Olympus E-M1 vs Canon 7D Mark II

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Olympus E-M1 vs Canon 7D Mark II

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4/3 224.9mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M1 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M1.

APS-C 337.5mm²
20.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Canon 7D Mark II Review.
How does it shoot? Canon 7D Mark II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 7D Mark II.
Compare Canon 7D Mark II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon 7D Mark II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M1 II
Compare E-M1 vs E-M1 II
Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Canon 7D Mark II

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Differences

Olympus E-M1 advantages over Canon 7D Mark II

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Less expensive
$1099* vs $1799
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.25 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger RAW buffer
50 vs 26 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Canon 7D Mark II advantages over Olympus E-M1

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 0.8 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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.
7D Mark II test data on DxO Mark E-M1 test data on DxO Mark

1,082 vs 757 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
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

670 vs 350 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
More pixels
20.2 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
103 vs 50 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
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
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Read E-M1 User Reviews

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Buy the Olympus E-M1

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 12-40mm Lens

All E-M1 Deals

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Buy the Canon 7D Mark II

Body Only

Body Only
Body with W-E1 Wi-Fi Adapter
Kit with 18-135mm Lens
Kit with 18-135mm Lens and Wi-Fi Adapter

All 7D Mark II Deals

Review Excerpt

Exceptional rugged, weather-proof, professional build; Lightning fast contrast-detect AF, and phase-detect AF that makes Four Thirds lenses far more responsive; Tons of useful physical controls with immense customizability; Arguably the best image quality of any Micro Four Thirds camera we've tested to date; Large, sharp, high-resolution electronic viewfinder; Advanced Wi-Fi capabilities, including remote control shooting in PASM exposure modes.
Bigger and heavier than many other compact system cameras; Most expensive Micro Four Thirds camera on the market to date; Menu system and customization options have a steep learning curve; No optical low-pass filter means greater risk of moire; No built-in flash.
Read our Olympus E-M1 Review

Excellent image quality; High ISO performance improved over predecessor; Excellent burst speeds (up to 10fps); Significantly improved buffer depths; 65-pt AF system; Dual Pixel CMOS AF; Can focus down to f/8 (great for teleconverters); 1080/60p video; Headphone and mic jacks; Rugged build quality.
Autofocus speed (AF shutter lag) slower than 7D and 70D; Mediocre battery life for a pro DSLR; Dynamic range at low to moderate ISOs not as good as competitors; Phase-detect AF did not perform as well as expected in our low-light AF tests; No built-in Wi-Fi; No autofocus for 1080/60p video.
Read our Canon 7D Mark II Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 7D

Olympus E-M1

Canon 7D

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$1499
APS-C

Larger sensor
Fast startup

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Canon 7D

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 7D

$1799
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Built-in GPS

$1499
APS-C

Less expensive
Less shutter lag

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon 7D

Compared to Olympus E-M5

Olympus E-M1

Olympus E-M5

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
Fast startup

$900
4/3

Thinner
Shoots 60p video

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus E-M5

Canon 7D Mark II

Olympus E-M5

$1799
APS-C

Larger sensor
Fast startup

$900
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Touchscreen

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Olympus E-M5

Compared to Canon 6D

Olympus E-M1

Canon 6D

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$1699
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Canon 6D

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 6D

$1799
APS-C

On-sensor phase detect
More telephoto lens reach

$1699
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon 6D

Compared to Panasonic GH3

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic GH3

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Longer stills battery life

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic GH3

Canon 7D Mark II

Panasonic GH3

$1799
APS-C

Larger sensor
Fast startup

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Panasonic GH3

Compared to Canon 70D

Olympus E-M1

Canon 70D

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1149
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Canon 70D

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 70D

$1799
APS-C

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

$1149
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon 70D

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