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Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10

Portability
81
Imaging
52
Features
70
Overall
59
Olympus OM-D E-M5 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 front
Portability
58
Imaging
51
Features
76
Overall
61

Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10 Key Specs

Olympus E-M5
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 425g - 122 x 89 x 43mm
  • Released April 2012
  • Renewed by Olympus E-M5 II
Sony RX10
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 125 - 12800 (Bump to 25600)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-200mm (F2.8) lens
  • 813g - 129 x 88 x 102mm
  • Revealed March 2014
  • Updated by Sony RX10 II
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Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10 Overview

Let's take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-M5 and Sony RX10, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the RX10 (20MP) is pretty similar but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and RX10 (1") boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-M5 was released 22 months prior to the RX10 which makes them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the E-M5 matches up against the RX10 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-M5 over the Sony RX10

 E-M5 RX10 
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Sony RX10 over the Olympus E-M5

 RX10 E-M5 
RevealedMarch 2014April 2012Newer by 22 months
Screen resolution1290k610kClearer screen (+680k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-M5 and Sony RX10

 E-M5 RX10 
Focus manually Dial accurate focusing
Screen typeTiltingTiltingTilting screen
Screen size3"3"Same screen measurements
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen

Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10 Physical Comparison

In case you're planning to travel with your camera frequently, you have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M5 comes with physical dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Sony RX10 has proportions of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") and a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M5 and Sony RX10 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at the time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the E-M5 vs the RX10.

Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10 size comparison

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 and RX10 is 81 and 58 respectively.

Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10 Sensor Comparison

Typically, it can be tough to envision the gap between sensor dimensions only by reading technical specs. The image below should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M5 and RX10.

As you can tell, each of these cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-M5 due to its bigger sensor will make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Sony RX10 will deliver more detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-M5 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.

Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Portrait photography features
Sony RX10 Portrait photography features
71
focusing manually
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
provides face detection focus
saves RAW files
70
you can focus manually
decent MP (20 megapixels)
decent sensor size (1")
has face detection focus
saves RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Street photography info
Sony RX10 Street photography info
82
tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
comes with focus by touch
weather proof
good high ISO (25,600)
72
screen tilts
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor size (1")
saves RAW files
environment proofing
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-M5 as a Sports photography camera
Sony RX10 as a Sports photography camera
67
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good megapixels (16MP)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
provides tracking autofocus
weather proof
lack of phase detect auto focus
67
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (20 megapixels)
decent sensor size (1")
environment proofing
better than average battery (420 CIPA)
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Travel photography information
Sony RX10 Travel photography information
66
weather proof
comes with focus by touch
good megapixels (16MP)
no Timelapse mode
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
58
better than average battery (420 CIPA)
environment proofing
decent MP (20MP)
flash built-in
reasonably wide (24mm)
lack of Time Lapse mode
screen isn't selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-M5 as a Landscape photography camera
Sony RX10 as a Landscape photography camera
73
focusing manually
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
good sized screen (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good megapixels (16MP)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
good high ISO (25,600)
saves RAW files
weather proof
no Timelapse mode
63
you can focus manually
reasonably wide (24mm)
screen size is decent (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (20MP)
decent sensor size (1")
saves RAW files
environment proofing
better than average battery (420 shots)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
lack of Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Vlogging info
Sony RX10 Vlogging info
34
touchscreen capability
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
provides face detection focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
no external microphone jack
30
reasonably wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
has face detection focus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
comes with external mic jack
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-M5 and Sony RX10
 Olympus OM-D E-M5Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
General Information
Company Olympus Sony
Model Olympus OM-D E-M5 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
Category Advanced Mirrorless Large Sensor Superzoom
Released 2012-04-30 2014-03-20
Body design SLR-style mirrorless SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Chip TruePic VI Bionz X
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 13.2 x 8.8mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 116.2mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 20 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4608 x 3456 5472 x 3648
Highest native ISO 25600 12800
Highest boosted ISO - 25600
Min native ISO 200 125
RAW pictures
Min boosted ISO 100 80
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 35 25
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 24-200mm (8.3x)
Max aperture - f/2.8
Amount of lenses 107 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 2.7
Screen
Screen type Tilting Tilting
Screen sizing 3 inches 3 inches
Resolution of screen 610k dot 1,290k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Screen technology Touch control in electrostatic capacitance type OLED monitor WhiteMagic
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder resolution 1,440k dot 1,440k dot
Viewfinder coverage 100 percent 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification 0.58x 0.7x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60s 30s
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000s 1/3200s
Continuous shooting speed 9.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range no built-in flash 10.20 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync (2), Manual (3 levels) Auto, fill-flash, slow sync, rear sync, off
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Maximum flash sync 1/250s -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p) ,1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video format H.264, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 425g (0.94 pounds) 813g (1.79 pounds)
Physical dimensions 122 x 89 x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") 129 x 88 x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 71 69
DXO Color Depth score 22.8 22.9
DXO Dynamic range score 12.3 12.6
DXO Low light score 826 474
Other
Battery life 360 photos 420 photos
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model BLN-1 NP-FW50
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec, continuous)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots Single Single
Pricing at launch $799 $698