Olympus E-330 vs Sony A7R II

The Olympus Evolt E-330 and the Sony Alpha A7R II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2006 and June 2015. The E-330 is a DSLR, while the A7R II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-330) and a full frame (A7R II) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 7.4 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 42.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-330		Sony A7R II
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Four Thirds lenses		Sony E mount lenses
7.4 MP – Four Thirds sensor		42.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-400 (100 - 1,600)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
2.5" LCD – 215k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
3 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
750 shots per battery charge		290 shots per battery charge
140 x 87 x 72 mm, 637 g		127 x 96 x 60 mm, 625 g

Check E-330 offers at
ebay.com
Check A7R II offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus Evolt E-330 and the Sony Alpha A7R II? 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.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-330 and the Sony A7R II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-330 and the Sony A7R II are of equal size. However, the A7R II is slightly lighter (2 percent) than the E-330. It is noteworthy in this context that the A7R II is splash and dust-proof, while the E-330 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-330) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7R II). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A7R II, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the E-330 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the A7R II can take 290 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the A7R II 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. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7R II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	625 g	290	Y	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
4.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-400	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Sep 2006	699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-410	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Mar 2007	699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic L1	146 mm	87 mm	64 mm	606 g	750	n	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R IIIA	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7S II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	627 g	370	Y	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
17.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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 E-330 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 69 percent) than the A7R II, which puts it into a different 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-330 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A7R II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A7R II is 283 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-330 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A7R II offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 42.2MP, the A7R II offers a higher resolution than the E-330 (7.4MP), but the A7R II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.52μm versus 5.51μm for the E-330). Yet, the A7R II is a much more recent model (by 9 years and 4 months) than the E-330, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A7R II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7R II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7R II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 39.8 x 26.5 inches or 101 x 67.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 31.8 x 21.2 inches or 80.8 x 53.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 26.5 x 17.7 inches or 67.3 x 44.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-330 are 15.7 x 11.8 inches or 39.8 x 29.9 cm for good quality, 12.5 x 9.4 inches or 31.9 x 23.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.5 x 7.8 inches or 26.6 x 19.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A7R II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Olympus Evolt E-330 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 400, which can be extended to ISO 100-1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7R II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-330 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A7R II 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
2.		Sony A7R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	13.9	3434	98
3.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
4.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
5.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
6.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
7.		Olympus E-400	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
8.		Olympus E-410	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.1	10.0	494	51
9.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
10.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
11.		Panasonic L1	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	80	52
12.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
13.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
14.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
15.		Sony A7R IIIA	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
16.		Sony A7S II	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/30p	23.6	13.3	2993	85
17.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
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 can also record movies. The A7R II indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-330 does not. The highest resolution format that the A7R II can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A7R II has an electronic viewfinder (2400k dots), while the E-330 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the A7R II offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the E-330 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A7R II has a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.47x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-330, the Sony A7R II, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		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-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A7R II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
7.		Olympus E-400	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Olympus E-410	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
10.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic L1	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7R IIIA	3686	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7S II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The E-330 has one, while the A7R II does not. While the built-in flash of the E-330 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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, the A7R II is one of those camera that have an additional 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 E-330 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the A7R II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The E-330 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A7R II only has one slot.

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 Evolt E-330 and Sony Alpha A7R II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony A7R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-400	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-410	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic L1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A7R IIIA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A7S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the A7R II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-330 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the E-330 and the A7R II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A7R II was replaced by the Sony A7R III, while the E-330 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-330 and A7R II can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-330 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7R II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-330 or the Sony A7R II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Olympus Evolt E-330:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 290) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (69 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2006).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7R II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (42.2 vs 7.4MP), which boosts linear resolution by 144%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/30p video.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.47x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 215k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Reflects 9 years and 4 months of technical progress since the E-330 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7R II is the clear winner of the contest (23 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-330 and the Sony A7R II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-330 and the A7R II in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7R II	5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
4.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-400	..	85/100	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2006	699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-410	..	86/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic L1	..	85/100	..	+	..	3.5/5	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R IIIA	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7S II	5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
17.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods 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

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