Panasonic LX100 vs Olympus E-M1 II

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Panasonic LX100 vs Olympus E-M1 II

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4/3 224.9mm²
12.8 megapixels
24.00mm - 75.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Panasonic LX100 Review.
How does it shoot? Panasonic LX100 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the LX100.
Compare Panasonic LX100 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Panasonic LX100 conclusion.

4/3 226.2mm²
20.4 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M1 II Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M1 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M1 II.
Compare Olympus E-M1 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M1 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Panasonic LX100 II
Compare LX100 vs LX100 II

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M1 Mark III
Compare E-M1 II vs E-M1 Mark III

Compare PANASONIC LX100 II vs OLYMPUS E-M1 MARK III

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Differences

Panasonic LX100 advantages over Olympus E-M1 II

Less expensive
$598 vs $899
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Higher max flash sync
1/4000 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Lighter weight
393g vs 574g
Lighter weight
Bigger JPEG buffer
130 vs 51 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Olympus E-M1 II advantages over Panasonic LX100

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Fast startup
~0.80 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-M1 II test data on DxO Mark LX100 test data on DxO Mark

1,312 vs 553 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
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

440 vs 300 shots
Capture more photos
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
More pixels
20.4 vs 12.8 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
60.6 fps vs 11.6 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
60.6 fps vs 11.3 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
51 vs 22 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
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
Shoot 4K video
Both provide
Make sure you have a fast computer
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

Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Read LX100 User Reviews

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Adorama
Read E-M1 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Very good image quality; Great performance in most respects; Bright zoom lens with good macro performance; Photographer-friendly body easily fits in a coat pocket or small bag; Roomy, high-res built-in viewfinder; Decent battery life
Won't fit in a pants pocket; Relatively low resolution by modern standards; Zoom lens has only a modest telephoto; Soft corners at wide or tele positions; Aperture dial is too easily bumped; Bundled flash is fairly weak
Read our Panasonic LX100 Review

Excellent image quality; Very good dynamic range & high ISO performance; Fantastic C-AF performance; Incredible burst rates, even with RAW; 4K UHD & Cinema 4K (DCI) video; Clean HDMI; Dual SD card slots.
Expensive; Menus still confusing; UHS-II support only on one card slot; No optical low-pass filter means greater risk of moire; No built-in flash.
Read our Olympus E-M1 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony RX100 III

Panasonic LX100

Sony RX100 III

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$748
1 inch

Tiltable Screen
Internal flash

Compare Panasonic LX100 vs Sony RX100 III

Olympus E-M1 II

Sony RX100 III

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$748
1 inch

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony RX100 III

Compared to Canon G7X

Panasonic LX100

Canon G7X

$598
4/3

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$1239
1 inch

Touchscreen
Tiltable Screen

Compare Panasonic LX100 vs Canon G7X

Olympus E-M1 II

Canon G7X

$899
4/3

Larger sensor
Tilt-swivel screen

$1239
1 inch

NFC
Internal flash

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Canon G7X

Compared to Fujifilm X-T2

Panasonic LX100

Fujifilm X-T2

$598
4/3

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Tiltable Screen

Compare Panasonic LX100 vs Fujifilm X-T2

Olympus E-M1 II

Fujifilm X-T2

$899
4/3

Lens selection
Less expensive

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Fujifilm X-T2

Compared to Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Panasonic LX100

Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Lacks anti-aliasing filter

$875
4/3

Has anti-aliasing filter

Compare Panasonic LX100 vs Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Olympus E-M1 II

Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

$875
4/3

Bigger pixels
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Compared to Panasonic G7

Panasonic LX100

Panasonic G7

$598
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
NFC

$498
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Panasonic LX100 vs Panasonic G7

Olympus E-M1 II

Panasonic G7

$899
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
High resolution composite

$498
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic G7

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