shots
Battery style Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID BLN-1 D-Li-106
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots Single Single
Price at launch $699 $400