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Olympus E-M5 III vs Sony RX100 IV

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in October 2019 and June 2015. The E-M5 III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the RX100 IV is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-M5 III) and an one-inch (RX100 IV) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 20 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-M5 III
versus
Sony RX100 IV
Olympus E-M5 III   Sony RX100 IV
Mirrorless system camera Fixed lens compact camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8
20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor 20 MP – 1" sensor
4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 125-12,800 (80 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots) Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.0" LCD – 1228k dots
Swivel touchscreen Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
10 shutter flaps per second 16 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens-based stabilization
Weathersealed bodynot weather sealed
310 shots per battery charge280 shots per battery charge
125 x 85 x 50 mm, 414 g 102 x 58 x 41 mm, 298 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV? 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-M5 III and the Sony RX100 IV is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M5 III can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the RX100 IV is only available in black.

Size Olympus E-M5 III vs Sony RX100 IV
Compare E-M5 III versus RX100 IV top
Comparison E-M5 III or RX100 IV rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony RX100 IV is considerably smaller (44 percent) than the Olympus E-M5 III. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-M5 III is splash and dust resistant, while the RX100 IV does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX100 IV has a lens built in, whereas the E-M5 III is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the E-M5 III and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-M5 III gets 310 shots out of its Olympus BLS-50 battery, while the RX100 IV can take 280 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

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-M5 III 125 mm 85 mm 50 mm 414 g 310 Y Oct 2019 1,199ebay.com
2.
 
Sony RX100 IV 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 298 g 280 n Jun 2015 999ebay.com
3.
 
Canon G5 X 112 mm 76 mm 44 mm 353 g 210 n Oct 2015 799ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M1 130 mm 94 mm 63 mm 497 g 350 Y Sep 2013 1,399ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M1 III 134 mm 91 mm 69 mm 580 g 420 Y Feb 2020 1,799ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-M1X 144 mm 147 mm 75 mm 997 g 870 Y Jan 2019 2,999ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 122 mm 89 mm 43 mm 425 g 360 Y Feb 2012 1,299ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-M5 II 124 mm 85 mm 45 mm 469 g 310 Y Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV 122 mm 84 mm 49 mm 383 g 360 n Aug 2020 699 amazon.com
10.
 
Olympus PEN-F 125 mm 72 mm 37 mm 427 g 330 n Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
11.
 
OM System OM-5 125 mm 85 mm 50 mm 414 g 310 Y Oct 2022 1,199 amazon.com
12.
 
Panasonic FZ2500 138 mm 102 mm 135 mm 915 g 350 n Sep 2016 1,199 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic G95 130 mm 94 mm 77 mm 536 g 290 Y Apr 2019 999ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
15.
 
Sony RX100 II 102 mm 58 mm 38 mm 281 g 350 n Jun 2013 749ebay.com
16.
 
Sony RX100 III 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 290 g 320 n May 2014 799ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX100 V 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 299 g 220 n Oct 2016 999ebay.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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The RX100 IV was launched at a lower price than the E-M5 III, despite having a lens built in. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-M5 III features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony RX100 IV an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX100 IV is 48 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 2.7. The sensor in the E-M5 III has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the RX100 IV offers a 3:2 aspect.

Olympus E-M5 III and Sony RX100 IV sensor measures

With 20.2MP, the E-M5 III offers a slightly higher resolution than the RX100 IV (20MP), but the E-M5 III nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 2.41μm for the RX100 IV) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the E-M5 III is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 4 months) than the RX100 IV, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M5 III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The E-M5 III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the RX100 IV, the E-M5 III has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (80MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 64-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV are ISO 125 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-M5 III is build around a CMOS sensor, while the RX100 IV 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-M5 III versus RX100 IV MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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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-M5 III Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.1132476
2.
 
Sony RX100 IV 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.812.659170
3.
 
Canon G5 X 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p21.412.347162
4.
 
Olympus E-M1 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.775773
5.
 
Olympus E-M1 III Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.1135676
6.
 
Olympus E-M1X Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.213.0125475
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i22.812.382671
8.
 
Olympus E-M5 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.012.584273
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.2140276
10.
 
Olympus PEN-F Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38881080/60p23.112.489474
11.
 
OM System OM-5 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.413.4162278
12.
 
Panasonic FZ2500 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p23.012.653870
13.
 
Panasonic G95 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.213.0127375
14.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
15.
 
Sony RX100 II 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.512.448367
16.
 
Sony RX100 III 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.412.349567
17.
 
Sony RX100 V 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.812.458670
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, 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 consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the E-M5 III offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the RX100 IV (2360k vs 2359k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-M5 III, the Sony RX100 IV, and comparable cameras.

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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-M5 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
2.
 
Sony RX100 IV2359 n3.0 / 1228 tilting n 1/2000s 16.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Canon G5 X2360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/2000s 5.9/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M12360 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M1 III2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
6.
 
Olympus E-M1X2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-M51440 n3.0 / 610 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-M5 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 15.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus PEN-F2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
11.
 
OM System OM-52360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
12.
 
Panasonic FZ25002360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 12.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Panasonic G952360 n3.0 / 1240 swivel Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y Y
14.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony RX100 IIoptional n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Sony RX100 III1440 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
17.
 
Sony RX100 V2359 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 24.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The E-M5 III has a touchscreen, while the RX100 IV has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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-M5 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-M5 III writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the RX100 IV uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The E-M5 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the RX100 IV 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-M5 Mark III and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV 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-M5 IIIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
2.
 
Sony RX100 IV-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
3.
 
Canon G5 XYstereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
4.
 
Olympus E-M1Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Olympus E-M1 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
6.
 
Olympus E-M1XYstereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y-Y
7.
 
Olympus E-M5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 IVYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
10.
 
Olympus PEN-FYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
11.
 
OM System OM-5Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
12.
 
Panasonic FZ2500Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0Y--
13.
 
Panasonic G95Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0Y-Y
14.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony RX100 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
16.
 
Sony RX100 III-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
17.
 
Sony RX100 V-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-

It is notable that the E-M5 III has a hotshoe, while the RX100 IV does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Both the E-M5 III and the RX100 IV have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The RX100 IV was replaced by the Sony RX100 IV, while the E-M5 III was followed by the OM System OM-5. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M5 III and RX100 IV can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M5 III Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX100 IV Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-M5 III and the Sony RX100 IV? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
  • Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
  • Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
  • More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
  • 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.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.68x vs 0.59x).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (310 versus 280) on a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
  • Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Reflects 4 years and 4 months of technical progress since the RX100 IV launch.

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Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1228k vs 1040k dots).
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (16 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the E-M5 III necessitates an extra lens.
  • More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 125x85mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the E-M5 III).
  • Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2015).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-M5 III is the clear winner of the match-up (20 : 10 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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-M5 III 20:10 RX100 IV

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M5 III and the Sony RX100 IV place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Travel-Zoom 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-M5 III and the RX100 IV in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. 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
  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-M5 III5/5+5/582/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2019 1,199ebay.com
2.
 
Sony RX100 IV4.5/5+ +..85/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2015 999ebay.com
3.
 
Canon G5 X5/5+ +..78/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2015 799ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M15/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2013 1,399ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M1 III5/5..5/583/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2020 1,799ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-M1X4.5/5o5/585/1004.5/5.. Jan 2019 2,999ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M54/5+ +..80/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2012 1,299ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-M5 II5/5+ +4.5/581/1005/55/5 Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV4.5/5..5/581/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2020 699 amazon.com
10.
 
Olympus PEN-F....4/582/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
11.
 
OM System OM-55/5..4.5/583/1005/54.5/5 Oct 2022 1,199 amazon.com
12.
 
Panasonic FZ2500..+..82/1004.5/55/5 Sep 2016 1,199 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic G954.5/5+4.5/583/1004.5/54.5/5 Apr 2019 999ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
15.
 
Sony RX100 II5/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2013 749ebay.com
16.
 
Sony RX100 III5/5+ +..82/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 799ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX100 V4.5/5+ +..83/1004/54.5/5 Oct 2016 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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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    Specifications: Olympus E-M5 III vs Sony RX100 IV

    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-M5 III Sony RX100 IV
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Fixed lens compact camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8
    Launch Date October 2019 June 2015
    Launch Price USD 1,199 USD 999
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-M5 III Sony RX100 IV
    Sensor Technology CMOS BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor 1" Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 13.2 x 8.8 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 116.16 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 15.9 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 2.7x
    Sensor Resolution 20.2 Megapixels 20 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5184 x 3888 pixels 5472 x 3648 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.34 μm 2.41 μm
    Pixel Density 8.96 MP/cm2 17.18 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 125 - 12,800 ISO
    ISO Boost 64 - 25,600 ISO 80 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VIII BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) .. 70
    DXO Color Depth (bits) .. 22.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) .. 12.6
    DXO Low Light (ISO) .. 591
    Screen Specs Olympus E-M5 III Sony RX100 IV
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.68x 0.59x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots 2359k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 1228k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen no Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-M5 III Sony RX100 IV
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/8000s 1/2000s
    Continuous Shooting 10 shutter flaps/s 16 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/32000sup to 1/32000s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inno Intervalometer
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens-based stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-II UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-M5 III Sony RX100 IV
    External Flash Hotshoe no Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port no MIC socket
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in no Bluetooth
    Body Specs Olympus E-M5 III Sony RX100 IV
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodynot weather sealed
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-50 Sony NP-BX1
    Battery Life (CIPA)310 shots per charge280 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 125 x 85 x 50 mm
    (4.9 x 3.3 x 2.0 in)
    102 x 58 x 41 mm
    (4.0 x 2.3 x 1.6 in)
    Camera Weight 414 g (14.6 oz) 298 g (10.5 oz)
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