Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony RX100 VII

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Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony RX100 VII

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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.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 200.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX100 VII Review.
See real-world photos taken with the RX100 VII.

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 RX100 VII

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Differences

Olympus E-M1 II advantages over Sony RX100 VII

Less expensive
$899 vs $1298
Save money for lenses or accessories
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Larger sensor
4/3 vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.36 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 1.8 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer video battery life
90 vs 40 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

440 vs 260 shots
Capture more photos
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.59x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
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 20.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
60.6 fps vs 20.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Sony RX100 VII advantages over Olympus E-M1 II

In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Thinner
42 mm vs 68 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
5 years vs 8 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lighter weight
302g vs 574g
Lighter weight
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
169 vs 51 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
77 vs 51 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
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
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
On-sensor phase detect
Both provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera

User reviews

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Adorama
Read E-M1 II User Reviews

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Sony RX100 VII

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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 reviewed the Sony RX100 VII.
Read our Sony RX100 VII Initial Test

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 RX100 VII

Fujifilm X-T2

$1298
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Sony RX100 VII 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 RX100 VII

Panasonic G7

$1298
1 inch

In-Camera Image Stabilization
NFC

$498
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX100 VII 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 RX100 VII

Panasonic GX8

$1298
1 inch

Built-in Bluetooth
On-sensor phase detect

$998
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX100 VII vs Panasonic GX8

Compared to Panasonic ZS100

Olympus E-M1 II

Panasonic ZS100

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$498
1 inch

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic ZS100

Sony RX100 VII

Panasonic ZS100

$1298
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Tiltable Screen

$498
1 inch

Less expensive
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Sony RX100 VII vs Panasonic ZS100

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 RX100 VII

Panasonic G85

$1298
1 inch

NFC
Built-in Bluetooth

$631
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX100 VII vs Panasonic G85

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