Olympus E-M5 vs Sony A500

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus E-M5 versus Sony A500, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and A500 (12MP) and the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and A500 (APS-C) boast different sensor measurements.

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The E-M5 was revealed 2 years later than the A500 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a step-by-step comparison, here is a short summation of how the E-M5 scores versus the A500 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

In case you're looking to lug around your camera often, you will want to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-M5 enjoys outside measurements of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Sony A500 has measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M5 versus Sony A500 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the E-M5 compared to the A500.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 and A500 is 81 and 63 respectively.

More often than not, its tough to picture the contrast in sensor measurements just by seeing specifications. The visual here may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M5 and A500.

To sum up, the 2 cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-M5 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Olympus E-M5 will provide greater detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The newer E-M5 provides a benefit in sensor technology.