Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus SP-820UZ

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus SP-820UZ, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both designed by Olympus. The resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the SP-820UZ (14MP) is relatively comparable but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and SP-820UZ (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 was manufactured 3 months earlier than the SP-820UZ which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-820UZ being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick view of how the E-M5 scores against the SP-820UZ with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-M5 provides physical dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Olympus SP-820UZ has specifications of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") along with a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus SP-820UZ in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are employing during that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-M5 versus the SP-820UZ.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M5 and SP-820UZ is 81 and 69 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to see the gap in sensor measurements purely by checking out a spec sheet. The visual below may offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 and SP-820UZ.

As you can see, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-M5 due to its bigger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Olympus E-M5 will show more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots a bit more aggressively.