Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony NEX-6

Here is a detailed overview of the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony NEX-6, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a considerable difference among the resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and NEX-6 (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and NEX-6 (APS-C) have different sensor measurements.

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The E-PM1 was revealed 16 months before the NEX-6 making them a generation apart from each other. The two cameras have the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-PM1 matches up against the NEX-6 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Sony Alpha NEX-6. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Sony NEX-6 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera, you'll need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PM1 offers external dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") along with a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-6 has measurements of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 345 grams (0.76 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony NEX-6 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at that time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the E-PM1 and the NEX-6.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PM1 and NEX-6 is 89 and 85 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to picture the gap in sensor sizing purely by looking through technical specs. The graphic underneath might offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM1 and NEX-6.

As you have seen, both of these cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PM1 using its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field harder and the Sony NEX-6 will provide you with more detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The older E-PM1 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.