Sony DSLR-A550 vs Olympus E-M10 II

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Sony DSLR-A550 vs Olympus E-M10 II

Leave Feedback

APS-C 369.7mm²
14.2 megapixels
ISO 200 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Sony DSLR-A550 Review.

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

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

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M10 III
Compare E-M10 II vs E-M10 III
Compare Sony DSLR-A550 vs Olympus E-M10 III

Buy From

Differences

Sony DSLR-A550 advantages over Olympus E-M10 II

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 5.16 vs 3.75 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.50 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

950 vs 320 shots
Capture more photos
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos

Olympus E-M10 II advantages over Sony DSLR-A550

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
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Thinner
46 mm vs 84 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/250 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
9 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
488g vs 912g
Lighter weight
Shoots 1080p video
Yes vs No
You'll want this if you shoot video
More viewfinder magnification
0.62x vs 0.53x
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
8.9 fps vs 6.7 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
28 vs 15 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
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 12800 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
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

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
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

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony DSLR-A550

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Olympus E-M10 II

Body Only (Black)

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

All E-M10 II Deals

Review Excerpt

We haven’t reviewed the Sony DSLR-A550.
Read our Sony DSLR-A550 Initial Test

Excellent value for the money; Professional-grade ergonomics; Incredibly good image quality for its class; Solid performance specs across the board; Loaded with features.
Kit lens may not be quite as sharp as previous kit lens from this line; Below average battery life; Somewhat confusing menu systems.
Read our Olympus E-M10 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 50D

Sony DSLR-A550

Canon 50D

$859
APS-C

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1000
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony DSLR-A550 vs Canon 50D

Olympus E-M10 II

Canon 50D

$349
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1000
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Canon 50D

Compared to Nikon D300S

Sony DSLR-A550

Nikon D300S

$859
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Tiltable Screen

$1697
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony DSLR-A550 vs Nikon D300S

Olympus E-M10 II

Nikon D300S

$349
4/3

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1697
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Nikon D300S

Compared to Sony DSLR-A500

Sony DSLR-A550

Sony DSLR-A500

$859
APS-C

More dots on screen
More pixels

$850
APS-C

Less expensive

Compare Sony DSLR-A550 vs Sony DSLR-A500

Olympus E-M10 II

Sony DSLR-A500

$349
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$850
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Sony DSLR-A500

Compared to Olympus E-M10

Sony DSLR-A550

Olympus E-M10

$859
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$399
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Sony DSLR-A550 vs Olympus E-M10

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10

$349
4/3

Fast startup
Shoots 24p video

$399
4/3

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Olympus E-M10

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Sony DSLR-A550

Panasonic GX85

$859
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$598
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Sony DSLR-A550 vs Panasonic GX85

Olympus E-M10 II

Panasonic GX85

$349
4/3

Higher effective ISO
More telephoto lens reach

$598
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M10 II vs Panasonic GX85

Compare Other Cameras?