Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony RX100 VA

Below, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony RX100 VA, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and RX100 VA (20MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and RX100 VA (1") come with totally different sensor size.

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The E-PM1 was launched 7 years prior to the RX100 VA and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 VA being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a thorough comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the E-PM1 grades versus the RX100 VA when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V(A). The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Sony RX100 VA Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera, you're going to have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM1 comes with physical measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) while the Sony RX100 VA has dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") with a weight of 299 grams (0.66 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony RX100 VA in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you use at the time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PM1 vs the RX100 VA.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and RX100 VA is 89 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to envision the difference in sensor sizing just by looking through specifications. The graphic below will provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PM1 and RX100 VA.

To sum up, the 2 cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PM1 featuring a bigger sensor will make getting bokeh simpler and the Sony RX100 VA will provide you with extra detail utilizing its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The older E-PM1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.