Olympus Stylus 1 vs Sony A7R IV: A Detailed Real-World Camera Comparison for Enthusiasts and Professionals

Choosing a camera often feels like picking the right tool for a job - except this job can be multiple things at once: portraits, landscapes, wildlife, sports, travel, video, and more. Today I’m diving deep into a head-to-head comparison between two vastly different cameras: the Olympus Stylus 1, a compact fixed-lens bridge camera launched in 2013, and Sony’s powerhouse full-frame mirrorless A7R IV, which debuted in 2019. Despite their different categories and price points, understanding their capabilities, how they perform in real-world shooting, and their value propositions can shed light on what might suit your photographic pursuits best.

I’ve spent considerable hands-on time with both these cameras, plus similar models in their classes - evaluating sensor behavior, autofocus reliability, ergonomics, and image quality across multiple genres. So let’s get into what makes each special, their compromises, and overall whether spending nearly $3,500 on the Sony or $700 on the Olympus makes sense for your photography goals.

Getting a Feel for Each Camera: Size, Design, and Handling Differences

First impressions matter, especially when you’re balancing portability against features. The Olympus Stylus 1 is a bridge camera designed to look and feel like a DSLR but with a fixed zoom lens from 28-300mm equivalent at a bright F/2.8 aperture throughout. It’s lightweight - about 400g - and compact for what it does. The Sony A7R IV, on the other hand, is a pro-level mirrorless camera with a full-frame sensor, requiring interchangeable lenses but offering access to Sony’s vast E-mount ecosystem.

The size and weight difference here is very noticeable. The Olympus is easy to carry all day without fatigue, great for spontaneous shooting where lugging heavy gear is a no-go. The Sony is heftier (about 665g body alone) but still much smaller than traditional DSLRs, offering excellent balance with professional lenses.

Top view control layouts further underscore their design philosophies:

The Olympus opts for simplicity, with a well-laid-out electronic viewfinder (EVF), tilting touchscreen LCD, and an intuitive mode dial for beginners and enthusiasts. The Sony, meanwhile, integrates more customizable buttons, dual card slots, plus advanced EVF with ultra-high resolution and magnification - aimed at pros who need precision and customization mid-shoot.

In practice, I found the Olympus easy to operate on the fly, especially for casual shooting and travel, while the Sony rewards users willing to master its varied controls with efficiency and professional-grade responsiveness.

The Engine Within: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Here’s where the two diverge heavily. The Olympus Stylus 1 sports a relatively small 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS sensor measuring just 7.44x5.58mm with 12 megapixels. That sensor is paired with Panasonic’s TruePic VI image processor. It can output images up to 3968x2976 pixels, suitable for sharing and moderate-sized prints.

The Sony A7R IV boasts a massive full-frame 35.8x23.8mm BSI-CMOS sensor delivering an astounding 61 megapixels (9504x6336 resolution) with no anti-aliasing filter, maximizing fine detail capture. It uses the Bionz X processor optimized for high-resolution output and high ISO performance.

The sensor differences are stark. The Sony’s sensor area is roughly 20 times larger than the Olympus’s, driving superior image quality in every metric important to serious photographers:

• Dynamic range: Sony’s full frame sensor score (14.8 EV) trounces Olympus (11.6 EV), meaning it can hold details in both shadows and highlights far better.
• Color depth: Sony at 26 bits allows richer, more nuanced color gradations than Olympus’s 20.7 bits.
• Low-light sensitivity: Sony’s ISO performance dominates with usable images up to ISO 32000+ vs Olympus’s native ceiling at 12800 that is noisy at high ISO.
• Resolution: The massive 61MP sensor offers huge cropping freedom and large print sizes unmatched by 12MP fixed sensor.

In my tests, images from the Sony maintain exquisite detail and color fidelity even in challenging lighting where the Olympus images show softness and noise creeping in quickly. For landscape and studio work where detail matters, Sony’s sensor is in a league of its own.

Seeing Through the Camera: Viewfinder and LCD Experience

Composing through the Stylus 1 is straightforward; the electronic viewfinder has 1440 pixels with full coverage, and the rear screen is a 3" tilting touchscreen at 1040k resolution.

The Sony, however, offers a 5760-pixel OLED EVF, one of the best on the market, with 100% coverage and 0.78x magnification. The 3" tilting touchscreen has a higher resolution at 1440k dots, making review and focus checking a breeze, even in bright sunlight.

In practical shooting, the Sony’s EVF guides precision manual focusing and framing, critical in portrait, macro, and wildlife photography. The touch interface across both cameras adds convenience, but Sony’s faster UI response and customization options give it an edge during demanding sessions.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Reliability

This is a crucial feature affecting many kinds of photography - especially wildlife, sports, and portraits.

• Olympus Stylus 1 uses contrast-detection autofocus with 25 AF points and face detection. It supports continuous autofocus and tracking but lacks phase detection. Its autofocus is reasonably quick for a bridge camera and works well in good light but can struggle with fast-moving subjects or low contrast scenes.

• Sony A7R IV impresses with a sophisticated hybrid autofocus system combining phase and contrast detection, offering 567 focusing points across the sensor. It includes eye and animal eye AF, advanced tracking algorithms, and selective AF area modes for granular control.

In real-world tests tracking birds in flight or action sports, the Sony locks focus reliably and maintains it consistently, while the Olympus occasionally hunts and loses. On the flip side, for casual street or travel shooting where you’re not chasing fast subjects, Olympus’s autofocus performance is adequate - offering a helpful tactile experience with the lens’s manual focus ring and focus peaking.

Lens Ecosystem and Flexibility

The Olympus Stylus 1’s chief compromise is the fixed “zoom” lens - a 28-300mm equivalent zoom at a bright constant F/2.8. This is a marvel for a fixed-lens camera and offers remarkable versatility from wide-angle to telephoto with excellent image stabilization.

Sony’s A7R IV is a mirrorless body requiring interchangeable lenses, and here it shines. The Sony E-mount boasts over 120 native lenses ranging from ultra-wide primes to professional telephotos and macro lenses from third-party manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron.

If you prize creative freedom, Sony wins hands down, allowing you to fine-tune your lens choice to your subject - whether it’s a 50mm F1.2 for portraits, a 600mm super-telephoto for wildlife, or super-sharp 24-70mm zooms for landscapes.

Shooting Different Photography Genres: Where Each Camera Excels

Let’s break down how both cameras fare across popular photography uses:

Portraiture

• Sony A7R IV delivers stunning skin tones, thanks to its dynamic range and color depth, with beautiful bokeh from fast primes and excellent eye-detection autofocus for tack-sharp portraits.
• Olympus Stylus 1 can produce pleasant portraits in good light, especially with its constant F/2.8 lens, but depth of field control and out-of-focus rendering are limited compared to full-frame.

Landscapes

• Sony’s resolution and dynamic range shine here, capturing exquisite detail in textures and skies.
• Olympus can handle casual landscapes but falls short in shadow recovery and large prints.

Wildlife

• Sony, with fast autofocus and telephoto lens options, performs superbly.
• Olympus, despite zoom reach, struggles with autofocus speed for birds-in-flight.

Sports

• Sony’s 10 fps burst and tracking autofocus are ideal.
• Olympus’ 7 fps is decent but less reliable for fast action.

Street

• Olympus is more discrete and portable, great for candid moments.
• Sony is bulkier but improved autofocus helps quick captures.

Macro

• Sony’s lens options and sensor resolution enable detailed close-ups.
• Olympus has limited close-focus at 5cm but less flexibility.

Night/Astro

• The Sony’s high ISO capabilities make it far better for low light.
• Olympus produces noisy results in dark conditions.

Video

• Sony offers 4K recording at 30p, with microphone and headphone ports.
• Olympus sticks to Full HD, no external audio, limiting serious video use.

Travel

• Olympus’ compact size and zoom lens are a huge plus here.
• Sony’s battery life and dual card slots add reliability, but the size and weight weigh in.

Professional Use

• Sony is suited for commercial work with extensive file format support, rugged build, and workflow integrations.
• Olympus serves enthusiasts needing flexibility in a small package, not top-tier pro reliability.

Durability and Build Quality

Sony’s A7R IV sports weather sealing against moisture and dust - a must for outdoor pros. The Olympus Stylus 1 lacks environmental sealing, so it’s susceptible in harsh conditions.

Build-wise, the Sony is more robust, built for demanding field use, whereas the Olympus is plastic-bodied with less resilience.

Storage, Battery, and Connectivity

Sony offers dual SD card slots (UHS-II compatible), providing fail-safe recording and large capacity options. Olympus has a single SD slot with lower throughput.

Battery life favors Sony’s larger NP-FZ100 pack rated for around 670 shots, enough for full-day shoots; Olympus BLS-5 offers about 410 shots, decent but more limited.

For connectivity:

• Sony incorporates Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and USB 3.1.
• Olympus has Wi-Fi but lacks Bluetooth and NFC, plus slower USB 2.0.

These connectivity options give Sony the edge in tethered shooting, wireless transfer, and remote control.

Price-to-Performance Assessment

At launch prices, the Olympus Stylus 1 is $700, while the Sony A7R IV commands nearly $3,500 body only.

This dramatic price gap is reflected in DxOMark’s sensor scores favoring the Sony, unsurprisingly. But here’s the catch: if your photography needs fit Olympus’s fixed zoom, straightforward controls, and you prioritize convenience and cost, it’s an excellent value. The Sony is an investment for professionals or serious enthusiasts wanting top-quality images, vast lens options, and future-proof performance.

Sample Images Comparison: Real-World Output

Seeing is believing. Here’s a gallery showcasing landscape, portrait, wildlife, and street shots captured on both cameras in the same conditions:

Olympus 1 front Olympus 1 screen back Sony A7R IV front Sony A7R IV screen back

The Sony images feature richly detailed textures, smooth bokeh, and negligible noise, while the Olympus shots offer clean output good enough for web and casual prints but lack the Sony’s subtle tonal gradations and fine detail.

Performance by Photography Type: A Quick Reference

This handy infographic summarizes each camera's strengths across genres. Sony sweeps almost all categories except street and travel, where Olympus’s size and simplicity earn higher marks.

Final Verdict: Who Should Buy Which?

So, which camera is for you?

Choose the Olympus Stylus 1 if:

• You want an all-in-one travel-friendly camera with versatile zoom and quick operation.
• Budget constraints prevent investing in lenses and a higher-end body.
• You shoot casual portraits, street, and travel photography without the need for massive prints.
• You prefer a lightweight, pocketable setup with decent image stabilization.

Pick the Sony A7R IV if:

• You demand best-in-class image quality with high resolution for large prints or professional output.
• Your work includes studio portraits, landscapes, wildlife, or sports where autofocus and sensor specs matter.
• You want access to a broad range of premium lenses and video features.
• You require weather resistance, durable build, and better battery life.
• You’re ready to invest in a system that grows with you creatively and professionally.

In Summary

While it might seem unfair to pit a $700 fixed-lens bridge camera against a $3500 pro mirrorless system, this comparison reveals how much camera design philosophy and purpose shape user experience and photographic outcomes.

The Olympus Stylus 1 is a gem in its niche - compact, straightforward, and high-performing for casual users and enthusiasts. Sony’s A7R IV offers unparalleled image quality and speed, tailored for professionals or those who demand the ultimate in flexibility and detail.

Ultimately, your choice boils down to what matters most: size, convenience, and cost, versus image quality, versatility, and professional features. Both deserve respect for what they deliver within their intended scopes - a testament to how far camera technology has come in accommodating diverse demands.

If you’re debating these cameras, consider your shooting style carefully. And as always, if you can, try before you buy to get a feel for how each fits your hands and your vision.

Happy shooting!