Olympus E-PL7 vs Sony RX10 III

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Olympus E-PL7 vs Sony RX10 III

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

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-PL7 Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-PL7 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-PL7.
Compare Olympus E-PL7 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-PL7 conclusion.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 600.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX10 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX10 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX10 III.
Compare Sony RX10 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX10 III conclusion.

Succeeded by the Olympus E-PL8
Compare E-PL7 vs E-PL8

Succeeded by the Sony RX10 IV
Compare RX10 III vs RX10 IV

Compare OLYMPUS E-PL8 vs SONY RX10 IV

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Differences

Olympus E-PL7 advantages over Sony RX10 III

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
~0.50 vs 2.1 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-PL7 test data on DxO Mark RX10 III test data on DxO Mark

873 vs 472 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
38 mm vs 127 mm
Thinner
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots

Sony RX10 III advantages over Olympus E-PL7

Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
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
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

420 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
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
More pixels
20.1 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
14.2 fps vs 8.7 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
44 vs 24 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
29 vs 17 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
Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
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
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
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
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
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
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

User reviews

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Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality for its class including very good ISO performance; Improved performance and ergonomics over the E-PL5; LCD tilts 180 degree downward for easier selfies; Upgraded 3-axis IS system.
No built-in flash (but a small add-on flash is included); No built-in EVF; Default colors somewhat muted; Somewhat quirky menu system.
Read our Olympus E-PL7 Review

Versatile all-in-one replacement for a DSLR or mirrorless camera; Great handling and build; Excellent image quality; Spectacular zoom reach; Swift performance with generous buffer depths; Extremely capable video capture; Comprehensive remote control; Quick-and-easy image sharing
Extremely expensive for a fixed-lens camera; Fairly heavy for fixed-lens camera; Somewhat soft in the corners at wide-angle or tele; Noise reduction intrudes at higher sensitivities; No built-in ND filter; Not as fast when shooting raws; Slow buffer clearing
Read our Sony RX10 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Olympus E-PL5

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-PL5

$399
4/3

Focus peaking
Fast startup

$329
4/3

Compare Olympus E-PL7 vs Olympus E-PL5

Sony RX10 III

Olympus E-PL5

$1398
1 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$329
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Olympus E-PL5

Compared to Panasonic GF6

Olympus E-PL7

Panasonic GF6

$399
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$400
4/3

In-camera panoramas
NFC

Compare Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic GF6

Sony RX10 III

Panasonic GF6

$1398
1 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$400
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Panasonic GF6

Compared to Panasonic FZ2500

Olympus E-PL7

Panasonic FZ2500

$399
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$899
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic FZ2500

Sony RX10 III

Panasonic FZ2500

$1398
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Larger lens aperture

$899
1 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Panasonic FZ2500

Compared to Olympus E-PL8

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-PL8

$399
4/3

$599
4/3

Compare Olympus E-PL7 vs Olympus E-PL8

Sony RX10 III

Olympus E-PL8

$1398
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
Shoot 4K video

$599
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Olympus E-PL8

Compared to Sony RX10 IV

Olympus E-PL7

Sony RX10 IV

$399
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$1698
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
Shoot 4K video

Compare Olympus E-PL7 vs Sony RX10 IV

Sony RX10 III

Sony RX10 IV

$1398
1 inch

Less expensive

$1698
1 inch

Touchscreen
Built-in Bluetooth

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Sony RX10 IV

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