Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony A1

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Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony A1

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4/3 226.2mm²
20.4 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M1 II Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M1 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M1 II.
Compare Olympus E-M1 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M1 II conclusion.

35mm 861.6mm²
50.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 32,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A1 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the A1.
Compare Sony A1 image quality against competitors.

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M1 Mark III
Compare E-M1 II vs E-M1 Mark III
Compare Olympus E-M1 Mark III vs Sony A1

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Differences

Olympus E-M1 II advantages over Sony A1

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$899 vs $6498
Save money for lenses or accessories
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
60.6 fps vs 30.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
60.6 fps vs 20.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Sony A1 advantages over Olympus E-M1 II

Larger sensor
35mm vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.16 vs 3.36 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Longer video battery life
150 vs 90 minutes
Capture more video
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

530 vs 440 shots
Capture more photos
Higher max flash sync
1/400 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
4 years vs 8 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
More viewfinder magnification
0.90x vs 0.74x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
50.1 vs 20.4 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
165 vs 51 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
155 vs 51 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
102400 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Shoot 4K video
Both provide
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Both provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
On-sensor phase detect
Both provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Dual card slots
Both provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read E-M1 II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A1 User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality; Very good dynamic range & high ISO performance; Fantastic C-AF performance; Incredible burst rates, even with RAW; 4K UHD & Cinema 4K (DCI) video; Clean HDMI; Dual SD card slots.
Expensive; Menus still confusing; UHS-II support only on one card slot; No optical low-pass filter means greater risk of moire; No built-in flash.
Read our Olympus E-M1 II Review

We haven’t finished our review of the Sony A1, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
Read our Sony A1 Shooter's Report

The Competition

Compared to Fujifilm X-T2

Olympus E-M1 II

Fujifilm X-T2

$899
4/3

Lens selection
Less expensive

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Fujifilm X-T2

Sony A1

Fujifilm X-T2

$6498
35mm

Slower slow-motion
Larger sensor

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Sony A1 vs Fujifilm X-T2

Compared to Panasonic G7

Olympus E-M1 II

Panasonic G7

$899
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
High resolution composite

$498
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic G7

Sony A1

Panasonic G7

$6498
35mm

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$498
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A1 vs Panasonic G7

Compared to Panasonic GX8

Olympus E-M1 II

Panasonic GX8

$899
4/3

High resolution composite
Fast startup

$998
4/3

In-camera panoramas
NFC

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic GX8

Sony A1

Panasonic GX8

$6498
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$998
4/3

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A1 vs Panasonic GX8

Compared to Panasonic G85

Olympus E-M1 II

Panasonic G85

$899
4/3

High resolution composite
Higher effective ISO

$648
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic G85

Sony A1

Panasonic G85

$6498
35mm

Larger sensor
NFC

$648
4/3

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A1 vs Panasonic G85

Compared to Sony A7R IV

Olympus E-M1 II

Sony A7R IV

$899
4/3

Lens selection
Less expensive

$3220
35mm

Larger sensor
NFC

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony A7R IV

Sony A1

Sony A7R IV

$6498
35mm

Slower slow-motion
Longer video battery life

$3220
35mm

Less expensive
High resolution composite

Compare Sony A1 vs Sony A7R IV

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