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 provide a detailed evaluation and comparison of two different camera models that fall into the same category - Semi-Pro Mirrorless. Although these cameras are from the same category, they were introduced by different brands - Sony and Olympus. Although Sony Alpha a6000 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II are both equipped with the same CMOS sensor, they boast of different resolution. Thus, Sony Alpha a6000 has a sensor with a resolution of 24.0 MP, while Olympus OM-D E-M5 II has a different resolution of 16.0 MP.
To get started, let’s take a look at some of the key features of Sony Alpha a6000 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II and, after this, we can go on to our detailed comparison of these models.
Sony Alpha a6000 Key Features:
Olympus OM-D E-M5 II Key Features:
Sony Alpha a6000 was substituted by Sony A6300.
Sony Alpha a6000 substituted Sony NEX-6.
NFC | Yes vs No | Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices |
Sensor Resolution | 24.0 MP vs 16.0 MP | 33.3% more pixels |
Sensor Area | 366.6 mm2 vs 224.9 mm2 | 38.7% larger pixel area |
Continuous Shooting | 11 fps vs 10 fps | 1 fps faster |
Built-In Flash | Yes vs No | All the lenses are stabilized |
Flash Range | 6 vs No | 6 better flash range |
Number Of Focus Points | 179 vs 81 | 98 more focus points |
Battery Life | 360 shots vs 310 shots | 50 more frames with a single charge |
Weight | 344 g vs 469 g | 125 g lighter |
Dxo Color Depth | 24.1 vs 23 | Better color depth |
Dxo Dynamic Range | 13.1 vs 12.4 | Better dynamic range |
Dxo Low Light Iso | 1347 vs 896 | Better High ISO performance |
Image Stabilization | Yes vs No | All lenses are stabilized |
Max Shutter Speed | 1/16000 vs 1/4000 | Faster shutter speed |
Screen Type | Fully Articulated vs Tilting | Flexible shooting positions |
Screen Resolution | 1,037k dots vs 922k dots | 11.1% higher resolution screen |
Touch Screen | Yes vs No | Easy control of camera functions |
Environmental Sealing | Yes vs No | Shoot at tough conditions |
Microphone Port | Yes vs No | High quality audio recording option |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2,360k dots vs 1,440k dots | 39% higher resolution |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.74 vs 0.7 | 0.04 better magnification |
Screen Size | 3″ | 3″ | Large display |
Screen Type | Tilting | Fully Articulated | Help viewing and changing settings easily |
Viewfinder | Electronic | Electronic | Better framing and control |
Raw Support | Yes | Yes | Better image quality |
AutoFocus Face Detection | Yes | Yes | Very handy for portraits |
Bracketing | Yes | Yes | Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR |
Continuous Shooting | 11.0 fps | 10.0 fps | Nice continuous shooting |
Flash Sync Port | Yes | Yes | Port for Flash Sync |
Headphone Port | No | No | No headphone port |
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 Sony Alpha a6000 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II from the front view.
Now, let’s go on and see how the reviewed models are different or similar by the top view.
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, Sony Alpha a6000 is a lighter option of these two, as it weights 125g less than the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II. This difference, in fact, can become a significant disadvantage for the photographers, who prefer to have their cameras with them wherever they go.
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 Sony Alpha a6000 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II 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. Sony Alpha a6000 features a 24.0 MP APS-C sized CMOS sensor and boasts of a Bionz X processor . Olympus OM-D E-M5 II, in its turn, comes with a 16.0 MP Four Thirds sized CMOS sensor and TruePic VII processor , which makes it significantly different from the first model.
Take a look below to find the comparison of Sony Alpha a6000 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II by the size of their sensors.
One more distinctive feature of compared models is the sensor size. Sony Alpha a6000 has a sensor area 0.6x bigger compared to Olympus OM-D E-M5 II. What does it mean? This basically means that if you these cameras them with the same aperture and focal length, the first model will give you more control in terms of the blurry background and depth of field.
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 Sony Alpha a6000 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II 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 | Sony Alpha a6000 | Olympus OM-D E-M5 II |
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Portrait Photography |
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Street Photography |
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Sports Photography |
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Daily Photography |
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Landscape Photography |
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No Significant DisadvantagesAdvantages:
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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, Sony Alpha a6000 or Olympus OM-D E-M5 II, 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 Sony Alpha a6000 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 II here is what we can say in conclusion:
According all the factors that we considered in the process of comparing these two cameras, Sony Alpha a6000 deserves a higher Total Score than the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II. Thus, if you are choosing between these options, we would recommend you to choose the first model over the other one.
For better understanding of each model’s technical characteristics, find the detailed comparison below:
Sony Alpha a6000 | Olympus OM-D E-M5 II | |
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General | ||
Brand | Sony | Olympus |
Model | Alpha a6000 | OM-D E-M5 II |
Announced | Apr 23, 2014 | Feb 06, 2015 |
Body Type | Rangefinder-style mirrorless | SLR-style mirrorless |
Sensor | ||
Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Size | APS-C | Four Thirds |
Sensor Dimensions | 23.5 x 15.6 mm | 17.3 x 13 mm |
Sensor Area | 366.60 mm2 | 224.90 mm2 |
Sensor Resolution | 24.0 MP | 16.0 MP |
Max Image Resolution | 6000 x 4000 | 4608 x 3456 |
Max Native ISO | 25,600 | 25,600 |
Max Boosted ISO | 51,200 | n/a |
Min Native ISO | 100 | 200 |
RAW Support | ||
Lens | ||
Manual Focus | ||
Lens Mount | Sony E | Micro Four Thirds |
Number of Lenses | 83 | 94 |
Focal Length Multiplier | 1.5x | 2x |
Macro Focus Range | ||
AutoFocus | ||
AF Touch | ||
AF Continuous | ||
AF Single | ||
AF Tracking | ||
AF Selective | ||
AF Center | ||
AF Multi Area | ||
AF Live View | ||
AF Face Detection | ||
AF Contrast Detection | ||
AF Phase Detection | ||
Number of Focus Points | 179 | 81 |
Number of Cross Focus Points | n/a | n/a |
Screen | ||
Screen Type | Tilting | Fully Articulated |
Screen Size | 3″ | 3″ |
Screen Resolution | 922k dots | 1,037k dots |
Live View | ||
Touch Screen | ||
ViewFinder | ||
ViewFinder | Electronic | Electronic |
ViewFinder Resolution | 1,440k dots | 2,360k dots |
ViewFinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
ViewFinder Magnification | 0.7 | 0.74 |
Photography Features | ||
Min Shutter Speed | 30 s | 60 s |
Max Shutter Speed | 1/4000 s | 1/16000 s |
Continuous Shooting | 11.0 fps | 10.0 fps |
Shutter Priority | ||
Aperture Priority | ||
Manual Exposure Mode | ||
Exposure Compensation | ||
Custom White Balance | ||
Image Stabilization | ||
Built-in Flash | ||
Flash Range | 6 | 0 |
Flash Modes | Flash off, auto, fill-flaw, slow sync, redeye reduction, hi-speed sync, wireless control | Auto, redeye, fill, redeye slow sync, slow sync, 2nd-curtain slow sync, manual |
External Flash | ||
AE Bracketing | ||
WB Bracketing | ||
Exposure Modes | ||
Multi-Segment | ||
Average | ||
Spot | ||
Partial | ||
AF-Area | ||
Center Weighted | ||
DxO Sensor Scores | ||
DxO Sensor Score | 82 | 73 |
DxO Color Depth | 24.1 | 23.0 |
DxO Dynamic Range | 13.1 | 12.4 |
DxO Low Light ISO | 1347 | 896 |
Video Features | ||
Video Resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p), 1440 x 1080 (30p, 25p), 640 x 480 (30p, 25p) | 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), 640 x 480 (30p) |
Max Video Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 |
Video Formats | MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S | MPEG-4, H.264, Motion JPEG |
Microphone Port | ||
Headphone Port | ||
Connectivity | ||
Wireless Connectivity | ||
HDMI | ||
USB | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
Physical | ||
Environmental Sealing | ||
Water Proof | ||
Dust Proof | ||
Shock Proof | ||
Crush Proof | ||
Freeze Proof | ||
Weight | 344 g | 469 g |
Physical Dimensions | 120 x 67 x 45 mm | 124 x 85 x 45 mm |
Battery Life | 360 shots | 310 shots |
Battery Type | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Model | NP-FW50 | BLN-1 |
Other Features | ||
Self Timer | ||
Timelapse Recording | ||
GPS | ||
Storage Type | SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo | SD/SDHC/SDXC |
Storage Slots | 1 | 1 |
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