Sony A57 vs Olympus E-M10 III

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Sony A57 vs Olympus E-M10 III

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APS-C 369.7mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A57 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the A57.

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

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M10 III Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M10 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M10 III.
Compare Olympus E-M10 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M10 III conclusion.

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Differences

Sony A57 advantages over Olympus E-M10 III

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.82 vs 3.78 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
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

550 vs 330 shots
Capture more photos
More viewfinder magnification
0.69x vs 0.62x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
10.0 fps vs 8.6 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)

Olympus E-M10 III advantages over Sony A57

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Thinner
49 mm vs 80 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/250 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
7 years vs 13 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lighter weight
503g vs 828g
Lighter weight
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 25 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

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
Tiltable Screen
Both provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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

NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
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
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 A57 User Reviews

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Buy the Olympus E-M10 III

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Silver)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Black)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Silver)

All E-M10 III Deals

Review Excerpt

We haven’t finished our review of the Sony A57, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
See our Sony A57 First Shots

Superbly-built, comfortable and compact body; Pairs beautifully with pancake kit lens; Excellent image quality; Excellent performance in most respects; Great single-shot autofocus; Really nice viewfinder and touch-screen display; Friendlier user interface courts amateurs.
Some controls are a bit small and tightly-packed; Hand grips are still a bit modestly-sized for larger lenses; Continuous and video autofocus just isn't up to snuff; New user interface can feel limiting to advanced photographers; Underwhelming battery life.
Read our Olympus E-M10 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D5100

Sony A57

Nikon D5100

$800
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$650
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A57 vs Nikon D5100

Olympus E-M10 III

Nikon D5100

$549
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$650
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Nikon D5100

Compared to Sony A37

Sony A57

Sony A37

$800
APS-C

Longer stills battery life
Higher-res screen

$600
APS-C

Less expensive
External Mic Jack

Compare Sony A57 vs Sony A37

Olympus E-M10 III

Sony A37

$549
4/3

Lens selection
Shoot 4K video

$600
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Sony A37

Compared to Pentax K-5 IIs

Sony A57

Pentax K-5 IIs

$800
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$497
APS-C

Lens selection
Higher effective ISO

Compare Sony A57 vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Olympus E-M10 III

Pentax K-5 IIs

$549
4/3

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

$497
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Compared to Olympus E-M10 II

Sony A57

Olympus E-M10 II

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$349
4/3

Lens selection
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A57 vs Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10 III

Olympus E-M10 II

$549
4/3

Shoot 4K video
Bigger JPEG buffer

$349
4/3

Less expensive

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Olympus E-M10 II

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Sony A57

Panasonic GX85

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$598
4/3

Lens selection
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony A57 vs Panasonic GX85

Olympus E-M10 III

Panasonic GX85

$549
4/3

More telephoto lens reach
Higher max flash sync

$598
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Panasonic GX85

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