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Olympus E-M10 II vs Sony A99

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II and the Sony Alpha SLT-A99 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2015 and September 2012. The E-M10 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the A99 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-M10 II) and a full frame (A99) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 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-M10 II
versus
Sony A99
Olympus E-M10 II   Sony A99
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Micro Four Thirds lenses Sony A mount lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor 24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video 1080/60p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 100-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots) Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Tilting touchscreen Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
8 shutter flaps per second 6 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
320 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
120 x 83 x 47 mm, 390 g 147 x 111 x 78 mm, 812 g
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Check E-M10 II offers at
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Check A99 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M10 II and the Sony A99 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M10 II can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, brown), while the A99 is only available in black.

Size Olympus E-M10 II vs Sony A99
Compare E-M10 II versus A99 top
Comparison E-M10 II or A99 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A99 is considerably larger (64 percent) than the Olympus E-M10 II. Moreover, the A99 is substantially heavier (108 percent) than the E-M10 II. It is noteworthy in this context that the A99 is splash and dust-proof, while the E-M10 II 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. 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-M10 II gets 320 shots out of its Olympus BLS-50 battery, while the A99 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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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 (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A99 147 mm 111 mm 78 mm 812 g 500 Y Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 III 122 mm 84 mm 50 mm 410 g 330 n Aug 2017 649ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n May 2013 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Sep 2016 549ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Feb 2018 599ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus PEN-F 125 mm 72 mm 37 mm 427 g 330 n Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GX85 122 mm 71 mm 44 mm 426 g 290 n Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
13.
 
Sony A9 II 129 mm 96 mm 76 mm 678 g 690 Y Oct 2019 4,499 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A77 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 732 g 470 Y Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A99 II 143 mm 104 mm 76 mm 849 g 490 Y Sep 2016 3,199ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A850 156 mm 117 mm 82 mm 895 g 880 Y Aug 2009 1,999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A900 156 mm 117 mm 82 mm 895 g 880 Y Sep 2008 2,999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

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-M10 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 77 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have 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 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-M10 II 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-M10 II has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A99 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Olympus E-M10 II and Sony A99 sensor measures

With 24MP, the A99 offers a higher resolution than the E-M10 II (15.9MP), but the A99 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.96μm versus 3.76μm for the E-M10 II) due to its larger sensor. However, the E-M10 II is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 11 months) than the A99, 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 E-M10 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

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-M10 II are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. 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.

E-M10 II versus A99 MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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. Of the two cameras under consideration, the A99 offers substantially better image quality than the E-M10 II (overall score 16 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.9 bits higher color depth, 1.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.9 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.

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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-M10 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
2.
 
Sony A99 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.014.0155589
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 III Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8112074
5.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
6.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.512.071768
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.6103073
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8116274
11.
 
Olympus PEN-F Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38881080/60p23.112.489474
12.
 
Panasonic GX85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.912.666271
13.
 
Sony A9 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.0343493
14.
 
Sony A77 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.013.280178
15.
 
Sony A99 II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p25.413.4231792
16.
 
Sony A850 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.812.2141579
17.
 
Sony A900 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.712.3143179
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

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Feature comparison

Beyond 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-M10 II offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the A99 (2360k vs 2359k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-M10 II and Sony A99 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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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-M10 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Sony A992359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 6.0/s n Y
3.
 
Olympus E-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
11.
 
Olympus PEN-F2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
12.
 
Panasonic GX852765 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Sony A9 II3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A772359 Y3.0 / 921 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
15.
 
Sony A99 II2400 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A850optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 3.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A900optical Y3.0 / 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-M10 II has one, while the A99 does not. While the built-in flash of the E-M10 II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The A99 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the E-M10 II 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, the E-M10 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 Olympus E-M10 II has 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-M10 II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A99 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A99 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-M10 II only has one slot. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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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-M10 Mark II and Sony Alpha SLT-A99 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-M10 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
2.
 
Sony A99Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0---
3.
 
Olympus E-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
11.
 
Olympus PEN-FYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
12.
 
Panasonic GX85Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
13.
 
Sony A9 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
14.
 
Sony A77Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
15.
 
Sony A99 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
16.
 
Sony A850Y- / ---mini2.0---
17.
 
Sony A900Y- / ---mini2.0---

It is notable that the E-M10 II offers wifi support, while the A99 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A99 (unlike the E-M10 II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

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-M10 II 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-M10 II was followed by the Olympus E-M10 III. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M10 II and A99 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M10 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A99 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-M10 II or the Sony A99 – 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.

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Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (120x83mm vs 147x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 422g or 52 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (77 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the A99 launch.

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Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha SLT-A99:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
  • 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 (1.9 bits more color depth).
  • More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.5 EV of extra DR).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.9 stops ISO advantage).
  • 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.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.62x).
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 1040k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex 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 shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (500 versus 320) out of a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2012).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A99 is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 12 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 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.

E-M10 II 12:20 A99

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M10 II and the Sony A99 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR 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-M10 II and the A99 in practical situations. 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 (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M10 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 649ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A995/5....84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 III..+5/580/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2017 649ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL6............ May 2013 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8........4.5/54/5 Sep 2016 549ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9..+....4.5/54/5 Feb 2018 599ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus PEN-F....4/582/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GX854.5/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
13.
 
Sony A9 II....5/590/1005/55/5 Oct 2019 4,499 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A775/591/100..81/100..5/5 Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A99 II....4.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 3,199ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A8503/5....75/100..4.5/5 Aug 2009 1,999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A900..+ +..+ +4.5/55/5 Sep 2008 2,999ebay.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. 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, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Check E-M10 II offers at
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Check A99 offers at
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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-M10 II 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 Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-M10 II Sony A99
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Sony A mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2015 September 2012
    Launch Price USD 649 USD 2,799
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-M10 II 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 15.9 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm 5.96 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2 2.82 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO 50 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VII BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 73 89
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.1 25.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.5 14.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 842 1555
    Screen Specs Olympus E-M10 II Sony A99
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.62x 0.71x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots 2359k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 1229k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Fully flexible screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen no Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-M10 II Sony A99
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 8 shutter flaps/s 6 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/16000sno E-Shutter
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inno Intervalometer
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-M10 II Sony A99
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in no Wifi
    Geotagging no internal GPS GPS built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-M10 II Sony A99
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-50 Sony NP-FM500H
    Battery Life (CIPA)320 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 120 x 83 x 47 mm
    (4.7 x 3.3 x 1.9 in)
    147 x 111 x 78 mm
    (5.8 x 4.4 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 390 g (13.8 oz) 812 g (28.6 oz)
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    Check E-M10 II offers at
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    Check A99 offers at
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