Olympus E-M5 vs Sony A7R IV

In this article, we are comparing the Olympus E-M5 and Sony A7R IV, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a huge difference among the image resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and A7R IV (61MP) and the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and A7R IV (Full frame) feature different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 was unveiled 8 years before the A7R IV and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer the identical body type (SLR-style mirrorless).

Before diving in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-M5 matches up vs the A7R IV when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Sony Alpha A7R IV. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Sony A7R IV Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera often, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-M5 has got outer measurements of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Sony A7R IV has specifications of 129mm x 96mm x 78mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 3.1") with a weight of 665 grams (1.47 lbs).

See the Olympus E-M5 and Sony A7R IV in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Here is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-M5 versus the A7R IV.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M5 and A7R IV is 81 and 62 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to imagine the difference in sensor measurements simply by going through specs. The photograph below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M5 and A7R IV.

All in all, both of the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-M5 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Sony A7R IV will provide more detail having an extra 45MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos a little more aggressively. The older E-M5 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.