Sony A58 vs Olympus E-M5 II

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Sony A58 vs Olympus E-M5 II

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APS-C 366.6mm²
20.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A58 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A58 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A58.
Compare Sony A58 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A58 conclusion.

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

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M5 II Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M5 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M5 II.
Compare Olympus E-M5 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M5 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Sony A68
Compare A58 vs A68

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

Compare SONY A68 vs OLYMPUS E-M5 III

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Differences

Sony A58 advantages over Olympus E-M5 II

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
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

700 vs 310 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
More pixels
20.1 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos

Olympus E-M5 II advantages over Sony A58

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
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 1.9 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
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 II test data on DxO Mark A58 test data on DxO Mark

908 vs 753 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
44 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/250 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Higher-res screen
346k vs 154k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.57x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
10.4 fps vs 4.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
18 vs 8 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
10.4 fps vs 4.8 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
13 vs 6 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 16000 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

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
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
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
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

Amazon
Adorama
Read A58 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read E-M5 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Improved 20.1-megapixel resolution; Impressive image quality, especially for its price; Fast and decisive autofocus (in most conditions); Very good battery life; Good video quality (Full HD 1080p, though it doesn't support 60p frame rate).
Plastic lens mount; Slower burst mode speeds and shallower buffer than A57; LCD no longer fully articulating; Mediocre kit lens; Electronic instead of an optical viewfinder may be a turnoff for some.
Read our Sony A58 Review

Excellent handling in a compact, weather-sealed body; Crisp, roomy electronic viewfinder; Image quality that can take the fight to APS-C DSLRs; Unique high-res mode lets it bat far above its weight for static scenes; Extremely fast 10 fps burst shooting, Excellent video feature set
Control dials are easily bumped; Below-average battery life at default settings; Buffer depths for raw shooters are a bit limited; 16-megapixel sensor resolution feels dated; Weak bundled flash strobe
Read our Olympus E-M5 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Pentax K-5 IIs

Sony A58

Pentax K-5 IIs

$598
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$497
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A58 vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Olympus E-M5 II

Pentax K-5 IIs

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$497
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Compared to Nikon D5200

Sony A58

Nikon D5200

$598
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$590
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A58 vs Nikon D5200

Olympus E-M5 II

Nikon D5200

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$590
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Nikon D5200

Compared to Canon T5i

Sony A58

Canon T5i

$598
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$539
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A58 vs Canon T5i

Olympus E-M5 II

Canon T5i

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$539
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Canon T5i

Compared to Panasonic GX7

Sony A58

Panasonic GX7

$598
APS-C

Larger sensor
Less expensive

$648
4/3

Lens selection
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A58 vs Panasonic GX7

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic GX7

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
High resolution composite

$648
4/3

In-camera panoramas
Internal flash

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic GX7

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Sony A58

Panasonic GX85

$598
APS-C

Larger sensor
Higher effective ISO

$598
4/3

Lens selection
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony A58 vs Panasonic GX85

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic GX85

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
High resolution composite

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic GX85

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