Olympus E-M5 vs Sony a1

Below is a comprehensive review of the Olympus E-M5 vs Sony a1, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and a1 (50MP) and the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and a1 (Full frame) possess different sensor dimensions.

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The E-M5 was manufactured 9 years earlier than the a1 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer the identical body type (SLR-style mirrorless).

Before going through a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-M5 matches up vs the a1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Sony Alpha a1. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Sony a1 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera, you will want to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M5 enjoys outside dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Sony a1 has dimensions of 129mm x 97mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 737 grams (1.62 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M5 vs Sony a1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the E-M5 and the a1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 and a1 is 81 and 61 respectively.

Typically, it can be hard to visualize the gap between sensor measurements only by reviewing a spec sheet. The visual here might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 and a1.

As you can see, both cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-M5 because of its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony a1 will offer greater detail due to its extra 34 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop shots a little more aggressively. The older E-M5 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.