Olympus E-5 vs Sony A99
The Olympus E-5 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A99 are two professional cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2010 and September 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-5) and a full frame (A99) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 12.2 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.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-5 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A99? 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
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-5 and the Sony A99 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.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A99 is somewhat smaller (2 percent) than the Olympus E-5. Moreover, the A99 is markedly lighter (7 percent) than the E-5. 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.
Concerning battery life, the E-5 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-5 battery, while the A99 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.
The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-5 | 142 mm | 117 mm | 75 mm | 873 g | 750 | Y | Sep 2010 | EUR 1 499 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A99 | 147 mm | 111 mm | 78 mm | 812 g | 500 | Y | Sep 2012 | EUR 2 799 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 60D | 145 mm | 106 mm | 79 mm | 755 g | 1100 | Y | Aug 2010 | EUR 1 149 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-3 | 142 mm | 116 mm | 75 mm | 876 g | 750 | Y | Oct 2007 | EUR 1 749 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus E-450 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2009 | EUR 449 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-600 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 535 g | 500 | n | Aug 2009 | EUR 399 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-620 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 521 g | 500 | n | Feb 2009 | EUR 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 34 mm | 369 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | EUR 699 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 362 g | 280 | n | Jan 2011 | EUR 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 37 mm | 313 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | EUR 549 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-PM1 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 34 mm | 265 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | EUR 449 | ebay.com | |
12. | Sony A9 | 127 mm | 96 mm | 63 mm | 673 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2017 | EUR 5 299 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony A77 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 732 g | 470 | Y | Aug 2011 | EUR 1 299 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A99 II | 143 mm | 104 mm | 76 mm | 849 g | 490 | Y | Sep 2016 | EUR 3 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A850 | 156 mm | 117 mm | 82 mm | 895 g | 880 | Y | Aug 2009 | EUR 1 999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A900 | 156 mm | 117 mm | 82 mm | 895 g | 880 | Y | Sep 2008 | EUR 2 799 | ebay.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 obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the A99, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-5 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A99 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A99 is 279 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-5 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A99 offers a 3:2 aspect.
With 24MP, the A99 offers a higher resolution than the E-5 (12.2MP), but the A99 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.96μm versus 4.29μm for the E-5) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A99 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 11 months) than the E-5, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A99 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A99 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-5 are 20.2 x 15.1 inches or 51.2 x 38.4 cm for good quality, 16.1 x 12.1 inches or 41 x 30.7 cm for very good quality, and 13.4 x 10.1 inches or 34.1 x 25.6 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Olympus E-5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A99 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.
Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
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 A99 offers substantially better image quality than the E-5 (overall score 33 points higher). The advantage is based on 3.4 bits higher color depth, 3.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.6 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-5 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.6 | 10.5 | 519 | 56 | |
2. | Sony A99 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 1555 | 89 | |
3. | Canon 60D | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.2 | 11.5 | 813 | 66 | |
4. | Olympus E-3 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.6 | 10.5 | 571 | 56 | |
5. | Olympus E-450 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.5 | 512 | 56 | |
6. | Olympus E-600 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.5 | 10.3 | 541 | 55 | |
7. | Olympus E-620 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.3 | 536 | 55 | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.8 | 10.1 | 536 | 51 | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.2 | 573 | 55 | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.9 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
11. | Olympus E-PM1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 21.0 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
12. | Sony A9 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.9 | 13.3 | 3517 | 92 | |
13. | Sony A77 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.0 | 13.2 | 801 | 78 | |
14. | Sony A99 II | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 25.4 | 13.4 | 2317 | 92 | |
15. | Sony A850 | Full Frame | 24.4 | 6048 | 4032 | none | 23.8 | 12.2 | 1415 | 79 | |
16. | Sony A900 | Full Frame | 24.4 | 6048 | 4032 | none | 23.7 | 12.3 | 1431 | 79 |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the A99 provides a better video resolution than the E-5. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Olympus is limited to 720/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A99 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), while the E-5 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the A99 has a higher magnification than the one of the E-5 (0.71x vs 0.58x), 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-5, the Sony A99, and comparable cameras.
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-5 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Sony A99 | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Canon 60D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.3/s | Y | n | |
4. | Olympus E-3 | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Olympus E-450 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
6. | Olympus E-600 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Olympus E-620 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 614 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
11. | Olympus E-PM1 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
12. | Sony A9 | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
13. | Sony A77 | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 921 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
14. | Sony A99 II | 2400 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | n | Y | |
15. | Sony A850 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Sony A900 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/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-5 has one, while the A99 does not. While the built-in flash of the E-5 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.The E-5 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the A99 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.
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 E-5 and Sony Alpha SLT-A99 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-5 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Sony A99 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon 60D | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Olympus E-3 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Olympus E-450 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Olympus E-600 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Olympus E-620 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-PM1 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Sony A9 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
13. | Sony A77 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Sony A99 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A850 | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
16. | Sony A900 | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the A99 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The E-5 lacks such a headphone port.
Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.
Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the A99 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.
Both the E-5 and the A99 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A99 was replaced by the Sony A99, while the E-5 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-5 and A99 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A99 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-5 and the Sony A99? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.
Arguments in favor of the Olympus E-5:
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (39 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2010).
Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A99:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 43%.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (33 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
- Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (3.4 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (3.5 EV of extra DR).
- Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.6 stops ISO advantage).
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/60p vs 720/30p).
- Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.58x).
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 920k dots).
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
- More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 11 months) more recently.
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A99 is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 5 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.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-5 and the Sony A99 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing 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-5 and the A99 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
Expert reviews
This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-5 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2010 | EUR 1 499 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A99 | 5/5 | .. | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | EUR 2 799 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 60D | 5/5 | + | .. | 79/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2010 | EUR 1 149 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-3 | .. | 88/100 | .. | + + | o | 4/5 | Oct 2007 | EUR 1 749 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus E-450 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2009 | EUR 449 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-600 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | Aug 2009 | EUR 399 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-620 | 3/5 | 88/100 | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2009 | EUR 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | .. | 83/100 | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | EUR 699 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | 3/5 | 83/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2011 | EUR 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | EUR 549 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-PM1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | EUR 449 | ebay.com | |
12. | Sony A9 | 5/5 | + + | 4.8/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2017 | EUR 5 299 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony A77 | 5/5 | 91/100 | .. | 81/100 | .. | 5/5 | Aug 2011 | EUR 1 299 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A99 II | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2016 | EUR 3 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A850 | 3/5 | .. | .. | 75/100 | .. | 4.5/5 | Aug 2009 | EUR 1 999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A900 | .. | + + | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Sep 2008 | EUR 2 799 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.
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.
Specifications: Olympus E-5 vs Sony A99
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 Model | Olympus E-5 | Sony A99 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Four Thirds lenses | Sony A mount lenses |
Launch Date | September 2010 | September 2012 |
Launch Price | USD 1,699 | USD 2,799 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus E-5 | Sony A99 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 35.8 x 23.8 mm |
Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 852.04 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 43 mm |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | 1.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 12.2 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4032 x 3024 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 4.29 μm | 5.96 μm |
Pixel Density | 5.42 MP/cm2 | 2.82 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 720/30p Video | 1080/60p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 6,400 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | no Enhancement | 50 - 25,600 ISO |
Image Processor | TruePic V+ | BIONZ X |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 56 | 89 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.6 | 25.0 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.5 | 14.0 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 519 | 1555 |
Screen Specs | Olympus E-5 | Sony A99 |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.58x | 0.71x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2359k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | Control Panel |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 920k dots | 1229k dots |
LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | Fully flexible screen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus E-5 | Sony A99 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/8000s | 1/8000s |
Continuous Shooting | 5 shutter flaps/s | 6 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 150 000 actuations | 200 000 actuations |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or XD cards | MS or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Dual card slots |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-5 | Sony A99 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | PC Sync socket |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | mini HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | no Headphone port | Headphone port |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Geotagging | no internal GPS | GPS built-in |
Body Specs | Olympus E-5 | Sony A99 |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Olympus BLM-5 | Sony NP-FM500H |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 750 shots per charge | 500 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
142 x 117 x 75 mm (5.6 x 4.6 x 3.0 in) |
147 x 111 x 78 mm (5.8 x 4.4 x 3.1 in) |
Camera Weight | 873 g (30.8 oz) | 812 g (28.6 oz) |
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