Sony A6500 vs Olympus E-M10 II – Comparison

Let’s compare the Sony A6500 vs Olympus E-M10 II. The A6500 is a lot more expensive and gives you more features, but if you like both models and don’t know how much you want to spend, it can be quite a challenge.

Our comparison table below covers all the important specifications of each camera. Below that, we specifically talk about the new improvements and which model is better suited for your needs.

	Sony A6500	E-M10 II
Megapixels	24.2	16.1
Sensor Type	CMOS	Live MOS
Sensor Format	APS-C	Micro Four Thirds
Crop Factor	1.5x	2.0x
AA Filter	Yes	None
Image Resolution	6000 x 4000	4608 x 3456
Body Image Stabilization	Yes - 5-Axis	Yes
Lens Mount	Sony E	Micro Four Thirds
ISO	100 - 25,600	200 - 25,600
Expanded ISO	51,200	None
AF Points	425	81 Contrast
Cross-type AF Points	425 phase	0 phase
Continuous Mode	11fps	8fps
LCD	3.0" - Articulating	3.0" - Articulating
LCD Resolution	921,600 dots	1,037,000 dots
Touchscreen	Yes	Yes
Focus Peaking	Yes	Yes
Top LCD Display	No	No
Viewfinder Type	EVF	EVF (2.36M)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.07x	1.23x
Video Resolution	3840x2160 (30/25/24p)	1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p)
	1920x1080 (120/100/60/50p)	1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p)
Microphone Jack	Yes	No
Headphone Jack	No	No
Memory Card Type	SD or MS Pro	SD
Dual Card Slots	No	No
SD UHS Support	UHS-I	UHS-II
Fastest Shutter Speed	1/4000	1/16000
Slowest Shutter Speed	30"	60"
Bulb Mode	Yes	Yes
JPEG Buffer Size	231	28
RAW Buffer Size	110	18
Time Lapse	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash	Yes	Yes
Max Flash Sync Speed	1/160	1/250
Startup Time	1.3s	0.8s
Built-in Wi-Fi	Yes	Yes
Built-in GPS	No	No
Built- in NFC	Yes	No
Bluetooth	No	No
USB Type	USB 2.0	USB 2.0
Environmentally Sealed	Yes	No
Battery Life (CIPA)	350 shots	320 shots
Battery Included	Yes (NP-FW50)	Yes (BLS-50)
Weight	16.0 oz (453g)	13.8 oz (390g)
Size	4.7 x 2.6 x 2.1"	4.7 x 3.3 x 1.8"
Price	Amazon	Amazon
Release Date	2016	2015

Sony A6500 Advantages:

• Megapixels –  8.1 more megapixels. For printing big and cropping, the Sony A6500 is a much better choice.

• Sensor Format – APS-C is bigger than MFT, which results in slightly less noise at higher ISO levels.

• ISO – 51,200 vs 25,600. Higher maximum ISO sensitivity.

• AF Points – 425 vs 81. The A6500 has all 425 phase detect points, while the E-M10 II has only contrast, which are slower in low light.

• Continuous mode – 11fps vs 8fps. More is better for sports and wildlife since you have more chances of getting a tack sharp shot.

• Video Resolution – 4K video available.

• Microphone Jack – If you’re going to record videos where audio quality is important, a microphone jack is super helpful.

• JPEG Buffer Size – 231 vs 28. Useful for long bursts.

• RAW Buffer Size – 110 vs 18.

• Built-in NFC

• Environmentally Sealed – The Sony A6500 is much more protected for shooting outdoors in difficult terrain and bad weather conditions.

• Size – The Sony A6500 is noticeably smaller.

The A6500 has a bigger sensor with 8 more megapixels, 4K video recording, way better AF system, a microphone jack and a lot bigger buffer. It’s also smaller and environmentally sealed so you can use it bad weather conditions without stressing yourself too much.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.

Olympus E-M10 II Advantages:

• AA Filter – The Olympus E-M10 II has no AA filter.

• LCD Resolution – Higher resolution.

• Viewfinder Magnification – Higher magnification.

• UHS-II – Faster writing speeds than UHS-I, but you need a memory card that can handle such speeds.

• Faster Max Shutter Speed – 1/16000 vs 1/4000.

• Max Flash Sync Speed – 1/250 vs /160.

• Weight – The Olympus E-M10 II weighs 63g less.

• Less Expensive – The E-M10 II is around $800 cheaper

The E-M10 II is a lot cheaper so that’s a big advantage if you’re looking for something affordable to start with. It has no AA filter and can accept 2 memory cards at once, and that’s mostly it.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.