Olympus E-M5 II vs Sony RX100 VII

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Olympus E-M5 II vs Sony RX100 VII

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

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M5 II Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M5 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M5 II.
Compare Olympus E-M5 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M5 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-M5 III
Compare E-M5 II vs E-M5 III
Compare Olympus E-M5 III vs Sony RX100 VII

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Differences

Olympus E-M5 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
~ 3.75 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
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
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots

Sony RX100 VII advantages over Olympus E-M5 II

Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
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
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
5 years vs 10 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lighter weight
302g vs 469g
Lighter weight
More pixels
20.1 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
20.0 fps vs 10.4 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
169 vs 18 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
20.0 fps vs 10.4 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
77 vs 13 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/32000 vs 1/16000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

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
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
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
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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Review Excerpt

Excellent handling in a compact, weather-sealed body; Crisp, roomy electronic viewfinder; Image quality that can take the fight to APS-C DSLRs; Unique high-res mode lets it bat far above its weight for static scenes; Extremely fast 10 fps burst shooting, Excellent video feature set
Control dials are easily bumped; Below-average battery life at default settings; Buffer depths for raw shooters are a bit limited; 16-megapixel sensor resolution feels dated; Weak bundled flash strobe
Read our Olympus E-M5 II Review

We haven’t reviewed the Sony RX100 VII.
Read our Sony RX100 VII Initial Test

The Competition

Compared to Panasonic GX7

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic GX7

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
High resolution composite

$648
4/3

In-camera panoramas
Internal flash

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic GX7

Sony RX100 VII

Panasonic GX7

$1298
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
Built-in Bluetooth

$648
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX100 VII vs Panasonic GX7

Compared to Panasonic GX8

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic GX8

$899
4/3

High resolution composite
Fast startup

$998
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M5 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-M5 II

Panasonic ZS100

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$498
1 inch

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Olympus E-M5 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 GX85

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic GX85

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
High resolution composite

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic GX85

Sony RX100 VII

Panasonic GX85

$1298
1 inch

NFC
Built-in Bluetooth

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Sony RX100 VII vs Panasonic GX85

Compared to Sony RX100 VI

Olympus E-M5 II

Sony RX100 VI

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$949
1 inch

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Sony RX100 VI

Sony RX100 VII

Sony RX100 VI

$1298
1 inch

External Mic Jack

$949
1 inch

Less expensive
Faster JPEG shooting

Compare Sony RX100 VII vs Sony RX100 VI

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