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Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony A7 III

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and the Sony Alpha A7 III are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2016 and February 2018. Both the E-M1 II and the A7 III are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-M1 II) and a full frame (A7 III) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-M1 II
versus
Sony A7 III
Olympus E-M1 II   Sony A7 III
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses Sony E mount lenses
20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor 24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots) Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots 3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
18 shutter flaps per second 10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
440 shots per battery charge610 shots per battery charge
134 x 91 x 67 mm, 574 g 127 x 96 x 74 mm, 650 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and the Sony Alpha A7 III? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M1 II and the Sony A7 III is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony A7 III
Compare E-M1 II versus A7 III top
Comparison E-M1 II or A7 III rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-M1 II and the Sony A7 III are of equal size. However, the A7 III is markedly heavier (13 percent) than the E-M1 II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-M1 II) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7 III). Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the E-M1 II gets 440 shots out of its Olympus BLH-1 battery, while the A7 III can take 610 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A7 III can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M1 II 134 mm 91 mm 67 mm 574 g 440 Y Sep 2016 US$ 1 999ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon Z6 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 310 Y Aug 2018 US$ 1 999ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M1 130 mm 94 mm 63 mm 497 g 350 Y Sep 2013 US$ 1 399ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M1 III 134 mm 91 mm 69 mm 580 g 420 Y Feb 2020 US$ 1 799ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus PEN-F 125 mm 72 mm 37 mm 427 g 330 n Jan 2016 US$ 1 199ebay.com
7.
 
OM System OM-1 135 mm 92 mm 73 mm 599 g 520 Y Feb 2022 US$ 2 199ebay.com
8.
 
OM System OM-1 II 135 mm 92 mm 73 mm 599 g 500 Y Jan 2024 US$ 2 399 amazon.com
9.
 
Panasonic G9 137 mm 97 mm 92 mm 658 g 400 Y Nov 2017 US$ 1 699ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic G85 128 mm 89 mm 74 mm 505 g 330 Y Sep 2016 US$ 899ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GH5 139 mm 98 mm 87 mm 725 g 410 Y Jan 2017 US$ 1 999ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GH5 II 139 mm 98 mm 87 mm 727 g 400 Y May 2021 US$ 1 699 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 US$ 1 999ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Oct 2017 US$ 3 199ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A7R IV 129 mm 96 mm 78 mm 665 g 670 Y Jul 2019 US$ 3 499ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A9 127 mm 96 mm 63 mm 673 g 650 Y Apr 2017 US$ 4 499ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-M1 II features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A7 III a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A7 III is 276 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.0. The sensor in the E-M1 II has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A7 III offers a 3:2 aspect.

Olympus E-M1 II and Sony A7 III sensor measures

With 24MP, the A7 III offers a higher resolution than the E-M1 II (20.2MP), but the A7 III nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.34μm for the E-M1 II) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A7 III is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the E-M1 II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M1 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7 III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7 III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-M1 II are 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the A7 III, the E-M1 II has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (50MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 64-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7 III are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-M1 II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A7 III uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

E-M1 II versus A7 III MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A7 III offers substantially better image quality than the E-M1 II (overall score 16 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.3 bits higher color depth, 1.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-M1 II Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.712.8131280
2.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
3.
 
Nikon Z6 Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/30p25.314.3329995
4.
 
Olympus E-M1 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.775773
5.
 
Olympus E-M1 III Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.1135676
6.
 
Olympus PEN-F Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38881080/60p23.112.489474
7.
 
OM System OM-1 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.413.4155377
8.
 
OM System OM-1 II Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.413.6174978
9.
 
Panasonic G9 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.112.8113874
10.
 
Panasonic G85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.812.565671
11.
 
Panasonic GH5 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.913.080777
12.
 
Panasonic GH5 II Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.713.1113679
13.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
14.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
15.
 
Sony A7R III Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
16.
 
Sony A7R IV Full Frame 60.2 9504 63364K/30p26.014.8334499
17.
 
Sony A9 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.913.3351792
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the E-M1 II offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the A7 III (2360k vs 2359k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-M1 II, the Sony A7 III, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Olympus E-M1 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
2.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
3.
 
Nikon Z63690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M12360 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M1 III2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
6.
 
Olympus PEN-F2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
7.
 
OM System OM-15760 n3.0 / 1640 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
8.
 
OM System OM-1 II5760 n3.0 / 1640 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
9.
 
Panasonic G93680 Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
10.
 
Panasonic G852360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Panasonic GH53680 n3.2 / 1620 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
12.
 
Panasonic GH5 II3680 n3.0 / 1840 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
13.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A7R III3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A7R IV5760 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A93686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
The E-M1 II has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the A7 III does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Olympus E-M1 II and the Sony A7 III both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The E-M1 II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A7 III uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both the E-M1 II and the A7 III support UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s) on the first slot and UHS-I cards (104 MB/s) on the second one.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Sony Alpha A7 III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-M1 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y--
2.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
3.
 
Nikon Z6Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M1Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Olympus E-M1 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
6.
 
Olympus PEN-FYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
OM System OM-1Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y-Y
8.
 
OM System OM-1 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y-Y
9.
 
Panasonic G9Ystereo / monoYYfull3.0Y-Y
10.
 
Panasonic G85Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
11.
 
Panasonic GH5Ystereo / monoYYfull3.1Y-Y
12.
 
Panasonic GH5 IIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
13.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
14.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
16.
 
Sony A7R IVYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
17.
 
Sony A9Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-M1 II (unlike the A7 III) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The A7 III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the E-M1 II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the E-M1 II was succeeded by the Olympus E-M1 III. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M1 II and A7 III can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M1 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7 III Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Olympus E-M1 II better than the Sony A7 III or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 922k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (18 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 76g or 12 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2016).

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Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7 III:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 20.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 11%.
  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (16 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.3 bits more color depth).
  • More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.9 EV of extra DR).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.5 stops ISO advantage).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.74x).
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (610 versus 440) out of a single battery charge.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 5 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7 III emerges as the winner of the match-up (12 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-M1 II 09:12 A7 III

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M1 II and the Sony A7 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-M1 II or the A7 III. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M1 II5/5+ +5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 US$ 1 999ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon Z65/5..5/589/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2018 US$ 1 999ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M15/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2013 US$ 1 399ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M1 III5/5..5/583/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2020 US$ 1 799ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus PEN-F....4/582/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 US$ 1 199ebay.com
7.
 
OM System OM-15/5....87/1005/54.5/5 Feb 2022 US$ 2 199ebay.com
8.
 
OM System OM-1 II............ Jan 2024 US$ 2 399 amazon.com
9.
 
Panasonic G9..+ +5/585/1005/55/5 Nov 2017 US$ 1 699ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic G85..+ +..84/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2016 US$ 899ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GH54.5/5+ +..85/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2017 US$ 1 999ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GH5 II4.5/5..4.5/585/1004.5/55/5 May 2021 US$ 1 699 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 US$ 1 999ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R III..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2017 US$ 3 199ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A7R IV5/5+4.5/591/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2019 US$ 3 499ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A95/5+ +4.8/589/1005/55/5 Apr 2017 US$ 4 499ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-M1 II vs Sony A7 III

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-M1 II Sony A7 III
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date September 2016 February 2018
    Launch Price USD 1,999 USD 1,999
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-M1 II Sony A7 III
    Sensor Technology CMOS BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 35.6 x 23.8 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 847.28 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 42.8 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 20.2 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5184 x 3888 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.34 μm 5.94 μm
    Pixel Density 8.96 MP/cm2 2.83 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost 64 - 25,600 ISO 50 - 204,800 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VIII BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 80 96
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.7 25.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.8 14.7
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1312 3730
    Screen Specs Olympus E-M1 II Sony A7 III
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.74x 0.78x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots 2359k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1037k dots 922k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-M1 II Sony A7 III
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/8000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 18 shutter flaps/s 10 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy200 000 actuations200 000 actuations
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/32000sYES
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Dual card slots
    UHS card support Single UHS-II Single UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-M1 II Sony A7 III
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket no PC Sync
    USB Connector USB 3.0 USB 3.1
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-M1 II Sony A7 III
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Olympus BLH-1 Sony NP-FZ100
    Battery Life (CIPA)440 shots per charge610 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 134 x 91 x 67 mm
    (5.3 x 3.6 x 2.6 in)
    127 x 96 x 74 mm
    (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9 in)
    Camera Weight 574 g (20.2 oz) 650 g (22.9 oz)
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