Olympus SP-100 vs. YI M1: A Deep Dive into Two Distinct Camera Worlds

Choosing a camera often feels like navigating a maze filled with technical jargon and marketing hype. Having spent over 15 years testing a vast array of gear personally - from compact point-and-shoots to professional mirrorless rigs - I know that the real challenge lies in matching a camera’s strengths with your photography style and goals. Today, I’m excited to compare two very different yet interesting cameras: the Olympus Stylus SP-100, a superzoom bridge camera launched in 2014, and the YI M1, an entry-level mirrorless model announced in 2016. Both target enthusiasts on a budget but approach photography with contrasting philosophies.

I’ve spent several days shooting extensively with both cameras, analyzing their specs and testing them across multiple photography disciplines including portrait, landscape, wildlife, and video. This comparison goes beyond pure specs and delivers insights from hands-on experience to help you make an informed choice.

First Impressions: Size, Ergonomics, and Handling

Jumping right into handling, the Olympus SP-100 stakes its claim as a bridge camera with SLR-like shape and a massive 50x zoom lens, while the YI M1 is a compact, rangefinder-style mirrorless designed for flexibility with interchangeable lenses.

The Olympus SP-100 feels solid and substantial in hand, while the YI M1’s compact form favors portability.

The Olympus weighs in at about 594 grams with dimensions of 122 × 91 × 133 mm - noticeably bulkier, largely due to the integrated 24-1200mm equivalent lens. Holding it feels more like a serious “all-in-one” snapshot tool designed to cover far-ranging zooms without swapping glass. The thumb rest and textured grip provide reasonable stability, but it’s not exactly a slender companion for street or travel photography.

Conversely, the YI M1 is distinctly lighter and smaller at 350 grams and 114 × 64 × 34 mm body size. Its sleek mirrorless profile makes it highly pocketable and agile. Being a Micro Four Thirds mount, it benefits from access to an expansive lens ecosystem if you want to swap lenses. Despite being entry-level, the build quality is commendable with a nicely machined alloy chassis. The camera balances beautifully with a prime or zoom lens attached, creating a discrete yet capable package for everyday shooting.

Looking at control layouts and top dials...

The Olympus SP-100’s controls lean towards simplicity with fewer dedicated buttons and no illuminated buttons, while the YI M1 offers a touchscreen complement along with manual dials.

The SP-100 features traditional PASM exposure modes with dedicated dials but lacks touchscreen and illuminated buttons, which sometimes makes settings adjustments slower under dim conditions. The YI M1 fuses a touchscreen interface with physical dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation - a combination I appreciate for on-the-fly tweaks.

In sum: The SP-100 is heftier and built for one-hand superzoom control; the YI M1 is nimble and designed for manual operation and lens interchangeability. Your comfort preferences should weigh heavily in the decision.

Sensor Power and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Sensor performance often dictates the creative possibilities and image quality of a camera. The Olympus SP-100 employs a tiny 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor measuring just 6.17 x 4.55 mm with 16MP resolution, while the YI M1 wields a significantly larger Four Thirds sensor at 17.3 x 13 mm sporting 20MP.

The sensor size difference is stark - the YI M1’s Four Thirds sensor captures more light, contributing to better low-light and dynamic range performance.

This size difference alone explains a major divide in capabilities. The SP-100’s compact sensor is a classic trait of bridge cameras optimized for extreme zooms but limited by smaller pixel size and lower light gathering. Images from the SP-100 tend to exhibit more noise, especially above ISO 400, and dynamic range (the ability to capture both shadows and highlights) is modest. The anti-aliasing filter slightly blurs fine detail but helps reduce moiré.

In contrast, the YI M1’s Four Thirds CMOS sensor produces noticeably cleaner images with richer color depth and better shadow recovery. Its max native ISO extends to 25,600, enabling strong low-light shots without severe noise penalties - something even the SP-100’s 6,400 max ISO struggles to hold. Additionally, YI’s support for RAW image capture provides serious photographers the flexibility needed for post-processing and professional workflows. This capability is absent in the SP-100.

In real shooting scenarios:

• Portraits: The YI M1’s sensor produces cleaner skin tones with more natural gradations. The SP-100 tends to muddy subtle hues, especially under tungsten lighting.
• Landscape: The wider dynamic range of the M1 helps preserve gradient skies and shadow detail better than the SP-100, which clips highlights more readily.
• ISO Performance: Low-light handheld shooting favors the M1. The SP-100’s noise becomes distracting beyond ISO 800.

Shooting Experience and Autofocus Performance

The autofocus (AF) mechanism defines how quickly and accurately you can capture fleeting moments. The SP-100 utilizes contrast-detection AF with face detection and a reported continuous shooting speed of 7fps. The M1 employs contrast-detection AF as well but with 81 focus points, more granular AF area selection, and a shooting rate of 5fps.

Both cameras provide options for single, continuous, and selective AF modes, though neither boasts phase-detection AF or hybrid AF systems common in newer models.

From my experience testing moving subjects:

• SP-100’s AF: While respectable for a bridge camera of its era, it tends to hunt in low light or challenging contrast situations. Tracking fast-moving wildlife or sports can occasionally falter, especially at long zoom lengths where stabilization needs to kick in.
• YI M1’s AF: The denser point coverage translates to more reliable focus locking in diverse scenarios but lacks sophisticated tracking algorithms; it struggled with erratic subjects like birds in flight but performed well for portraits and moderately paced street scenes.

In terms of real-life utility: The SP-100’s ability to zoom telephoto out to 1200mm equivalent gives it a range advantage for wildlife or sports but at the cost of autofocus precision and image quality. The M1’s quicker manual focus override combines well with its interchangeable lenses for creative control.

Viewing and Interface: Screen and Viewfinder Considerations

Neither camera approaches professional-grade viewfinder technology, but their solutions differ.

The YI M1’s 3-inch 1040k-dot touchscreen is a joy for composing and menu navigation; the SP-100’s 3-inch 460k-dot fixed LCD delivers a more traditional but lower resolution experience.

The SP-100 offers an electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 920k-dot resolution. While helpful for bright environments, it’s small and sometimes laggy. Its LCD lacks touch capabilities, which slows menu interaction. The screen is fixed, further limiting compositional flexibility.

On the other hand, the YI M1 dispenses with an EVF altogether but compensates with a sharp, articulated touchscreen LCD. It provides intuitive pinch-zoom, gesture-based menu controls, and touch focus - features that modern users find invaluable. I appreciated composing at awkward angles using the flip-out screen, a clear advantage over the SP-100.

Lens Ecosystem and Zoom Versatility

A massive differentiator between fixed lens superzooms and mirrorless cameras lies in lens flexibility and optical quality.

The Olympus SP-100’s built-in lens spans an astonishing 24-1200mm equivalent zoom range (50x zoom) with a variable aperture of f/2.9-6.5, offering macro capability as close as 1 cm. This all-in-one practicality is hard to match.

However, such extreme zoom lenses come with optical compromises: distortions, chromatic aberrations, and softness creep in at longer focal lengths. The fixed lens means no upgrades or creative experimentation beyond digital zoom cropping.

Olympus SP 100 front Olympus SP 100 screen back YI M1 front YI M1 screen back

The YI M1 taps into the Micro Four Thirds lens mount, unlocking access to over 100 lenses ranging from compact primes to professional-grade zooms from Panasonic, Olympus, and third-party manufacturers. Its base kit lens covers standard zoom ranges with decent speed and image quality, and adding primes lets you explore shallow depth of field portraits and macro photography with precise focusing.

This adaptability is a game-changer for travel, street, and artistic photographers seeking high image quality and creative control. The tradeoff is carrying extra lenses and possibly more fragile gear.

Battery Life and Storage Options

Battery endurance impacts how long you can shoot uninterrupted during travel or events.

The Olympus SP-100 uses a LI-92B battery rated for approximately 330 shots per charge. In my field tests, continuous shooting or video playback reduced this to closer to 250 shots, especially if using the EVF extensively.

The YI M1 performs better with a rated 450 shots, and I regularly squeezed 400+ exposures under mixed conditions. The lower power draw of the M1 despite its more advanced sensor is commendable.

Both cameras use standard SD/SDHC/SDXC cards and have single card slots, which is typical for consumer models.

Video Capabilities: HD to 4K

Video quality is a rising factor even among stills-focused photographers.

The Olympus SP-100 offers Full HD 1080p recording at 60p and 30p, encoded in H.264. While video quality is decent for casual use, the small sensor and lack of advanced stabilization limit cinematic results. The 3-axis optical stabilization helps smooth handheld footage but cannot fully compensate for camera shake at long zooms.

The YI M1 steps into 4K territory with UHD 4096 × 2160 @ 30p video recording at 75 Mbps in MOV format. The image quality is noticeably sharper, with better color rendition. However, it lacks headphone or external mic ports restricting professional audio monitoring. It also doesn’t feature in-body stabilization, making fast-moving shots more challenging without stabilized lenses or gimbals.

Given these factors, the M1 shoots more versatile video suited for vloggers or enthusiasts dabbling in hybrid workflows, while the SP-100 focuses on solid stills with competent HD video.

Environmental Resistance and Durability

Neither camera boasts environmental sealing, waterproofing, or rugged shockproof designs. These are essential considerations for serious outdoor, wildlife, or adventure photographers.

You’ll need to use protective coverings or be mindful in hazardous conditions.

Price and Value: What You Get for Your Money

At launch, the Olympus SP-100 retailed around $400, and the YI M1 was priced slightly less at $320, making both accessible options for budget-conscious buyers.

Analyzing price-to-performance:

• The SP-100 offers a unique superzoom experience, all-in-one convenience, and respectable full HD video within a modest price.
• The YI M1 delivers higher baseline image quality, sensor size advantage, 4K video, and lens system flexibility at a slightly lower cost.

For aspiring photographers wanting versatility, image quality, and creative growth potential, the M1 provides more bang for the buck, especially with access to third-party lenses and RAW files. The SP-100 serves better specialists who prioritize reach without lens changes.

How These Cameras Stack Up Across Photography Genres

Portraits: The YI M1’s Four Thirds sensor and interchangeable lenses produce more pleasing skin tones, smoother background blur (bokeh), and better autofocus face detection. The SP-100’s small sensor and fixed lens have limitations here.

Landscape: Dynamic range and resolution advantage belong firmly to the M1. The SP-100’s convenience of zoom doesn’t offset cramped sensor dynamic.

Wildlife: The Olympus SP-100 shines due to its incredible 1200mm zoom reach, enabling distant subject capture without extra lenses. AF speed, however, can lag. The M1's shorter reach constrains wildlife hugely without telephoto glass.

Sports: Moderate for both; neither delivers pro-level tracking AF. The SP-100’s burst rate is slightly higher; the M1’s low-light sensitivity is better.

Street: The compact YI M1 excels in discreteness and low light; the bulkier SP-100 is less ideal.

Macro: The SP-100's 1 cm macro focus is a neat trick, but the M1’s high-quality dedicated macro lenses deliver more detailed results.

Night/Astro: The M1 dominates with better high ISO and manual exposure flexibility.

Video: The M1 leads with 4K recording and better codec options.

Travel: M1 wins for portability and flexibility; SP-100's zoom is a niche advantage.

Professional Use: M1 supports RAW and better integration within editing workflows.

Overall Scores and Final Thoughts

The Olympus Stylus SP-100 is a dedicated superzoom bridge camera targeting photographers craving a massive zoom range with simplified operation while maintaining manual exposure modes. It performs well in well-lit situations, excels at telephoto reach, and offers decent video for general use. However, it falls short on sensor size, resulting in average image quality particularly in low light, and lacks advanced AF or environmental robustness.

The YI M1 delivers a compelling mirrorless platform with a large Four Thirds sensor for superior image quality, RAW shooting, 4K video, and compatibility with an enormous variety of lenses. While autofocus isn’t cutting-edge and no EVF is a drawback for some, the touchscreen UI and solid build make it a highly versatile and capable camera perfect for learning and experimentation across genres.

Recommendations for Your Photography Journey

• If you prioritize extreme zoom capabilities without the hassle of changing lenses (e.g., birdwatching or casual wildlife photography), and you shoot mostly in good light - the Olympus SP-100 is a practical choice.

• If your passion spans portraits, landscapes, street, or travel photography and you value image quality, creative control, and future expandability - the YI M1 will advance your craft more meaningfully.

• Video shooters looking for 4K at a budget will appreciate the M1’s modern video specs despite limited audio options.

• Beginner to enthusiast photographers wanting a compact mirrorless system with room to grow should lean toward the M1. Those wanting an all-in-one travel companion with a formidable zoom may prefer the SP-100.

Closing Reflections

I hope this detailed comparison sheds light on the real-world differences between these two divergent cameras. Both carry unique strengths born of their design priorities, and neither is inherently “better” - it all boils down to your personal shooting style, priorities, and budget.

When evaluating cameras, always consider handling, sensor performance, lens options, and your favorite photography genres first. And whenever possible, test cameras hands-on.

I encourage readers to weigh their needs, read my in-depth reviews, and if you’re interested, ask questions or share your experiences. Photography is a wonderfully diverse pursuit - there’s a perfect camera out there for every vision.

Happy shooting!

If you want to delve further, my complete photo galleries and test shots from both cameras are available for side-by-side visual comparison below:

Olympus SP 100 front Olympus SP 100 screen back YI M1 front YI M1 screen back

Please note: I have no personal affiliations with Olympus or YI and base this review entirely on my extensive testing and analysis.