Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX100 V

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Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX100 V

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

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M5 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M5.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 70.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX100 V Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX100 V in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX100 V.
Compare Sony RX100 V image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX100 V conclusion.

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M5 II
Compare E-M5 vs E-M5 II

Succeeded by the Sony RX100 VA
Compare RX100 V vs RX100 VA

Compare OLYMPUS E-M5 II vs SONY RX100 VA

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Differences

Olympus E-M5 advantages over Sony RX100 V

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)
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~1.10 vs 2.0 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.
E-M5 test data on DxO Mark RX100 V test data on DxO Mark

826 vs 586 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
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

360 vs 220 shots
Capture more photos
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots

Sony RX100 V advantages over Olympus E-M5

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
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
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
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
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
8 years vs 13 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
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
0.19 vs 0.28 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
20.1 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Faster JPEG shooting
23.8 fps vs 8.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
150 vs 17 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
24.1 fps vs 9.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
72 vs 16 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/32000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
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
Tiltable Screen
Both provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
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

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

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read E-M5 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read RX100 V User Reviews

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Sony RX100 VA

Sony RX100 VA
Sony RX100 V

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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

Pocket-friendly design; Unbelievably fast burst capture; Generous buffer depth, even for raw; Fast and confident autofocus; Very high resolution gives lots of detail in good light; High ISO noise levels much better than most pocket camera rivals; High-quality 4K video with uncompressed HDMI out; Super-fast High Frame Rate video
Very pricey for a compact camera; Still no touch screen; Slow buffer clearing; JPEGs can look over-processed at higher ISOs; Lens doesn't offer much telephoto reach; Battery life is very modest; 4K movies are limited to five minute clips
Read our Sony RX100 V 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 RX100 V

Olympus E-M1

$998
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

$1099
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX100 V 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

Internal flash
More viewfinder magnification

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic G3

Sony RX100 V

Panasonic G3

$998
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$700
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX100 V 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 RX100 V

Olympus E-P5

$998
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
Shoot 4K video

$1249
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX100 V 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

Focus peaking
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic GX7

Sony RX100 V

Panasonic GX7

$998
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
On-sensor phase detect

$648
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX100 V vs Panasonic GX7

Compared to Sony RX100 IV

Olympus E-M5

Sony RX100 IV

$900
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$898
1 inch

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX100 V

Sony RX100 IV

$998
1 inch

On-sensor phase detect
Faster JPEG shooting

$898
1 inch

Longer stills battery life

Compare Sony RX100 V vs Sony RX100 IV

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