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Olympus E-M10 III vs Sony A99 II

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2017 and September 2016. The E-M10 III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the A99 II is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-M10 III) and a full frame (A99 II) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 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-M10 III
versus
Sony A99 II
Olympus E-M10 III   Sony A99 II
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Micro Four Thirds lenses Sony A mount lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor 42.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 100-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots) Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Tilting touchscreen Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
8.6 shutter flaps per second 12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
330 shots per battery charge490 shots per battery charge
122 x 84 x 50 mm, 410 g 143 x 104 x 76 mm, 849 g
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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 III and the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M10 III and the Sony A99 II 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

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

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

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A99 II is considerably larger (45 percent) than the Olympus E-M10 III. Moreover, the A99 II is substantially heavier (107 percent) than the E-M10 III. It is noteworthy in this context that the A99 II is splash and dust-proof, while the E-M10 III 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 III gets 330 shots out of its BLS-50 battery, while the A99 II can take 490 images on a single charge of its NP-FM500H power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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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-M10 III 122 mm 84 mm 50 mm 410 g 330 n Aug 2017 649ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A99 II 143 mm 104 mm 76 mm 849 g 490 Y Sep 2016 3,199ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 5DS 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV 122 mm 84 mm 49 mm 383 g 360 n Aug 2020 699 amazon.com
5.
 
Olympus E-PL10 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Oct 2019 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL9 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Feb 2018 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL8 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Sep 2016 549ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus PEN-F 125 mm 72 mm 37 mm 427 g 330 n Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic GX80 122 mm 71 mm 44 mm 426 g 290 n Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A7R III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Oct 2017 3,199ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 625 g 290 Y Jun 2015 3,199ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A99 147 mm 111 mm 78 mm 812 g 500 Y Sep 2012 2,799ebay.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.
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Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The E-M10 III was launched at a markedly lower price (by 80 percent) than the A99 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.

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. 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-M10 III features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A99 II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A99 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-M10 III has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A99 II offers a 3:2 aspect.

Olympus E-M10 III and Sony A99 II sensor measures

With 42.2MP, the A99 II offers a higher resolution than the E-M10 III (15.9MP), but the A99 II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.52μm versus 3.76μm for the E-M10 III) due to its larger sensor. However, the E-M10 III is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the A99 II, and its sensor might 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 neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A99 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A99 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-M10 III 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 A99 II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III 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 ALT-A99 II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-M10 III is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A99 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.

E-M10 III versus A99 II MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-M10 III Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8112074
2.
 
Sony A99 II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p25.413.4231792
3.
 
Canon 5DS Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.712.4238187
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.2140276
5.
 
Olympus E-PL10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.313.1132476
6.
 
Olympus E-PL9 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8116274
7.
 
Olympus E-PL8 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.6103073
8.
 
Olympus PEN-F Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38881080/60p23.112.489474
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
10.
 
Olympus E-M10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
11.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
12.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
13.
 
Panasonic GX80 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.912.666271
14.
 
Sony A7R III Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
15.
 
Sony A7R II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.013.9343498
16.
 
Sony A99 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.014.0155589
17.
 
Sony A900 Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none23.712.3143179
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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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 (4K/30p).

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A99 II offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the E-M10 III (2400k vs 2360k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-M10 III and Sony A99 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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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-M10 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
2.
 
Sony A99 II2400 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
3.
 
Canon 5DSoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 15.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-PL10none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-PL9none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus E-PL8optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus PEN-F2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
12.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Panasonic GX802765 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
14.
 
Sony A7R III3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A7R II2400 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A992359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 6.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A900optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The E-M10 III has one, while the A99 II does not. While the built-in flash of the E-M10 III is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The A99 II 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 III does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the E-M10 III 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 III 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 III writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A99 II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A99 II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-M10 III only has one slot. The E-M10 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the A99 II can use UHS-I cards (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 III and Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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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-M10 IIIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
2.
 
Sony A99 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
3.
 
Canon 5DSYmono / monoY-mini3.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IVYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Olympus E-PL10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
6.
 
Olympus E-PL9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
7.
 
Olympus E-PL8Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
8.
 
Olympus PEN-FYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
10.
 
Olympus E-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
11.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
12.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
13.
 
Panasonic GX80Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
14.
 
Sony A7R IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
15.
 
Sony A7R IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
16.
 
Sony A99Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0---
17.
 
Sony A900Y- / ---mini2.0---
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It is notable that the A99 II has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The E-M10 III lacks such a headphone port.

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

Both the E-M10 III and the A99 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-M10 III was replaced by the Olympus E-M10 IV, while the A99 II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M10 III and A99 II can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M10 III Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A99 II Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Olympus E-M10 III better than the Sony A99 II or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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

  • Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
  • 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 (122x84mm vs 143x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 439g 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.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (80 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 11 months after the A99 II).

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Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (42.2 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 66%.
  • Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
  • Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
  • More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • 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 (0.78x 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.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 8.6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (490 versus 330) out of a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • 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 on the market for longer (launched in September 2016).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A99 II is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 10 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.

E-M10 III 10:22 A99 II

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M10 III and the Sony A99 II 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 comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-M10 III or the A99 II. 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 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.

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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-M10 III..+5/580/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2017 649ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A99 II....4.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 3,199ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 5DS..+..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV4.5/5..5/581/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2020 699 amazon.com
5.
 
Olympus E-PL10....4/577/100..4/5 Oct 2019 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL9..+....4.5/54/5 Feb 2018 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL8........4.5/54/5 Sep 2016 549ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus PEN-F....4/582/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 649ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 599ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic GX804.5/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A7R III..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2017 3,199ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7R II5/5+ +5/590/1005/55/5 Jun 2015 3,199ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A995/5....84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A900..+ +..+ +4.5/55/5 Sep 2008 2,999ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-M10 III vs Sony A99 II

    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 III Sony A99 II
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Sony A mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2017 September 2016
    Launch Price USD 649 USD 3,199
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-M10 III Sony A99 II
    Sensor Technology CMOS BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 35.9 x 24.0 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 861.6 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 43.2 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 42.2 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 7952 x 5304 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm 4.52 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2 4.90 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO 50 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VIII BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) .. 92
    DXO Color Depth (bits) .. 25.4
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) .. 13.4
    DXO Low Light (ISO) .. 2317
    Screen Specs Olympus E-M10 III Sony A99 II
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.62x 0.78x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots 2400k 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 III Sony A99 II
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 8.6 shutter flaps/s 12 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-II UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-M10 III Sony A99 II
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-M10 III Sony A99 II
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type BLS-50 NP-FM500H
    Battery Life (CIPA)330 shots per charge490 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 122 x 84 x 50 mm
    (4.8 x 3.3 x 2.0 in)
    143 x 104 x 76 mm
    (5.6 x 4.1 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 410 g (14.5 oz) 849 g (29.9 oz)
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    Check E-M10 III offers at
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    Check A99 II offers at
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