• 4/3 224.9mm2
  • 16.1 megapixels
  • ISO 200 - 25,600
  • APS-C 366.6mm2
  • 24.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600

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Differences

Olympus E-M5 advantages over Sony A6000

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Good
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • 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
  • Fast startup
    ~1.10 vs 2.2 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • More telephoto lens reach
    100 mm vs 75 mm
    Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
  • Higher max flash sync
    1/250 vs 1/160 sec
    Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
  • Longer exposure
    60 vs 30 sec
    Long exposures for night shots

Sony A6000 advantages over Olympus E-M5

  • Focus peaking
    Peaker vs Non-peaker
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Larger sensor
    APS-C vs 4/3
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • In-camera panoramas
    Yes vs No
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Yes vs No
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • Higher effective ISO
    1,347 vs 826 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • 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
  • Shoots 24p video
    Yes vs No
    Gives your movies a big-screen feel
  • Lighter weight
    468g vs 652g
    Lighter weight
  • Higher-res screen
    307k vs 205k pixels
    More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
  • Shoots 1080p video
    Yes vs No
    You'll want this if you shoot video
  • Less shutter lag
    0.15 vs 0.28 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.70x vs 0.58x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • More pixels
    24.3 vs 16.1 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    11.1 fps vs 8.9 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    47 vs 17 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Faster RAW shooting
    11.1 fps vs 9.0 fps
    Faster RAW shooting in 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
  • Tiltable Screen
    Both provide
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • 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
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • Top deck display
    Neither provide
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • External Mic Jack
    Neither provide
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Headphone jack
    Neither provide
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Buy the Olympus E-M5
Body Only
  • Body Only
  • Kit with 14-42mm Lens

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Buy the Sony A6000
Body Only
  • Body Only
  • Kit with 16-50mm Lens
All A6000 Deals

Review Excerpt

  • Attractive body design; Well-built, weather-sealed body; Excellent image quality; Excellent image stabilization; Very fast autofocus.

  • Exposure compensation dial changes easily; Small buttons; No in-camera chromatic aberration correction; Bundled flash is weak; Video compression artifacts with rapidly-moving subjects.

  • Read our Olympus E-M5 Review

  • Amazing image quality for the price; Blazing-fast hybrid autofocus; Swift burst shooting with generous buffer depths; Good battery life with LCD monitor; More compact than a DSLR; In-camera Wi-Fi wireless networking

  • Continuous autofocus can't match its burst rate; High-ISO JPEGs can look overprocessed; Sluggish startup; No touch-screen display; Wi-Fi can be a bit frustrating to use

  • Read our Sony A6000 Review

The Competition

Compared to Olympus E-M1

Olympus E-M5
Olympus E-M1
  • $900
  • 4/3
  • Thinner
  • Shoots 60p video
  • $1099
  • 4/3
  • Focus peaking
  • Fast startup

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-M1

Sony A6000
Olympus E-M1
  • $648
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • In-camera panoramas
  • $1099
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony A6000 vs Olympus E-M1

Compared to Panasonic G3

Olympus E-M5
Panasonic G3
  • $900
  • 4/3
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • Higher effective ISO
  • $700
  • 4/3
  • Less expensive
  • Internal flash

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic G3

Sony A6000
Panasonic G3
  • $648
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $700
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • Touchscreen

Compare Sony A6000 vs Panasonic G3

Compared to Olympus E-P5

Olympus E-M5
Olympus E-P5
  • $900
  • 4/3
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • More telephoto lens reach
  • $1249
  • 4/3
  • Focus peaking
  • Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-P5

Sony A6000
Olympus E-P5
  • $648
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $1249
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony A6000 vs Olympus E-P5

Compared to Panasonic GX7

Olympus E-M5
Panasonic GX7
  • $900
  • 4/3
  • Higher effective ISO
  • More telephoto lens reach
  • $648
  • 4/3
  • Less expensive
  • Focus peaking

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic GX7

Sony A6000
Panasonic GX7
  • $648
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • Higher effective ISO
  • $648
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony A6000 vs Panasonic GX7

Compared to Samsung NX3000

Olympus E-M5
Samsung NX3000
  • $900
  • 4/3
  • Lens selection
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $950
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Larger sensor

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Samsung NX3000

Sony A6000
Samsung NX3000
  • $648
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $950
  • APS-C
  • Slow-motion videos

Compare Sony A6000 vs Samsung NX3000

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