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Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony RX100 VII Comparison

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Camera to replace
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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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Sony RX100 VII

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) Stacked BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony RX100 VII
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Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony RX100 VII 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 Sony RX100 VII, which was introduced in July 2019 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 20.0MP 1″ sensor. There is 12 months difference between E-M10 IV and RX100 VII so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger E-M10 IV, especially in sensor tech.

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 Sony RX100 VII 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

Sony RX100 VII Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2019-07-25
  • 20MP - 1″ Stacked BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 64)
  • 24-200 mm F2.8-4.5 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 20.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 960fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 302g. 102 x 58 x 43 mm
  • Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VI Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII
Live Composite Mode
Yes vs No Excellent help for long-exposure photography
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder Magnif.
0.62x vs 0.59x Larger Viewfinder
Max ISO
25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 921k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
360 shots vs 260 shots 100 more frames with a single charge
Flash Coverage
7.2m vs 5.9m 1.3m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
11.22µm2 vs 5.82µm2 92% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
IS Stop Effectivity
Up to 4.5-stop vs Up to 4.0-stop 0.5 stop more Effective Stabilization
CHECK E-M10 IV PRICE


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII over Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV
Stacked Sensor
Yes vs No High sensor read out speed and less rolling shutter
Tiltable Flash
Yes vs No Bounce built-in flash off the ceiling
Number of Focus Points
357 vs 121 236 more focus points
Max Elect. Shutter
1/32000s vs 1/16000s faster electronic shutter
Continuous Shooting
20.0fps vs 15.0fps 5 fps faster
Weight
302 g vs 383 g 81 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Animal Eye AF Tracking
Yes vs No Easily lock and track focus on animals
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
Eye Tracking Focus
Yes vs No Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject
CHECK RX100 VII PRICE

Common Strengths of Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection
Yes vs Yes Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Tilting Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
20 MP vs 20 MP Bigger prints and more details
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Selfie/Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs Yes Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Dual-axis Electronic Level
Yes vs Yes Level the camera easily in two axis
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs UHS-I Read/Write in High Speeds
Common Weaknesses of Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony RX100 VII: 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 Sony RX100 VII 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). Sony RX100 VII has external dimensions of 102 x 58 x 43 mm (4.02 x 2.28 x 1.69″) and weighs 302 g (0.67 lb / 10.65 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII. Sony RX100 VII is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 20mm narrower, 26mm shorter and 6mm thinner than Olympus E-M10 IV. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Sony RX100 VII 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 Sony RX100 VII Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony RX100 VII Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII.
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony RX100 VII Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony RX100 VII is significantly lighter (81g ) than the Olympus E-M10 IV 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII 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 Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Both cameras feature Tilting screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels.
Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony RX100 VII: Sensor Comparison

Both Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII have 20.0 MP resolution sensors but Olympus E-M10 IV's sensor is Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm ) and Sony RX100 VII's sensor is 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm ).

Since Olympus E-M10 IV's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Sony RX100 VII.

Below you can see the E-M10 IV and RX100 VII sensor size comparison.

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony RX100 VII Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII Cameras


As seen above, Olympus E-M10 IV has a 1.9x Larger sensor area than Sony RX100 VII. 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 Sony RX100 VII Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Olympus E-M10 IV and Sony RX100 VII 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

Sony RX100 VII 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
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony RX100 VII for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
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
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony RX100 VII for Sports Photography

POOR
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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 20.0fps
357 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
200 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony RX100 VII for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
383g
Body Thickness 49mm
Read the details
8.3X Optical Zoom
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
302g
Body Thickness 43mm
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX100 VII for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Four Thirds (17.4 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus E-M10 IV vs Sony RX100 VII: 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 Sony RX100 VII, 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 Sony RX100 VII 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
Sony RX100 VII
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #8 out of 62 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #183 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Olympus E-M10 IV is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony RX100 VII in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Olympus E-M10 IV.

Olympus E-M10 IV
Olympus E-M10 IV
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Sony RX100 VII
Sony RX100 VII
CHECK PRICE

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Sony RX100 VII vs Olympus E-M10 IV Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII
Brand Olympus Sony
Announced 2020-08-04 2019-07-25
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS Stacked BSI-CMOS
Size Four Thirds 1″
Dimensions 17.4 x 13 mm 13.2 x 8.8 mm
Area 226.20mm2 116.16mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 25600 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 200 ISO 125 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 100 ISO 64 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 121 357
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 24-200 mm (8.3x)
Max Aperture no lens F2.8-4.5
Macro Focus Range no lens 8cm
Screen
Type Tilting Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots 2,360k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.62x 0.59x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s 1/32000s
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) 5.90 m (at Auto ISO)
Max Flash Sync 1/250s 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 8.7 fps 20.0 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 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 383g 302g
Dimensions 122 x 84 x 49mm 102 x 58 x 43mm
Battery Life 360 shots 260 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 63
DxO Color Depth not tested 21.8
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 12.4
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 418
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