Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II vs Canon EOS Rebel SL2

  • Four Thirds
  • 20 megapixels
  • Micro Four Thirds
  • 48
    Overall
  • 22
    Imaging
  • 85
    Features
  • 74
    Size
  • 0
    Price
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  • APS-C
  • 24 megapixels
  • Canon EF/EF-S
  • 49
    Overall
  • 23
    Imaging
  • 69
    Features
  • 74
    Size
  • 0
    Price
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Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II vs Canon EOS Rebel SL2: a Complete Review and Comparison

Are you looking for the best camera to suit your needs? Due to a wide range of options, making a wise and weighted decision can be rather challenging. Which specs to keep in mind? What are the key pros and cons of each model? This comparison should give some helpful hints!

In this review, we are going to make a detailed comparison of two cameras that fall into different categories. While the first model we are looking at, Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II belongs to a Pro Mirrorless category, the other model, Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is a Entry-Level DSLR camera. Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is equipped with a 20.0 MP CMOS sensor, while Canon EOS Rebel SL2 comes with a 24.0 MP CMOS sensor.

Both cameras we are going to look at in our overview fall into two different categories - MirrorLess and DSLR. Keeping in mind all the distinctive features of each category, it will be hard to make a detailed comparison of these two models. However, we will do our best to make this review as unbiased and detailed as possible.

To get started, let’s take a look at some of the key features of Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel SL2 and, after this, we can go on to our detailed comparison of these models.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Key Features:

  • 20.0 MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor
  • ISO 200 - 25600 (Expands to 64)
  • Image Stabilization: Yes
  • 3″ Fully Articulated Screen
  • ViewFinder: Yes
  • 15.0 fps Continuous Shooting
  • Video: 4096 x 2160 @ 24p / 237 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM, 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
  • Built-in Wireless: Yes
  • Dimensions: 134 x 91 x 67 mm
  • Weight: 574 g
  • Environmental Sealing: Yes
  • Built-in GPS: No
  • Replaced Olympus E-M1.

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 Key Features:

  • 24.0 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600 (Expands to 51200)
  • Image Stabilization: No
  • 3″ Fully Articulated Screen
  • ViewFinder: Yes
  • 5.0 fps Continuous Shooting
  • Video: 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 60 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
  • Built-in Wireless: Yes
  • Dimensions: 122 x 93 x 70 mm
  • Weight: 453 g
  • Environmental Sealing: No
  • Built-in GPS: No
  • Replaced Canon 100D.
  • Also known as Canon EOS 200D / Kiss X9

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II substituted Olympus E-M1.

Why is Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II a better choice than Canon EOS Rebel SL2

Storage Slots 2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Image Stabilization Yes vs No All lenses are stabilized
Continuous Shooting 15 fps vs 5 fps 10 fps faster
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000 vs 1/4000 Faster shutter speed
Number Of Focus Points 121 vs 9 112 more focus points
Environmental Sealing Yes vs No Shoot at tough conditions
Max Video Resolution 4096 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
Headphone Port Yes vs No Has headphone port
Dxo Color Depth 23.7 vs 23.6 Better color depth
Dxo Low Light Iso 1312 vs 1041 Better High ISO performance

What are the key reasons to pick Canon EOS Rebel SL2 over Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

NFC Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Bluetooth Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Bluetooth
Sensor Resolution 24.0 MP vs 20.0 MP 16.7% more pixels
Sensor Area 332.27 mm2 vs 226.2 mm2 31.9% larger pixel area
Built-In Flash Yes vs No All the lenses are stabilized
Flash Range 9.8 vs 9.1 0.7 better flash range
Screen Resolution 1,040k dots vs 1,037k dots 0.3% higher resolution screen
Battery Life 650 shots vs 350 shots 300 more frames with a single charge
Weight 453 g vs 574 g 121 g lighter
Dxo Dynamic Range 13.4 vs 12.8 Better dynamic range
Viewfinder Magnification 0.54 vs No 0.54 better magnification

Key PROs of Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel SL2

Touch Screen Yes | Yes Easy control of camera functions
Screen Size 3″ | 3″ Large display
Screen Resolution 1,037k dots | 1,040k dots High resolution screen
Screen Type Fully Articulated | Fully Articulated Help viewing and changing settings easily
Viewfinder Electronic | Optical (pentamirror) Better framing and control
Raw Support Yes | Yes Better image quality
AutoFocus Face Detection Yes | Yes Very handy for portraits
Microphone Port Yes | Yes High quality audio recording option
Timelapse Recording Yes | Yes Creative shooting
Bracketing Yes | Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port Yes | Yes Port for Flash Sync

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II vs Canon EOS Rebel SL2: Comparing Two Models By Physical Characteristics

Before heading straight to the technical characteristics of each model, let’s start with comparing their physical specs. Let’s start with looking at the physical difference of the two products. Below are images that clearly show the sizes of Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel SL2 from the front view.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Canon EOS Rebel SL2
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Now, let’s go on and see how the reviewed models are different or similar by the top view.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Canon EOS Rebel SL2
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After looking at these images, you should get a clear idea of each model’s dimensions and how they are different from each other. However, we are not going to stop there. The next characteristic worth looking at is the weight. Of course, not every photographer is concerned about the weight, for example, it wouldn't be a decisive point for those who shoot in a studio. However, it is still an important factor because if you happen to go on a long photo session or just love having the camera with you wherever you go, you want to be sure that the chosen model isn't too heavy.

Speaking of weight, Canon EOS Rebel SL2 is a lighter option of these two, as it weights 121g less than the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. This difference, in fact, can become a significant disadvantage for the photographers, who prefer to have their cameras with them wherever they go.

Comparing Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel SL2 by the type of Sensor and Resolution

Sensor is, without a doubt, the most significant element of every digital camera. Its type, size, and resolution are the factors that define the quality of future shots. Thus, it is barely possible to pick a suitable camera without looking at these specs.

Are Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel SL2 any different in terms of sensor type?

In fact, that's exactly what makes these two models really different. Thus, it is a good point to consider if your are choosing between these two cameras. Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II features a 20.0 MP Four Thirds sized CMOS sensor and boasts of a TruePic VIII processor . Canon EOS Rebel SL2, in its turn, comes with a 24.0 MP APS-C sized CMOS sensor , which makes it significantly different from the first model.

Take a look below to find the comparison of Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel SL2 by the size of their sensors.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Canon EOS Rebel SL2
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One more distinctive feature of compared models is the sensor size. Canon EOS Rebel SL2 is equipped with a sensor that is 0.7x larger than the one featured in Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Compared to the cameras with smaller sensor area, the ones with larger sensors ensure more control on the blurry background and depth of field if you shoot in the same aperture and focal length. Thus, the first model has a significant advantage here.

For Which Fields Of Photography Are Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel SL2 Suitable?

If you are interested in photography or has made a career in this field, you should know that different types of shooting actually require different camera characteristics. While one model can produce outstanding portraits, at the same time, it can be terrible for shooting landscapes, and so on. Thus, before you purchase a specific camera, it is vital to decide, which type of shooting you do most often and consider an option that suits it the most.

This section of our comparison is devoted to the performance of Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel SL2 in different fields of photography. Here we are going to look at the five main areas and evaluate how well each of the reviewed models performs in them. This will help you choose an option that suits your needs the most depending on your interest in one or several of these fields.

Photography Type Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Canon EOS Rebel SL2
Portrait Photography
71%
94%
Street Photography
99%
77%
Sports Photography
96%
49%
Daily Photography
93%
49%
Landscape Photography
92%
93%

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II for Portrait Photography

Advantages:

  • Fast Max Shutter Speed (1/8000s)
  • Image Stabilization
  • Face Detection Focusing

Disadvantages:

  • Small Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 for Portrait Photography

Advantages:

  • Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
  • High resolution sensor (24 MP)
  • Canon is famous with its skintones
  • Face Detection Focusing

Disadvantages:

  • No Image Stabilization

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II for Street Photography

Advantages:

  • Built-in View Finder
  • Live View
  • Fully Articulated Screen
  • Image Stabilization
  • Large Four Thirds(17.4 x 13 mm) sensor

Disadvantages:

  • Big size (134 x 91 x 67 mm)

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 for Street Photography

Advantages:

  • Built-in View Finder
  • Live View
  • Fully Articulated Screen
  • Large APS-C(22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor

Disadvantages:

  • Big size (122 x 93 x 70 mm)
  • No Image Stabilization
  • Small Number of autofocus Points (9)

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II for Sports Photography

Advantages:

  • Fast Continuous Shooting (15.0 fps)
  • Environmental Sealing
  • Fast Max Shutter Speed (1/8000s)
  • Big Number of autofocus Points (121)

Disadvantages:

  • Small battery life (350 shots)

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 for Sports Photography

Advantages:

No Significant Advantages

Disadvantages:

  • Slow Continuous Shooting (5.0 fps)
  • No Environmental Sealing
  • Slow Max Shutter Speed (1/4000s)
  • Smal Number of autofocus Points (9)
  • Small Number of CrossFocus Points (1)
  • Bad Low Light ISO (1041)
  • Small battery life (650 shots)

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II for Daily Photography

Advantages:

  • Built-in View Finder
  • Live View
  • Wireless Connectivity
  • Video is available

Disadvantages:

  • Small Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
  • Big weight (574 g)
  • Big size (134 x 91 x 67 mm)
  • No Built-in Flash

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 for Daily Photography

Advantages:

  • Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
  • Built-in Flash
  • Built-in View Finder
  • Live View
  • Wireless Connectivity
  • Video is available

Disadvantages:

  • Big weight (453 g)
  • Big size (122 x 93 x 70 mm)

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II for Landscape Photography

Advantages:

  • Good Dynamic Range (12.8)
  • Environmental Sealing
  • Live View
  • RAW Support

Disadvantages:

  • Small Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
  • Low resolution sensor (20 MP)

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 for Landscape Photography

Advantages:

  • Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
  • High resolution sensor (24 MP)
  • Good Dynamic Range (13.4)
  • Live View
  • RAW Support

Disadvantages:

  • No Environmental Sealing
  • Bad Low Light ISO (1041)

Comparison of Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II vs Canon EOS Rebel SL2: Final Verdict

Hopefully, our detailed overview of these models has helped you consider all the main specs, pros and cons of each cameras. Maybe, after reading this comparison, some of you have already decided which option to opt for depending on your needs and preferences. However, if you are still wondering which option is a better choice, Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II or Canon EOS Rebel SL2, below you can see what scores each of them received in five different aspects. To wrap up, we have used our unique Decision Algorithm that assesses different camera models upon 63 different factors including their price, and, if possible, DxO Mark scores. This algorithm allows us to make our verdict more consistent and objective.

What is our final verdict? Based on our comparison and the final scores of Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel SL2 here is what we can say in conclusion:

According all the factors that we considered in the process of comparing these two cameras, Canon EOS Rebel SL2 deserves a higher Total Score than the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Thus, if you are choosing between these options, we would recommend you to choose the first model over the other one.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II vs Canon EOS Rebel SL2 Table Of Technical Specs

For better understanding of each model’s technical characteristics, find the detailed comparison below:

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Canon EOS Rebel SL2
General
Brand Olympus Canon
Model OM-D E-M1 Mark II EOS Rebel SL2
Announced Sep 19, 2016 Jun 29, 2017
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Compact SLR
Sensor
Sensor Type CMOS CMOS
Sensor Size Four Thirds APS-C
Sensor Dimensions 17.4 x 13 mm 22.3 x 14.9 mm
Sensor Area 226.20 mm2 332.27 mm2
Sensor Resolution 20.0 MP 24.0 MP
Max Image Resolution 5184 x 3888 6000 x 4000
Max Native ISO 25,600 25,600
Max Boosted ISO n/a 51,200
Min Native ISO 200 100
RAW Support Yes Yes
Lens
Manual Focus Yes Yes
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds Canon EF/EF-S
Number of Lenses 94 304
Focal Length Multiplier 2x 1.6x
Macro Focus Range
AutoFocus
AF Touch Yes Yes
AF Continuous Yes Yes
AF Single Yes Yes
AF Tracking Yes Yes
AF Selective Yes Yes
AF Center Yes Yes
AF Multi Area Yes Yes
AF Live View Yes Yes
AF Face Detection Yes Yes
AF Contrast Detection Yes Yes
AF Phase Detection Yes Yes
Number of Focus Points 121 9
Number of Cross Focus Points n/a 1
Screen
Screen Type Fully Articulated Fully Articulated
Screen Size 3″ 3″
Screen Resolution 1,037k dots 1,040k dots
Live View Yes Yes
Touch Screen Yes Yes
ViewFinder
ViewFinder Electronic Optical (pentamirror)
ViewFinder Resolution 2,360k dots 0k dots
ViewFinder Coverage 100% 95%
ViewFinder Magnification 0.54
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed 60 s 30 s
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000 s 1/4000 s
Continuous Shooting 15.0 fps 5.0 fps
Shutter Priority Yes Yes
Aperture Priority Yes Yes
Manual Exposure Mode Yes Yes
Exposure Compensation Yes Yes
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes No
Built-in Flash No Yes
Flash Range 9.1 9.8
Flash Modes Redeye, Fill-in, Flash Off, Red-eye Slow sync.(1st curtain), Slow sync.(1st curtain), Slow sync.(2nd curtain), Manual
External Flash Yes Yes
AE Bracketing Yes Yes
WB Bracketing Yes Yes
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment Yes Yes
Average No Yes
Spot Yes Yes
Partial No Yes
AF-Area No No
Center Weighted No No
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Sensor Score 80 79
DxO Color Depth 23.7 23.6
DxO Dynamic Range 12.8 13.4
DxO Low Light ISO 1312 1041
Video Features
Video Resolutions 4096 x 2160 @ 24p / 237 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM, 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 60 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
Max Video Resolution 4096 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MOV, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port Yes Yes
Headphone Port Yes No
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Yes Yes
HDMI Yes Yes
USB USB 3.0 USB 2.0
Physical
Environmental Sealing Yes No
Water Proof No No
Dust Proof No No
Shock Proof No No
Crush Proof No No
Freeze Proof No No
Weight 574 g 453 g
Physical Dimensions 134 x 91 x 67 mm 122 x 93 x 70 mm
Battery Life 350 shots 650 shots
Battery Type Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Model n/a LP-E17
Other Features
Self Timer Yes Yes
Timelapse Recording Yes Yes
GPS
Storage Type Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I compatible)
Storage Slots 2 1

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