Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony RX10 IV

Here, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-PM1 versus Sony RX10 IV, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the image resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and RX10 IV (20MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and RX10 IV (1") offer totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PM1 was announced 6 years earlier than the RX10 IV and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX10 IV being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise overview of how the E-PM1 scores against the RX10 IV when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Sony RX10 IV Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PM1 offers outer measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) while the Sony RX10 IV has sizing of 133mm x 94mm x 145mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 5.7") along with a weight of 1095 grams (2.41 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PM1 versus Sony RX10 IV in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have at the time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PM1 against the RX10 IV.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and RX10 IV is 89 and 52 respectively.

Usually, its hard to visualise the difference in sensor measurements simply by going through specs. The photograph below will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PM1 and RX10 IV.

All in all, both of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PM1 with its bigger sensor will make getting shallow DOF easier and the Sony RX10 IV will provide more detail with its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The older E-PM1 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.