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Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon SX20 IS Comparison

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Olympus E-M10 IV

20 MP | Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

Olympus E-M10 IV
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Canon SX20 IS

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Canon SX20 IS
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Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon SX20 IS Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Olympus E-M10 IV, which was introduced in August 2020 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 20.0MP Four Thirds sensor whereas Canon SX20 IS, which was introduced in July 2010 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, SX20 IS is 10 years older than E-M10 IV. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon SX20 IS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Olympus E-M10 IV Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2020-08-04
  • 20MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 25600 ( expands to 100 - 25600)
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 8.7fps (15.0fps Electronic) continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 383g. 122 x 84 x 49 mm
  • Replaced Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Compare

Canon SX20 IS Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-07-06
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 28-560 mm F2.8-5.7 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.50" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 1.0fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 600g. 128 x 88 x 87 mm
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot SX10 IS Compare

Canon SX20 IS was replaced by Canon PowerShot SX30 IS. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS vs Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS vs Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon SX20 IS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV over Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Live Composite Mode
Yes vs No Excellent help for long-exposure photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 12 MP 66% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 1.600 1500% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
121 vs 9 112 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 230k dots 352% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/3200s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
15.0fps vs 1.0fps 14 fps faster
Weight
383 g vs 600 g 217 g lighter
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Flash Coverage
7.2m vs 6.8m 0.4m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
11.22µm2 vs 2.34µm2 379% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK E-M10 IV PRICE


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX20 IS over Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV
CHECK SX20 IS PRICE

Common Strengths of Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fully Articulated Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
Selfie/Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs Yes Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Common Weaknesses of Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
LCD Screen Size
2.50" vs 2.50" Small display
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon SX20 IS: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon SX20 IS side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Olympus E-M10 IV has external dimensions of 122 x 84 x 49 mm (4.8 x 3.31 x 1.93″) and weighs 383 g (0.84 lb / 13.51 oz) (including batteries). Canon SX20 IS has external dimensions of 128 x 88 x 87 mm (5.04 x 3.46 x 3.43″) and weighs 600 g (1.32 lb / 21.16 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon SX20 IS. Olympus E-M10 IV is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 6mm narrower, 4mm shorter and 38mm thinner than Canon SX20 IS. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Canon SX20 IS has a built-in lens but Olympus E-M10 IV doesn't. Once you put a lens on E-M10 IV, its thickness will increase significantly.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon SX20 IS Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon SX20 IS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus E-M10 IV is significantly lighter (217g ) than the Canon SX20 IS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on E-M10 IV, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV nor Canon PowerShot SX20 IS provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus E-M10 IV's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon SX20 IS's 2.5" screen.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon SX20 IS: Sensor Comparison

Olympus E-M10 IV has a 20.0MP Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features TruePic VIII processor. On the other hand, Canon SX20 IS has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor.

Olympus E-M10 IV's sensor provides 8MP more than Canon SX20 IS's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the E-M10 IV and SX20 IS sensor size comparison.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon SX20 IS Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon SX20 IS Cameras


As seen above, Olympus E-M10 IV has a 8.1x Larger sensor area than Canon SX20 IS. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon SX20 IS Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon SX20 IS for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Olympus E-M10 IV for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Canon SX20 IS for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon SX20 IS for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Sports Photography

GOOD

Canon SX20 IS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.7fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
121 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
560 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon SX20 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
383g
Body Thickness 49mm
Read the details
20.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
600g
Body Thickness 87mm
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Canon SX20 IS for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Canon SX20 IS: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon SX20 IS, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Olympus E-M10 IV and Canon SX20 IS scores compare:

Olympus E-M10 IV
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #77 out of 109 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #139 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Canon SX20 IS
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #73 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #681 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Olympus E-M10 IV is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon SX20 IS in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Olympus E-M10 IV
Olympus E-M10 IV
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Canon SX20 IS
Canon SX20 IS
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Canon SX20 IS vs Olympus E-M10 IV Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Brand Olympus Canon
Announced 2020-08-04 2010-07-06
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
Size Four Thirds 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 17.4 x 13 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 226.20mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 25600 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 200 ISO 80 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 100 ISO -
RAW Support
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 121 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 28-560 mm (20×)
Max Aperture no lens F2.8-5.7
Macro Focus Range no lens 0cm
Screen
Type Tilting Fully Articulated
Size 3.00" 2.50"
Resolution 1,040k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots n/a
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.62x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/3200s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 7.20 m (at ISO 200) 6.80 m
Max Flash Sync 1/250s 1/500s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 8.7 fps 1.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1280 x 720
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 383g 600g
Dimensions 122 x 84 x 49mm 128 x 88 x 87mm
Battery Life 360 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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