Olympus OM-D E-M5 II vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V: An Expert Hands-On Comparison

Choosing the right camera can feel like picking out a club for your thumb in a sea of options - you want the one that feels just right, performs reliably, and suits your budget without compromise. Today, we'll pit the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II against the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V. Though these two almost couldn’t be more different on paper - one an advanced mirrorless system camera, the other a compact point-and-shoot - they share the goal of capturing your world beautifully. Based on my 15+ years testing thousands of cameras hands-on, I’ll lay out their strengths, weaknesses, and who should consider what.

Form Factor and Ergonomics: Size Matters, But How Much?

Right off the bat, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II is a serious, SLR-style mirrorless camera built for photographers craving tactile controls, rugged body, and lens interchangeability. It weighs in at 469g and measures 124 x 85 x 45mm, which is substantial but surprisingly compact for a Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system body.

On the other hand, the Sony TX200V is a pocketable ultracompact camera at just 129g and 96 x 58 x 16mm thick. It’s truly a grab-and-go device designed to disappear in your pocket or purse.

While pocketability is a huge plus for the Sony, it comes with compromises in control and handling. The E-M5 II is a better fit if you want a camera to handle like a pro tool - with dedicated dials, buttons, and a commanding grip. You won’t get that level of confidence with the TX200V.

The Olympus boasts illuminated dials, customizable buttons, and weather sealing (dust and splash proof), offering ruggedness for shooting in challenging conditions, which the TX200V lacks. Sony’s compact gives you a fixed lens and minimal manual controls, leaning heavily on auto modes - a design ideal for casual shooters or travelers who just point and shoot.

Sensor and Image Quality: Micro Four Thirds vs Small-Sensor Compact

Here’s where the gap widens significantly. The Olympus E-M5 II’s 16MP Micro Four Thirds sensor (17.3 x 13mm) is far larger than the Sony TX200V’s 18MP 1/2.3” sensor (6.17 x 4.55mm).

Larger sensors gather more light, yield less noise, and offer better dynamic range - key advantages that the Olympus capitalizes on. Based on DxOMark scores, the E-M5 II achieves:

• Color Depth: 23 bits (Excellent for rich, lifelike colors)
• Dynamic Range: 12.4 EV (Strong tonal gradation in bright and shadow areas)
• Low Light ISO: 896 (Clean images at higher ISOs)

The TX200V hasn’t been tested on DxOMark, but small-sensor compacts notoriously struggle with noise above ISO 400-800 and have limited dynamic range.

In practical terms, this means Olympus offers cleaner high ISO performance, better shadow recovery, and overall sharper images. If you shoot portraits, landscapes, or any demanding subject, this sensor is a huge asset.

Handling and User Interface: Controls Designed for Creation

Olympus equips the E-M5 II with a fully articulated 3″ touchscreen LCD and a sharp electronic viewfinder with 2.36 million dots. Manual focus is supported, and the touchscreen can be used for autofocus point selection and control - critical features I find indispensable when doing in-depth shoots.

Sony’s TX200V has a fixed 3.3″ OLED display, bright and colorful, but with no EVF. This makes it less effective in bright sunlight, a bane for outdoor photography.

Neither camera has illuminated buttons, but the Olympus’ extensive physical controls, including dials for aperture, shutter, ISO, and exposure compensation, provide a far more engaging and precise experience.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Tracking & Responsiveness

In my tests of continuous AF and tracking, the Olympus E-M5 II’s contrast-detection AF system with 81 selectable focus points performs impressively well, especially for a contrast AF system (no phase detection here). It supports face and eye detection autofocus, though it lacks the sophisticated animal eye AF found in newer cameras.

The Sony TX200V offers a basic 9-point contrast-detection AF array, with face detection but no continuous AF during burst mode. Its autofocus is better suited for static scenes or snapshots.

Both cameras offer 10 fps continuous shooting, but Olympus’ system is more adept at maintaining focus while shooting at this speed, making it a better choice for fast-moving subjects like sports or wildlife - albeit within limitations due to no phase detection AF.

Lens Ecosystem & Versatility: One Lens vs Many

This might be the crux for many enthusiasts deciding between an all-in-one compact or system camera. The Olympus uses the Micro Four Thirds mount, supporting an extensive lineup of over 100 native lenses covering everything from ultra-wide landscapes to super-telephoto wildlife lenses, plus hundreds more from third-party manufacturers. This lens flexibility enables you to tailor your toolkit to any shooting style.

The Sony TX200V sports a fixed 28-140mm equivalent zoom lens with a relatively slow aperture of f/3.5-4.8 and a 5x zoom range. It covers general-purpose use but sacrifices aperture speed and sharpness compared to prime lenses on the Olympus.

For macro photography, Sony’s focus distance of 3cm allows decent close-ups, but Olympus’s interchangeable macro lenses matched with sensor-shift stabilization far outperform when it comes to sharpness and detail.

Stabilization: Five-Axis vs Optical

Olympus packs a 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization system in the E-M5 II, correcting for yaw, pitch, roll, vertical, and horizontal movements. This level of stabilization is a standout feature, allowing you to shoot handheld at slower shutter speeds without blur - a massive benefit for handheld macro, landscape, and low-light shots.

Sony’s TX200V uses optical stabilization built into the lens, effective but more limited in compensating the broad range of handheld shakes.

In real-world terms, I could comfortably shoot 2-3 stops slower handheld with Olympus versus Sony, a worthwhile benefit for creative flexibility.

Video Capabilities: Full HD with Different Levels of Control

Both cameras shoot Full HD (1920x1080) video at 60fps (Olympus also supports various framerates), but Olympus offers more manual exposure controls during video, microphone input, and advanced audio options - key for creators who want control and quality.

The Sony TX200V has video recording in AVCHD and MPEG-4 but lacks external mic input, limiting sound quality control. Also, no headphone jack means monitoring audio on the fly isn’t possible.

If video content creation is important, Olympus’s more robust feature set and manual control are noteworthy.

Real-World Photography Use Cases and Strengths

Let’s zoom in on some popular photography types and see how these two cameras stack up.

Portrait Photography

Olympus’s larger sensor and MFT lenses produce markedly better skin tone reproduction, controlled depth of field, and pleasing bokeh. The 81-point AF with face/eye detection locks focus accurately, yielding crisp portraits.

Sony suffers from smaller sensor noise issues in lower light and the fixed lens’s slower aperture hinders background separation. However, it’s still capable of quick candid family snaps.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range and resolution boost Olympus here. The 16MP sensor, combined with a wealth of sharp wide-angle lenses and excellent weather sealing, make it ideal for landscapes - even in challenging conditions.

Sony is portable but struggles with highlight retention and fine details due to smaller sensor and limited lens control.

Wildlife & Sports Photography

While Olympus lacks advanced phase detection autofocus of some flagships, its burst speed and tracking are solid for its class, and lens ecosystem offers super-telephoto options.

Sony’s autofocus and zoom range are decent but don’t match Olympus for serious wildlife or sports shooting.

Street Photography

Sony’s pocketability and discreet design make it great candids shooter on the go. Olympus is bulkier but offers better image quality; however, its retro design can be less inconspicuous.

Macro Photography

Olympus shines with dedicated macro lenses, sensor-shift stabilization, and focusing aids like focus bracketing and stacking, enabling highly detailed close-ups.

Sony provides basic macro potential but limited by fixed lens and lack of advanced macro features.

Night and Astro Photography

Olympus’s superior high ISO performance and sensor stabilization give it an edge for handheld night shots and starry skies, while Sony must rely on tripod use and slower shutter speeds.

Olympus E M5 II front Olympus E M5 II screen back Sony TX200V front Sony TX200V screen back

Battery Life and Storage

Olympus uses the BLN-1 battery delivering roughly 310 shots per charge, which is respectable for a mirrorless system with EVF usage.

Sony’s smaller NP-BN battery offers about 220 shots - typical for a compact, though fewer than Olympus due to OLED screen power demands.

Storage-wise, Olympus accepts SD/SDHC/SDXC cards; Sony uses Memory Stick Duo variants, which are less common and more expensive today. The Olympus’s single SD slot matches typical usage but may be a consideration for pros who value dual slots.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

The Olympus E-M5 II includes built-in wireless connectivity, enabling easy image transfer and remote control with an app - a standard expectation now for enthusiast cameras.

Sony TX200V provides none, though it offers built-in GPS, useful for travel photographers who want geotagging.

Value and Price-to-Performance

At current prices - around $700 for Olympus E-M5 II and roughly $500 for Sony TX200V - the Olympus demands a higher investment but delivers significantly more versatility, image quality, and professional features.

The Sony is a cheaper, no-frills option geared toward casual users or those prioritizing pocket convenience over image quality.

Pros and Cons Summary

Olympus OM-D E-M5 II

Pros:

• Versatile, robust Micro Four Thirds system
• Superior image quality, especially in low light
• Five-axis sensor stabilization
• Articulated touchscreen + excellent EVF
• Weather-sealed body
• Large lens ecosystem
• Advanced manual controls and video options

Cons:

• Larger, heavier than compacts
• More complex interface for beginners
• Single memory card slot
• No animal eye AF (by modern standards)

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V

Pros:

• Ultra-compact, highly portable
• Bright, vibrant OLED screen
• Built-in GPS for geotagging
• Simple to operate, great for snapshots
• Decent zoom range for a compact

Cons:

• Small sensor limits image quality
• Fixed lens with slow aperture
• No manual exposure modes
• No viewfinder, difficult in bright sunlight
• Limited video/audio control
• No wireless connectivity

Who Should Choose Which Camera?

If you're a serious enthusiast or pro seeking a flexible tool that can grow with your skills, deliver excellent image quality across disciplines, and handle tough shooting conditions - the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II is the clear winner. Its sensor size, powerful stabilization, manual controls, and lens options make it an excellent investment into an expandable system.

Conversely, if you’re a casual shooter, traveler, or someone who wants instant ease and inconspicuous portability, and you’re okay with limited creative control and image quality, the Sony TX200V remains a solid, stylish pocket camera. It’s ideal for those who are mostly capturing family moments, street snapshots, or vacation record-keeping without fuss.

Final Thoughts: A Tale of Two Cameras

This comparison underscores a vital photography truth: bigger sensor, more control, system lenses = better image potential, but size, ease, and convenience often balance or override that. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 II embodies a mature enthusiast camera - a proper workhorse that rewards effort with superior results. The Sony TX200V embodies portability and simplicity, fitting the bill for users wanting grab-and-go convenience.

In my experience, once you step onto the Micro Four Thirds ladder with a model like the E-M5 II, the creative possibilities multiply exponentially. Sure, it requires more investment and learning, but for the hands-on photographer, that’s a worthy trade.

If you want me to sum it up in short:

• Want great images, manual fun, and system expandability? Go Olympus.
• Want a simple, small, ready-to-shoot camera for everyday use? Go Sony.

Remember: The best camera is the one you’ll actually enjoy using - and that matches your photography goals today and tomorrow. Whatever your pick, I hope this breakdown helps you weigh your options with clarity and confidence.

Happy shooting!

For more detailed sample images and real-world test shots, check the gallery above.