Sony RX10 vs Olympus E-M5 II

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Sony RX10 vs Olympus E-M5 II

Leave Feedback

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.2 megapixels
24.00mm - 200.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX10 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX10 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX10.
Compare Sony RX10 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX10 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 RX10 II
Compare RX10 vs RX10 II

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

Compare SONY RX10 II vs OLYMPUS E-M5 III

Buy From

Differences

Sony RX10 advantages over Olympus E-M5 II

Less expensive
$698 vs $899
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
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

420 vs 310 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Higher max flash sync
1/3200 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
More pixels
20.2 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos

Olympus E-M5 II advantages over Sony RX10

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Larger sensor
4/3 vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.75 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
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 2.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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 RX10 test data on DxO Mark

908 vs 474 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
44 mm vs 102 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
469g vs 832g
Lighter weight
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.23 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster RAW shooting
10.4 fps vs 6.5 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/3200 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

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
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
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

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
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read RX10 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read E-M5 II User Reviews

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony RX10

Sony RX10

All RX10 Deals

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Olympus E-M5 II

Body Only (Silver)

Body Only (Silver)
Body Only (Black)

All E-M5 II Deals

Review Excerpt

Smaller than SLR/CSC with comparable lenses; Larger sensor than other bridge cameras; SLR-like body without the hassle of changing lenses; Weather-sealed; Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture; Generous zoom range; Great viewfinder; Swift performance; Plenty of enthusiast-friendly features including raw shooting; Wi-Fi and NFC wireless sharing.
Expensive compared to other bridge cameras; Menus respond slowly after burst shooting; Lens doesn't zoom very quickly; High ISO performance doesn't quite match RX100 II.
Read our Sony RX10 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 Panasonic FZ1000

Sony RX10

Panasonic FZ1000

$698
1 inch

Top deck display
Integrated ND filter

$773
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony RX10 vs Panasonic FZ1000

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic FZ1000

$899
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$773
1 inch

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic FZ1000

Compared to Panasonic GX7

Sony RX10

Panasonic GX7

$698
1 inch

Longer stills battery life
Top deck display

$648
4/3

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 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 Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

Sony RX10

Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

$698
1 inch

Less expensive
Integrated ND filter

$899
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Sony RX10 vs Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

Olympus E-M5 II

Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$899
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

Compared to Sony RX10 II

Sony RX10

Sony RX10 II

$698
1 inch

Less expensive

$998
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
Higher effective ISO

Compare Sony RX10 vs Sony RX10 II

Olympus E-M5 II

Sony RX10 II

$899
4/3

Larger sensor
Tilt-swivel screen

$998
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Sony RX10 II

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Sony RX10

Panasonic GX85

$698
1 inch

NFC
Longer stills battery life

$598
4/3

Larger sensor
Less expensive

Compare Sony RX10 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

Compare Other Cameras?