Olympus E-M5 II vs Sony RX1

Let's examine more in depth at the Olympus E-M5 II and Sony RX1, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a large difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-M5 II (16MP) and RX1 (24MP) and the E-M5 II (Four Thirds) and RX1 (Full frame) come with totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 II was manufactured 24 months after the RX1 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a full comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the E-M5 II grades against the RX1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M5 II & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 II Gallery & Sony RX1 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to travel with your camera, you'll have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M5 II enjoys exterior dimensions of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") accompanied by a weight of 469 grams (1.03 lbs) while the Sony RX1 has dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") along with a weight of 482 grams (1.06 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-M5 II and Sony RX1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the E-M5 II versus the RX1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M5 II and RX1 is 80 and 79 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very difficult to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions merely by seeing a spec sheet. The image underneath will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 II and RX1.

As you can see, both cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-M5 II featuring a smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field trickier and the Sony RX1 will show extra detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots far more aggressively. The more modern E-M5 II will have a benefit in sensor tech.