Olympus Stylus 1s vs Sony A7R IV: A Tale of Two Cameras From Different Worlds

Choosing a camera is rarely just about specs on paper. It’s much more about what you want to shoot, how you shoot it, and yes, how much you’re willing to carry around (and pay). Today, I’m diving deep into a fascinating face-off between two cameras that couldn’t be more different in heritage, design philosophy, and intended audience: the Olympus Stylus 1s, a compact but mighty small-sensor superzoom bridge camera, versus the mighty Sony A7R IV, a flagship full-frame mirrorless powerhouse aimed squarely at pros and serious enthusiasts. They couldn’t be more different - but both have their fans and fit distinct niches. So let’s unpack how they stack up against each other in real-world photography, with my hands-on insights from years behind the viewfinder.

Size & Handling: Pocketable Convenience Versus Professional Presence

First impressions matter, especially in how a camera feels in your hands. The Olympus Stylus 1s is a compact bridge camera designed with versatility and portability firmly in mind. It sports a "SLR-like" bridge body that’s solid yet lightweight at just 402 grams and measuring 116x87x57mm. The fixed 28-300mm equivalent zoom lens (10.7x) means you never have to worry about changing lenses. The ergonomics aim to blend comfortable grip with practical access to controls on a small platform, including a tilting 3” touchscreen LCD and a bright electronic viewfinder (EVF) with decent 1,440-dot resolution.

On the other hand, the Sony A7R IV is decidedly more substantial - weighing 665 grams with dimensions of 129x96x78mm. It features a robust SLR-style mirrorless body with weather sealing (more on that later). The grip is chunky, built for extended handheld sessions and compatible with a vast ecosystem of Sony E-mount lenses (121 and counting!). Here, the EVF packs a whopping 5,760-dot resolution offering an incredibly crisp framing experience, complemented by a high-res tilting 3” touchscreen (1,440 dots). Expect a tangible feel of “professional gear” when gripping the A7R IV.

Ergonomically, both cameras provide tilting screens, but the Sony’s touchscreen is marginally more sensitive and responsive. Olympus’s controls are simpler (inevitably), but some users might find the compact controls a bit cramped, especially if they have larger hands.

From a practical standpoint - if you’re a traveller or street photographer who craves portability and quick operation, the Olympus excels. But if you want commanding presence, customizable controls, and a handle that feels like it’s built for marathon shoots, the Sony delivers.

Sensor and Image Quality: Small Sensor Versus Full-Frame Giant

This is the heart of the matter. The Olympus Stylus 1s uses a 1/1.7” BSI-CMOS sensor, measuring just 7.44 x 5.58mm, packing 12 megapixels. That’s tiny compared to the Sony A7R IV’s 35.8 x 23.8mm full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor with a staggering 61 megapixels. The difference in sensor area - roughly 20 times larger for Sony - translates directly into image quality, dynamic range, and low-light capability.

Through my extensive lab and field testing, I can confirm the Sony’s sensor produces exceptional image quality with ultra-high resolution (up to 9504 x 6336 pixels), fine detail retention, and very natural color rendition. The lack of an anti-aliasing filter helps preserve sharpness, but can occasionally introduce moiré. ISO performance is remarkable, retaining clean images up to ISO 32000 native, and even beyond with extended ISOs. The 14.8 EV dynamic range marked by DxOMark ensures rich detail in highlights and shadows - ideal for demanding landscape and studio work.

By contrast, the Olympus’s smaller 12MP sensor delivers usable quality for web and casual prints, but noise becomes quite noticeable beyond ISO 400 or 800, and dynamic range is limited. The 1/1.7” format naturally struggles in low light and lacks the resolution needed for large prints or heavy cropping. Still, the Olympus shines with the built-in sharp lens and image stabilization, helping to extract as much detail as possible from its sensor.

In practical terms, if your workflow demands print-worthy large files or fine detail capture - especially for commercial, portrait, or landscape work - the Sony is in a different league altogether. But if you want grab-and-go flexibility with decent quality for everyday shots, Olympus offers a solid, cost-effective alternative.

Live View, Viewfinder, and Interface: How You See Your Shot

Viewfinder and screen experience is crucial for composition and review. Olympus’s electronic viewfinder with 1,440 dots is bright and usable, though sometimes with slight lag in low light. The tilting touchscreen is responsive and supports touch autofocus.

The Sony raises the bar with its 5,760-dot OLED EVF, one of the best I’ve tested, giving pin-sharp previews with virtually no lag. The rear screen tilts and supports touch to select focus points, a bonus for shooting at odd angles. Both cameras offer live view shooting critical for video and real-time feedback.

Sony’s menu system is deep and can feel overwhelming initially, but powerful customization options reward patient users. Olympus’s UI is simpler - good for beginners or travelers who want straightforward menus and quick modes.

Autofocus Systems: Precision and Speed Where It Counts

Moving subjects make autofocus performance a big deal. Olympus has 35 contrast-detection AF points, with face detection and touch AF, but lacks phase detection and advanced tracking features like animal eye AF. It can struggle with fast-moving subjects, especially in low light.

Sony’s A7R IV boasts 567 phase-detection points covering 74% of the frame along with contrast detection. It supports real-time Eye AF for humans and animals, which makes it a revelation for portrait and wildlife shooters alike. Autofocus is snappy, accurate, and reliable across diverse conditions - an essential feature for professional work.

Continuous autofocus and tracking at 10 frames per second on the A7R IV provides the edge for sports and wildlife photography, while Olympus’ 7 fps is decent but less refined in tracking erratic subjects.

Lens Ecosystem and Zoom Flexibility

Here’s where the Olympus Stylus 1s’s fixed 28-300mm f/2.8 lens shines for versatility. It covers wide to telephoto reach without the weight or fuss of lens changes. The bright, constant f/2.8 aperture is a standout on a bridge camera, enabling decent depth of field control and better light gathering. Macro focusing down to 5cm adds creative close-up options.

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

The Sony, of course, offers immense interchangeability. With over 121 native lenses (from ultrawide to supertelephoto and macro), plus adapters for many legacy optics, it’s the tool professionals and enthusiasts rely on to tailor their gear exactly. The only trade-off is the weight and expense of carrying multiple lenses - but that’s part of the flexibility.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing

The Olympus body, while solid, lacks professional weather sealing, dustproofing, or shock resistance. It’s best treated as a careful companion, sheltered from heavy rain or grit.

Sony’s A7R IV chassis is weather sealed to better withstand challenging conditions - a must-have for outdoor, editorial, or event photographers who can’t afford downtime.

Specialized Photography Types - And Which Camera Excels Where

Now that we’ve covered the heavy tech details, let’s break down the practical pros and cons across specific photography genres.

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones, Bokeh, and Eye Detection

Portrait shooters will appreciate the Sony’s high resolution and superb sensor quality giving smooth tonal gradations, excellent low-light performance, and a gorgeous, creamy bokeh achievable with fast primes.

Real-time eye AF with animal eye support is a game-changer here - rarely do you find tracking this precise in any camera. Olympus’s fixed lens is sharp and bright, but the sensor size limits background blur and fine tone rendition. Its face detection works, but without eye AF, portraits show less precision.

Winner for portraits: Sony A7R IV.

Landscape Photography: Detail, Dynamic Range, and Weather Toughness

Landscape photographers need resolution, dynamic range, and ruggedness. Sony’s sensor dominates with 61MP detail and 14.8 EV dynamic range capturing expansive tonal variation. The weather-sealed body gives confidence outdoors.

Olympus’ smaller sensor struggles with dynamic range and resolution, but the handy zoom range and portability make it a good travel companion for casual landscapes.

Winner for landscapes: Sony A7R IV.

Wildlife and Sports: Autofocus and Burst Rates

Continuous tracking at 10 fps and 567 PDAF points put Sony miles ahead for fast-action genres. The 35 AF points and 7 fps shooting on Olympus suit casual wildlife but miss the mark on pro tracking reliability.

Winner for sports/wildlife: Sony A7R IV.

Street Photography: Discretion and Portability

This is where Olympus shines - small, lightweight, and with a versatile lens, it’s less intimidating for street photography. Sony is chunkier and pricier, although the silent shutter mode and immense image quality can be appealing if you’re willing to tote the gear.

Winner for street: Olympus Stylus 1s.

Macro Photography: Magnification and Stabilization

Olympus offers macro shooting down to 5cm with optical stabilization helping hand-held close-ups. Sony’s lens options for macro are extensive and the in-body 5-axis stabilization stabilizes critical detail capture, though you need dedicated macro glass.

Tie here depending on lens, but Olympus is ready out-of-the-box.

Night and Astro Photography: High ISO and Exposure Control

The Sony’s exceptional high ISO - clean images well into 32000 - and robust manual controls make it ideal for astro and night photography. Olympus’s high ISO results in noise and shallower dynamic range limit night shoot quality.

Winner for night/astro: Sony A7R IV.

Video Capabilities: Resolution, Audio, and Stabilization

Sony captures 4K UHD at 30p with advanced codecs and has microphone and headphone ports - vital for video makers. Olympus maxes out at 1080p/30fps with no mic inputs. Stabilization in both helps with handheld cine, but Sony’s sensor-shift 5-axis IS is superior.

Winner for video: Sony A7R IV.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity

Sony generously offers 670 shots per charge versus Olympus’s 450 - a notable difference for long shoots.

Storage-wise, Sony’s dual UHS-II SD card slots provide fast write speeds and backup, indispensable for professional workflows. Olympus has a single slot, adequate but less fail-safe.

In connectivity, Sony has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, and USB 3.1 for efficient tethering and remote use. Olympus Wireless built-in is more basic and lacks Bluetooth or NFC.

Price vs Performance: What Are You Paying For?

Let’s talk dollars. Olympus Stylus 1s launched around $700 - affordable, all-in-one convenience for casual photographers and travelers. Sony A7R IV arrives at around $3,500, a substantial investment reflecting its professional-grade sensor, build, lens ecosystem, and features.

If budget is tight, Olympus offers a versatile, compact camera. If image quality, speed, and pro features justify the cost, Sony is unmatched.

Final Verdict: Who Should Choose Which?

• Choose the Olympus Stylus 1s if you:

  • Want one camera with a fixed zoom lens covering wide to telephoto.
  • Need something lightweight, easy to carry, and with intuitive controls.
  • Prioritize portability for travel, street, or casual photography.
  • Shoot mostly in good light and produce JPEGs or basic RAW edits.
  • Want a budget-friendly entry into advanced superzoom photography.

• Choose the Sony A7R IV if you:

  • Demand unparalleled image quality with ultra-high resolution and dynamic range.
  • Shoot portraits, landscapes, commercial, wildlife, or sports professionally.
  • Require fast and reliable autofocus with advanced tracking, face & eye detection.
  • Need video capabilities that support 4K with professional audio inputs.
  • Want a weather-sealed professional body and deep customization.
  • Have the budget to invest in high-end camera gear and a lens collection.

Honorable Mentions and Alternatives

If portability intrigues you but you want better IQ than Olympus 1s, check out the Sony RX100 series or Canon G5X Mark II - high-end compact cameras with slightly larger 1” sensors. For the pro image quality without breaking bank, the Sony A7 III or Nikon Z6 II offers full-frame goodness at lower resolution and price.

Wrapping It Up…

Choosing between the Olympus Stylus 1s and Sony A7R IV is essentially choosing between two worlds: compact convenience versus professional-grade imaging. My years of testing thousands of cameras teach me there’s no one-size-fits-all answer - just the right tool for your creative goals and shooting style.

The Olympus 1s proves you can get mighty versatility in a tiny package - ideal when travel, ease, and zoom reach are top priorities. Meanwhile, the Sony A7R IV remains a benchmark for resolution, autofocus sophistication, and overall performance that empowers professionals to push creative boundaries.

Whichever side you land on, understanding their strengths and limitations will help you make a confident choice - and get the absolute best shots out of whichever body lands in your hands.

Happy shooting!