Sony HX300 vs Olympus E-M1 II

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Sony HX300 vs Olympus E-M1 II

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1/2.3 inch 28.1mm²
20.4 megapixels
24.00mm - 1200.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony HX300 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the HX300.

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 Olympus E-M1 Mark III
Compare E-M1 II vs E-M1 Mark III
Compare Sony HX300 vs Olympus E-M1 Mark III

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Differences

Sony HX300 advantages over Olympus E-M1 II

Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash

Olympus E-M1 II advantages over Sony HX300

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Larger sensor
4/3 vs 1/2.3 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.36 vs 1.19 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Shoot 4K video
4K (DCI) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
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
RAW file ability
Yes vs No
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 2.4 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
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 310 shots
Capture more photos
Thinner
68 mm vs 103 mm
Thinner
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Newer
8 years vs 12 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Less shutter lag
0.11 vs 0.38 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bulb shutter
Bulb vs No bulb
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Faster JPEG shooting
60.6 fps vs 10.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
51 vs 10 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/32000 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

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
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

Common Weaknesses

In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
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
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

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Sony HX300

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Buy the Olympus E-M1 II

Body Only (Black)

All E-M1 II Deals

Review Excerpt

Super-versatile 50x optical zoom lens helps you capture everything from wide-angle cityscapes to zoomed in portraits from what feels like a mile away; Still quite light and portable considering the powerful lens; Comfortable and ergonomic design; Full HD video recording at up to 60p, with good quality.
Relatively small, 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor delivers average image quality that degrades quickly at high sensitivities; Images not as sharp or as bright at full telephoto as we had hoped; Slow camera to use overall.
Read our Sony HX300 Express 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 Fujifilm X-T2

Sony HX300

Fujifilm X-T2

$600
1/2.3 inch

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Internal flash

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony HX300 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 Fujifilm SL1000

Sony HX300

Fujifilm SL1000

$600
1/2.3 inch

Focus peaking
More pixels

$650
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
RAW file ability

Compare Sony HX300 vs Fujifilm SL1000

Olympus E-M1 II

Fujifilm SL1000

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$650
1/2.3 inch

Internal flash
Slow-motion videos

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Fujifilm SL1000

Compared to Samsung WB2200F

Sony HX300

Samsung WB2200F

$600
1/2.3 inch

Focus peaking
Tiltable Screen

$675
1/2.3 inch

In-camera panoramas
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Sony HX300 vs Samsung WB2200F

Olympus E-M1 II

Samsung WB2200F

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$675
1/2.3 inch

In-camera panoramas
NFC

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Samsung WB2200F

Compared to Sony HX400V

Sony HX300

Sony HX400V

$600
1/2.3 inch

Focus peaking

$448
1/2.3 inch

In-camera panoramas
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Sony HX300 vs Sony HX400V

Olympus E-M1 II

Sony HX400V

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$448
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony HX400V

Compared to Panasonic G7

Sony HX300

Panasonic G7

$600
1/2.3 inch

In-Camera Image Stabilization
More pixels

$498
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

Compare Sony HX300 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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