Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony A7 III

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Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony A7 III

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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 847.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Sony A7 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7 III.
Compare Sony A7 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7 III conclusion.

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

Succeeded by the Sony A7 IV
Compare A7 III vs A7 IV

Compare OLYMPUS E-M1 MARK III vs SONY A7 IV

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Differences

Olympus E-M1 II advantages over Sony A7 III

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$899* vs $1998
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
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 1.7 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
60.6 fps vs 9.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
60.6 fps vs 9.7 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
51 vs 33 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/32000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony A7 III advantages over Olympus E-M1 II

Larger sensor
35mm vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 5.93 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
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7 III test data on DxO Mark E-M1 II test data on DxO Mark

3,730 vs 1,312 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7 III test data on DxO Mark E-M1 II test data on DxO Mark

14.7 vs 12.8 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Longer video battery life
115 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

710 vs 440 shots
Capture more photos
More pixels
24.2 vs 20.4 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
163 vs 51 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
204800 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 A7 III 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

New 24MP sensor offers excellent image quality; Outstanding high ISO performance and dynamic range; Improved JPEG colors; Improved build quality; Fast autofocus; Excellent 4K video; Very good battery life.
Buffer clearing can be slow even with fast UHS-II cards; UHS-II support only on one card slot; No losslessly compressed RAW option; Dedicated battery charger not included; Menus are still confusing; No built-in flash.
Read our Sony A7 III Review

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 A7 III

Fujifilm X-T2

$1865
35mm

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Sony A7 III 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 A7 III

Panasonic G7

$1865
35mm

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$498
4/3

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7 III 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 A7 III

Panasonic GX8

$1865
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$998
4/3

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7 III vs Panasonic GX8

Compared to Panasonic G85

Olympus E-M1 II

Panasonic G85

$899
4/3

High resolution composite
Higher effective ISO

$631
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic G85

Sony A7 III

Panasonic G85

$1865
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$631
4/3

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7 III vs Panasonic G85

Compared to Nikon Z6

Olympus E-M1 II

Nikon Z6

$899
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$1396
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Nikon Z6

Sony A7 III

Nikon Z6

$1865
35mm

NFC
Higher effective ISO

$1396
35mm

Top deck display
More dots on screen

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6

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