Sony DSLR-A330 vs Olympus E-M5 II

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Sony DSLR-A330 vs Olympus E-M5 II

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APS-C 369.7mm²
10.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 3200

Go in depth with our full Sony DSLR-A330 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the DSLR-A330.

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 Olympus E-M5 III
Compare E-M5 II vs E-M5 III
Compare Sony DSLR-A330 vs Olympus E-M5 III

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Differences

Sony DSLR-A330 advantages over Olympus E-M5 II

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 6.12 vs 3.75 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.60 vs 0.8 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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

510 vs 310 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos

Olympus E-M5 II advantages over Sony DSLR-A330

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
Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
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
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 DSLR-A330 test data on DxO Mark

908 vs 535 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
44 mm vs 71 mm
Thinner
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Higher max flash sync
1/250 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
10 years vs 15 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Lighter weight
469g vs 765g
Lighter weight
More dots on screen
1037k vs 230k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
Shoots 1080p video
Yes vs No
You'll want this if you shoot video
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.49x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
16.1 vs 10.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
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 2.4 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 3200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

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
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

In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
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 E-M5 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Read our Sony DSLR-A330 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 K200D

Sony DSLR-A330

Pentax K200D

$530
APS-C

Less expensive
Tiltable Screen

$800
APS-C

Lens selection
Top deck display

Compare Sony DSLR-A330 vs Pentax K200D

Olympus E-M5 II

Pentax K200D

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax K200D

Compared to Sony DSLR-A230

Sony DSLR-A330

Sony DSLR-A230

$530
APS-C

Tiltable Screen

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
More viewfinder magnification

Compare Sony DSLR-A330 vs Sony DSLR-A230

Olympus E-M5 II

Sony DSLR-A230

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Lens selection

$549
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Sony DSLR-A230

Compared to Nikon D3000

Sony DSLR-A330

Nikon D3000

$530
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Tiltable Screen

$450
APS-C

Lens selection
More viewfinder magnification

Compare Sony DSLR-A330 vs Nikon D3000

Olympus E-M5 II

Nikon D3000

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$450
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Nikon D3000

Compared to Panasonic GX7

Sony DSLR-A330

Panasonic GX7

$530
APS-C

Larger sensor
Less expensive

$648
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Sony DSLR-A330 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 DSLR-A330

Panasonic GX85

$530
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$598
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Sony DSLR-A330 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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