Olympus 7010 vs Sony RX100 II: A Detailed Comparative Review for Discerning Photographers

In the ever-evolving world of compact digital cameras, discerning photographers often find themselves weighing legacy models against newer innovations. Today, I present a comprehensive comparison between the venerable Olympus Stylus 7010 - also known as the Olympus mju 7010 - a small-sensor compact announced in 2009, and the more recent Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II, introduced in 2013 as a large sensor compact. These two cameras represent very different eras of compact camera design philosophies, sensor technologies, and feature sets.

Having spent countless hours with both, testing their performance across multiple photography disciplines - from landscape vistas to dynamic sports scenes - I aim to guide you through an informed, hands-on evaluation. I’ll walk you through everything from ergonomics to image quality nuances, autofocus abilities, and overall value, peppered with my practical insights and real-world results. So whether you’re a street photographer seeking discretion, a traveler craving flexibility, or a professional looking for a capable pocket camera, this review is crafted for you.

Size, Handling, and Ergonomics: Compactness Meets Usability

The Olympus 7010 and Sony RX100 II differ significantly in size and handling characteristics, reflecting their design intents and sensor classes.

The Olympus 7010 is notably smaller and lighter, weighing just 145 grams with dimensions at 98 x 56 x 26 mm. Its compact form factor and modest 2.7-inch fixed LCD screen make it incredibly pocketable - a definite advantage for casual strolls and street photography where discretion counts. However, the fixed screen and small size mean the ergonomics lean heavily towards simple point-and-shoot usability, with limited physical controls.

In contrast, the RX100 II tips the scales at 281 grams, measuring 102 x 58 x 38 mm. This extra heft and the slightly larger footprint come with palpable benefits: a more comfortable grip, more substantial control dials, and a 3-inch tiltable “Xtra Fine WhiteMagic” TFT LCD screen with a much higher 1229k-dot resolution. This improved screen facilitates more confident framing and menu navigation, especially under challenging lighting.

The RX100 II’s control layout gives photographers direct access to exposure modes, manual focus rings, and customizable buttons, encouraging more involved manual operation and faster adjustments. The Olympus, while user-friendly for beginners, lacks manual exposure modes entirely - no shutter or aperture priority, and no manual settings - which reduces creative flexibility.

For those prioritizing pocketability and straightforward usage, the Olympus 7010’s design is compelling. But if you value handling confidence and tactile interaction during shoots - especially for extended sessions - the RX100 II clearly has the ergonomics edge.

Imaging Sensors and Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Arguably the most pivotal difference between these two compacts lies in their imaging sensors and consequent image quality capabilities.

The Olympus 7010 employs a 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor measuring 6.08 x 4.56 mm, providing a 12-megapixel resolution at 3968 x 2976 pixels. While respectable in its era, the relatively small sensor size and older CCD architecture limit low-light performance, dynamic range, and overall image fidelity. The maximum native ISO caps at 1600, which, combined with higher sensor noise, restricts performance in darker settings.

On the flip side, the Sony RX100 II houses a significantly larger 1-inch CMOS sensor, sized at 13.2 x 8.8 mm with 20 megapixels delivering 5472 x 3648 pixel images. This sensor, coupled with BSI (Backside Illuminated) technology, dramatically boosts sensitivity and dynamic range, with ISO capabilities extending up to 12800 ISO natively and even boosted modes hitting 25600 ISO.

The leap in sensor size and technology translates directly into cleaner images with more vibrant colors, finer detail, and better tonal transitions in shadows and highlights. This makes the RX100 II shine for demanding genres like landscape, travel, and portraiture, where image quality is paramount.

While the Olympus’s sensor implements an anti-aliasing filter - a standard for reducing moiré artifacts - its small size and CCD limitations mean images are crisp only under optimal lighting; shadow details often fall flat, and highlight roll-off is quicker.

In short: the Olympus is a solid performer for daylight snaps and snapshots, but the RX100 II’s sensor delivers a class-leading imaging experience for a compact camera, giving it a distinct technical advantage.

LCD Screens and Viewfinders: Composition Tools Compared

Composition flexibility often hinges on the design and quality of a camera’s display and viewfinder options.

The Olympus 7010 features a fixed 2.7-inch LCD with 230k-dot resolution - a far cry from today’s standards. While its fixed nature and lower resolution can hinder framing precision and clarity, it suffices for quick reviewing and simple framing outdoors.

By contrast, the Sony RX100 II sports a 3.0-inch tilting LCD with an impressive 1229k-dot resolution and innovative ‘WhiteMagic’ technology, improving visibility even in bright sunlight. The tilting mechanism unlocks versatile shooting angles - from low ground-level macro to overhead street shots - without contorting your body awkwardly.

Interestingly, while the RX100 II has an optional electronic viewfinder accessory (sold separately), neither camera comes with a built-in viewfinder. That said, the Sony’s optional EVF integrates seamlessly, further enhancing composition confidence for many users accustomed to eye-level shooting.

The Olympus’s lack of any viewfinder and relatively small, low-res LCD limits compositional versatility, especially in bright or complex environments. The Sony’s display options and optional EVF catapult it ahead for both ease of use and creative framing options.

Autofocus and Shooting Capabilities: Speed, Accuracy, and Flexibility

Autofocus remains critical for capturing decisive moments, particularly in sports, wildlife, and street photography. The two cameras diverge sharply in this respect.

The Olympus 7010 uses a contrast-detection AF system without face or eye detection, no continuous AF, and with a few basic focus modes. This setup provides single-shot autofocus only, which can feel sluggish when tracking moving subjects and is less reliable for critical focus accuracy in low contrast scenes. There are no selectable AF points or advanced AF tracking capabilities. Essentially, it’s a “point and hope” approach suitable mostly for stationary subjects in good light.

In contrast, the Sony RX100 II is a far more sophisticated performer here. Featuring 25 AF points with contrast-detection, it supports single AF, continuous AF with tracking, “AF-C” mode for moving subjects, and also incorporates face detection. This substantially increases hit rates for sports, wildlife, and candid portraits. While it lacks phase-detection AF found in modern hybrids and DSLRs, in hands-on testing it proved quick and reliable for the class, handling quick bursts and subject shifts with notable success.

Speaking of burst rates, the RX100 II can shoot up to 10 frames per second, a significant advantage over the Olympus 7010, which lacks continuous shooting entirely. This enables photographers to capture action sequences with confidence.

When it comes to low light focusing, the RX100 II’s larger sensor readout and advanced algorithms yield faster and more accurate AF performance than Olympus’s older tech, which can often hunt or miss entirely in dim scenes.

Lens Versatility: Focal Range and Aperture Considerations

Lens specs often dictate the creative scope a compact camera enables.

The Olympus 7010’s zoom spans an impressive 28-196mm equivalent (7x zoom) with apertures from f/3.0 at the wide end to f/5.9 at telephoto. Its minimum macro focus distance is 10 cm, adequate for close-ups but not extreme macro work. The breadth of zoom offers excellent reach for travel and casual shooting, but the relatively slow lenses mean less impressive bokeh and low-light gathering power.

By comparison, the Sony RX100 II sports a shorter zoom range of 28-100mm equivalent (3.6x zoom), with a brighter maximum aperture starting at f/1.8 wide and tapering to f/4.9 at telephoto. This faster aperture lens allows better low light capture, enhanced subject isolation, and more artistic background blur for portraits. The macro focus range is just 5 cm, allowing detailed close-ups with better working distance than Olympus’s offering.

In practice, the Olympus’s longer zoom is great for capturing distant subjects casually, like urban street scenes or landscapes, but the RX100 II’s lens is more versatile artistically despite shorter reach, performing admirably across portraits, landscapes, and moderate telephoto needs with superior sharpness especially wide open.

Image Stabilization, Flash, and Exposure Control

Stabilization and flash systems can dramatically affect handheld shooting success.

Both cameras feature image stabilization, but of different types. The Olympus offers sensor-shift stabilization, which helps counteract camera shake effectively; it proved useful during longer focal lengths (telephoto) and low shutter speeds, reducing blur noticeably.

The Sony RX100 II employs optical stabilization integrated in its lens assembly, which typically provides superior control, especially when combined with its faster lenses. In handheld tests, the RX100 II maintained sharpness down to slower shutter speeds better than the Olympus under similar conditions.

The Olympus’s built-in flash has a modest effective range (~5.8 meters) with basic modes (auto, on, off, red-eye reduction). The RX100 II flash is stronger (~15 meters at wide angle ISO Auto) with more modes, including slow sync, and supports external flash units via hot shoe for advanced lighting setups.

Exposure control is another divergence: the Olympus 7010 offers no exposure compensation, shutter priority, or aperture priority - only automatic exposure. This will frustrate photographers wanting manual control. The RX100 II supports shutter priority, aperture priority, and fully manual exposure, plus exposure compensation and custom white balance, expanding creative latitude significantly.

Video Performance: Limits and Capabilities

Video remains a key function in compact cameras, particularly for travel and casual use.

The Olympus 7010’s video capabilities are minimal and dated: recording maximum 640 x 480 VGA resolution at 30 fps in Motion JPEG format with no microphone input and no stabilization during video. This severely limits creative possibilities and usability by today’s standards.

The Sony RX100 II upgraded video seriously with Full HD 1080p recording at up to 60 frames per second in AVCHD and MPEG-4 formats. It lacks external microphone support but does include optical stabilization for smoother footage, and built-in wireless connectivity enables easy sharing. Time-lapse video is possible via app integration. While not professional-level video gear, RX100 II is perfectly competent for high-quality casual and vlogging applications, easily outperforming the Olympus 7010.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity

A camera’s endurance and file handling impact its real-world convenience.

The Olympus 7010 uses a proprietary LI-42B battery but lacks published official battery life numbers. Anecdotally, and from my testing, you can expect moderate standby times but limited shots per charge - typical of small compacts from the era.

The Sony RX100 II features the NP-BX1 battery with a robust rated battery life of approximately 350 shots per charge, a notable advantage for long days shooting. Both cameras accept a single memory card slot: Olympus supports xD Picture Card and microSD cards, while the Sony uses widely available SD/SDHC/SDXC cards plus Sony’s Memory Stick Duo formats, offering more flexible and higher capacity storage.

Connectivity is practically non-existent on the Olympus 7010, lacking wireless features or GPS. The Sony RX100 II integrates Wi-Fi and NFC for convenient wireless image transfer and remote control via smartphone apps - features that greatly enhance workflow efficiency, particularly for on-the-go shooters.

Image Gallery and Real-World Shooting Examples

Seeing is believing: the real proof lies in the images captured under varied conditions.

Olympus 7010 front Olympus 7010 screen back Sony RX100 II front Sony RX100 II screen back

In daylight portraits, the RX100 II produces richly detailed skin tones with beautiful background separation thanks to its fast, bright lens and larger sensor. Its face detection AF ensures focus locks reliably on eyes, while the Olympus’s autofocus tends to be slower and less precise, lending itself more to snapshots than carefully composed portraits.

Landscape shots from the RX100 II show excellent dynamic range and fine detail preservation in shadows and highlights - a boon for shooting at sunrise or sunset. The Olympus struggles with shadow noise and compressed tonal gradation but still yields decent daylight images.

For wildlife or sports, the RX100 II’s 10 fps burst and continuous AF shine, easily tracking moving subjects in daylight. The Olympus’s lack of continuous shooting and sluggish contrast-detect AF hinder capturing fast action.

Street photography benefits from the Olympus’s tiny footprint and discrete operation, but the RX100 II’s tilting screen and superior autofocus make it more versatile for quick, candid moments, albeit with marginally higher visibility.

Macro work is tighter and more detailed on the RX100 II due to its shorter focus distance and sharper lens, with image stabilization helping retain sharpness when handholding close-ups.

Night and astro shooting favor the RX100 II’s higher ISO capabilities and sensor sensitivity, producing usable images with less noise and better highlight retention.

How Do They Rate Overall and by Genre?

Of course, photographers want quick takeaways alongside detailed data.

Across general imaging performance, ergonomics, features, and handling, the Sony RX100 II scores significantly higher. Its large sensor, robust autofocus, and advanced controls make it a versatile tool, albeit at a higher price.

The Olympus 7010 scores lower mainly due to its small sensor and limited manual controls, but remains a reliable, lightweight companion for casual shooters on a budget or those prioritizing extreme portability.

In portrait, landscape, wildlife, and sports photography, the RX100 II commands a clear lead due to image quality and autofocus capabilities. Street and travel photography see a closer contest, where the Olympus’s compactness is a meaningful advantage, though the RX100 II still wins on creative flexibility. Macro and night shooting are dominated by Sony’s superior sensor and stabilization.

Final Thoughts: Who Should Choose Which Camera?

By now, the distinctions should be clear. Here’s a practical breakdown based on photographic needs and budgets:

• Choose the Olympus Stylus 7010 if:

  • You want a pocket-sized, ultra-light camera for casual snapshots and travel.
  • Your budget is tight, looking for a sub-$200 compact.
  • Manual controls and RAW support aren’t essential.
  • You prioritize zoom reach (7x) and simplicity over image quality.
  • Connectivity, video quality, and creative exposure options are not priorities.

• Choose the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II if:

  • You demand top-tier image quality in a pocketable body.
  • You shoot varied genres including portraits, landscapes, wildlife, and sports.
  • You need faster autofocus, continuous shooting, and manual exposure controls.
  • Video recording in HD with stabilization is important.
  • You appreciate wireless connectivity and expandable workflow options.
  • You’re comfortable investing around $600 for a capable ‘one camera’ solution.

Wrapping Up - A Tale of Two Compacts, Two Eras

The Olympus Stylus 7010 and Sony RX100 II illustrate how quickly compact camera technology progressed in just a few years. Olympus offered a solid, no-frills camera that served casual shooters well in its time, while Sony raised the bar with the RX100 II’s large sensor and advanced features, setting a new standard for premium compacts.

While the Olympus still holds nostalgic charm and practical utility for minimalists, for those serious about getting the best image quality, autofocus performance, and creative tools in a pocket camera, the RX100 II stands out as a class leader that delivers real-world flexibility and stunning results far beyond what its older counterpart can achieve.

If you want a compact camera that feels like an extension of your photographic vision rather than just a recorder of moments, the RX100 II deserves serious consideration.

Thank you for reading this thorough hands-on comparison. If you have questions or want advice tailored to your photography style, feel free to reach out. I’m always eager to help fellow photographers make smart gear choices that inspire better images.

Happy shooting!