Olympus E-600 vs Sony A7S

The Olympus E-600 and the Sony Alpha A7S are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2009 and April 2014. The E-600 is a DSLR, while the A7S is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-600) and a full frame (A7S) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 12 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-600		Sony A7S
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Four Thirds lenses		Sony E mount lenses
12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor		12 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 409,600)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
2.7" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
4 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
500 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
130 x 94 x 60 mm, 535 g		127 x 94 x 48 mm, 489 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-600 and the Sony Alpha A7S? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-600 and the Sony A7S. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size 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 A7S is somewhat smaller (2 percent) than the Olympus E-600. Moreover, the A7S is markedly lighter (9 percent) than the E-600. It is noteworthy in this context that the A7S is splash and dust-proof, while the E-600 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-600) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7S). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A7S, 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-600 gets 500 shots out of its Olympus BLS-1 battery, while the A7S can take 380 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the A7S can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.

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-600	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	535 g	500	n	Aug 2009	449	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7S	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	489 g	380	Y	Apr 2014	2,499	ebay.com
3.		Nikon Df	144 mm	110 mm	67 mm	760 g	1400	Y	Nov 2013	2,749	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-PM1	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	265 g	330	n	Jun 2011	499	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-PL1	115 mm	72 mm	42 mm	334 g	290	n	Feb 2010	599	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-450	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2009	499	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-P1	121 mm	70 mm	36 mm	355 g	300	n	Jun 2009	799	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-P2	121 mm	70 mm	36 mm	355 g	300	n	Nov 2009	799	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-30	142 mm	108 mm	75 mm	701 g	750	n	Nov 2008	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-420	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2008	599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
14.		Sony ZV-E1	121 mm	72 mm	54 mm	483 g	570	Y	Mar 2023	2,199	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7S II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	627 g	370	Y	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
16.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	1,699	ebay.com
17.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	2,299	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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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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-600 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 82 percent) than the A7S, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 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-600 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A7S a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A7S is 280 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-600 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A7S offers a 3:2 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Olympus E-600 offers a higher resolution of 12.2 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the Sony A7S. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.29μm versus 8.45μm for the A7S). Moreover, it should be noted that the A7S is much more recent (by 4 years and 7 months) than the E-600, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The Olympus E-600 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7S are ISO 100 to ISO 102400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-409600.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 A7S offers substantially better image quality than the E-600 (overall score 32 points higher). The advantage is based on 2.4 bits higher color depth, 2.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 2.8 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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-600	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.5	10.3	541	55
2.		Sony A7S	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	3702	87
3.		Nikon Df	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	none	24.6	13.1	3279	89
4.		Olympus E-PM1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	21.0	10.3	499	52
5.		Olympus E-PL1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.5	10.1	487	54
6.		Olympus E-450	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.5	512	56
7.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
8.		Olympus E-P1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.4	10.4	536	55
9.		Olympus E-P2	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.5	10.4	505	56
10.		Olympus E-30	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.4	530	55
11.		Olympus E-420	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.4	527	56
12.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
13.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
14.		Sony ZV-E1	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/60p	25.4	14.6	3181	96
15.		Sony A7S II	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/30p	23.6	13.3	2993	85
16.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
17.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
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. The A7S indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-600 does not. The highest resolution format that the A7S can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A7S has an electronic viewfinder (2400k dots), while the E-600 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 A7S offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the E-600 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A7S has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.48x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-600 and Sony A7S along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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-600	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony A7S	2400	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
3.		Nikon Df	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
4.		Olympus E-PM1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
5.		Olympus E-PL1	optional	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Olympus E-450	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
7.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-P1	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	Y
9.		Olympus E-P2	optional	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	Y
10.		Olympus E-30	optical	Y	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-420	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
12.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
13.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony ZV-E1	none	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7S II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
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-600 has one, while the A7S does not. While the built-in flash of the E-600 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 A7S 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-600 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the A7S uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The E-600 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A7S 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 E-600 and Sony Alpha A7S 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-600	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony A7S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Nikon Df	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Olympus E-PM1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-PL1	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-450	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-P1	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-P2	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-30	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-420	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony ZV-E1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A7S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the A7S offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-600 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the E-600 and the A7S have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A7S was replaced by the Sony A7S II, while the E-600 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-600 and A7S can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-600 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7S Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Olympus E-600 better than the Sony A7S or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Olympus E-600:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• 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.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 380) on a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• 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 (82 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2009).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7S:

• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (32 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2.4 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (2.9 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (2.8 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60p video.
• 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 (0.71x vs 0.48x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 230k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 4 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.
• 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 4 years and 7 months of technical progress since the E-600 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7S is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 9 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 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-600 and the Sony A7S 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 comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-600 and the A7S 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 expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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-600	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	449	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7S	4/5	..	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2014	2,499	ebay.com
3.		Nikon Df	4/5	..	..	81/100	4/5	4/5	Nov 2013	2,749	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-PM1	..	86/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	499	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-PL1	..	86/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	599	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-450	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Mar 2009	499	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-P1	..	+	..	66/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2009	799	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-P2	3/5	+	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Nov 2009	799	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-30	..	..	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2008	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-420	..	85/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2008	599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
14.		Sony ZV-E1	..	+	4/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2023	2,199	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7S II	5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
16.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,699	ebay.com
17.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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