Picture quality and the general photography experience depends largely on what camera is used. In this article, we seek to compare two mirrorless type cameras: Sony a6000 vs E-M10 by looking at their similarities, differences, pros, and cons.
Our Sony a6000 vs E-M10 comparison is going to be quite a long one, so, if you need to quickly make a decision, you can quickly run through the next three sections.
However, for a more detailed and extensive review, stick with us all the way till the end.
Comparison Overview – Sony a6000 vs E-M10
This section is divided into four different subsectors to aid easy understanding.
Where Do They Both Get It Right – Sony a6000 vs E-M10 ?
One such feature is the fast speed continuous shooting of both cameras. The Sony Alpha a6000 offers you a fast shooting speed of 11.0 frames per second, while the Olympus E-M10 offers 8.0 frames per second in continuous shooting.
The two cameras under review each come with an electronic viewfinder that guarantees proper composition of images. And because images are properly composed, the likelihood of further cropping images later on is reduced.
Furthermore, both cameras come with 3-inch sized articulating screens. These are LCD screens that are not restricted to being in one fixed position. What this means is that they can be moved in several positions independent of the camera body.
This feature makes it possible to shoot from flexible positions when using either the Sony Alpha a6000 or the Olympus E-M10.
Another great feature these two cameras share is RAW support. This guarantees that images that you can get images in their uncompressed format just by shooting in the RAW format.
More so, each of these cameras – Sony a6000 vs E-M10 – comes with a built-in wireless connection. This allows for quick and easy sharing of images with compatible family and friends.
These cameras are each fitted with a built-in flash, which comes in handy in low-lighting conditions.
And even better still, they both come fitted with external flash hot shoes which give you an option to get better lighting than you get with a built-in flash.
A Sony a6000 Demonstration Video
Where Do They Both Get It Wrong – Sony a6000 vs E-M10?
The two cameras under review share some flaws which we will point out here.
One major flaw that the Sony a6000 and E-M10 share is the absence of an external microphone jack.
This is a major flaw because cameras are not just used for shooting stills, but also for shooting videos.
And, of course, one important thing to look out for in quality video production is audio quality. Having an external microphone offers the videographer high audio quality options.
Furthermore, both Sony and Olympus got it wrong in not providing these camera bodies with environmental sealing.
Because of this, shooting in tough weather conditions with these cameras will require a great deal of caution in order to prevent moisture and dust particles from getting into the camera bodies.
Also, location tracking will be really difficult when shooting with either of these two cameras, and that is because neither of them has a built-in GPS.
How Do They Differ From Each Other – Sony a6000 vs E-M10 ?
While the Sony Alpha a6000 comes with the smartphone remote control feature, the Olympus E-M10 does not.
On ease of use, the Sony a6000 falls short in that it does not have a touch screen, but the Olympus E-M10 does.
And a rather important difference is the presence of built-in stabilization in the Olympus E-M10, which is absent in the Sony Alpha a6000.
An Olympus OM-D E-M10 Demonstration Video
Which Has The Better Price-Value Ratio: Sony a6000 or E-M10?
Both the Sony a6000 and Olympus E-M10 offer about the same value for their respective prices, perhaps the a6000 just a little bit more because it is the more affordable camera. But generally, both are affordable cameras and they offer great value, too.
Brand Strength – Sony a6000 vs E-M10
Sony and Olympus are both big Japanese electronics companies. Sony, however, is the bigger brand. Anyway, these are companies that can be trusted to deliver on high-quality products.
Comparison Table — Sony a6000 vs E-M10
Sony Alpha a6000 | Olympus E-M10 | |
| Announcement date | 23rd April, 2014 | 18th March, 2014 |
| Sensor resolution | 24 mega pixels | 16 mega pixels |
| Built-in image stabilization | No | Yes |
| Weight | 344 grams | 396 grams |
| Continuous shooting | 11.0 frames per second | 8.0 frames per second |
| Battery life | 360 shots per full charge | 320 shots per full charge |
| Colour depth | 24.1 | 22.8 |
| LCD screen resolution | 922k dots | 1037k dots |
| Number of focus points | 179 | 81 |
| Flash coverage | 6.0 metres | 5.8 metres |
| Video formats | MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC Z | H.264, Motion JPEG |
| Touch screen | No | Yes |
| Smartphone remote control | Yes | No |
| NFC connectivity | Yes | No |
| DxO Mark overall score | 82 | 72 |
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera 24.3MP SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) w/16-50mm Power Zoom Lens | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black)- Body only | PrimeEligible | Buy Now |
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
What Situation Is Each Best Suited For – Sony a6000 vs E-M10 ?
Sony Alpha a6000 | Olympus E-M10 |
| Even though it lacks built-in image stabilization and environmental sealings, the Sony Alpha a6000 can still hold its own as a good sports photography camera. Its continuous shooting of 11 frames per second, a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 seconds, 179 focus points, and good low light ISO contribute to this suitability. Its body size, thickness, and sensor size make the Sony Alpha a6000 a convenient camera for daily photography. It will not be a burden to you and it will still meet your needs of amazing image quality. This camera is an acceptable camera for street photography and portrait photography. Together with the already highlighted features, its live-view feature, face detection focusing and articulating screen, contribute to its suitability. | The features of this camera also make it well suited for portrait photography. The Olympus OM-D E-M10’s sensor will give that beautiful blurry background and shallower depth of field for your portraits. Thanks to its weather-sealed body, fast continuous shooting, fast shutter speed, and 81 focus points among other features, this camera is great for outdoor photography. |
Common Features — Sony a6000 vs E-M10
Here are the features common to both the Sony a6000 and the Olympus E-M10:
i. Electronic viewfinder
ii. Articulating screen
iii. Light body weight
iv. RAW support
v. Decent burst mode speed
vi. Built-in flash
vii. External flash hot shoe
viii. Auto exposure bracketing
ix. Face detection focus
We will now discuss each of them in detail here…
Electronic Viewfinder
One major feature the Sony a6000 shares with the Olympus M-10 is the electronic viewfinder.
The part of the camera where you look through to correctly focus and compose your picture before shooting is called the viewfinder.
Shooting images with a camera that has a good viewfinder will reduce the need for cropping the images later. It is quite important to point out that viewfinders are of two types: optical and electronic.
One major difference between the two is that while the optical viewfinder shows what the lens sees, the electronic viewfinder shows what the sensor sees.
This means that the electronic viewfinder shows you exactly how the image will look after the shot has been taken.
The Sony Alpha a6000 and the Olympus E-M10 each have an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 1,440k dots and a 100% coverage.
While the Sony a6000 has a viewfinder magnification of 0.7, the E-M10 has a viewfinder magnification of 0.58.
Articulating Screen
The articulating screen is another feature that is shared between the two cameras under review. A screen is articulating when it can be turned in several directions independent of the camera body.
An articulating screen affords you flexible shooting positions. Both the Sony a6000 and the Olympus E-M10 have a 3 inch-size tilting screen.
Light Bodyweight
The average body weight of mirrorless type cameras is 422 grams. Hence, it is safe to declare that these camera are lightweight cameras with weights of 344 grams and 396 grams, respectively.
Their weight makes either of them a great choice for travels and vacations. Their thickness of 45 millimetres and 46 millimetres respectively contribute to their portability.
The quality of the images produced by them makes them little-sized treasures.
RAW Support
The two cameras under review have RAW support. When you shoot in RAW, the images are stored as uncompressed files that contain minimally processed image data from the camera’s image sensor.
This means that the images are stored such that no data will be lost for post-processing. When you shoot in JPEG, however, the stored images are already compressed, and so, have lost a lot of image data.
It is, however, important to point out that RAW files are usually larger than JPEG files. And you will have to process the RAW files and convert them to JPEG or other suitable image formats before they can be printed or shared online.
Continuous Shooting
As with most other cameras in the market, the Sony a6000 and Olympus E-M10 allow continuous shooting.
Continuous shooting enables you to take several shots in quick succession within a specific time frame before you release the shutter button.
This is a great feature for any type of photography, as it gives you several opportunities to capture the best possible shot of people or objects in motion.
The a6000 offers you 11.0 frames per second, while the E-M10 affords you 8.0 frames per second of continuous shooting.
Built-In Flash
The built-in flash of a camera comes in handy when you have to shoot in low-lighting conditions, especially when carrying an external flash would be too much work.
It is, however, noteworthy that the built-in flash is not exactly the best your camera can do in low light. With an external flash, you are able to do much better.
External Flash Hot Shoe
If you are not satisfied with what you get from the built-in flash, it would benefit you to make plans for an external flash.
These cameras – Sony a6000 vs E-M10 – are each fitted with an external flash hot shoe. This is exactly where the external flash will be mounted.
Also, if you are a flash photography enthusiast, you know this is super good news.
Auto Exposure Bracketing
When shooting in tricky lighting conditions, it might be difficult to set the best exposure for your image.
In such a situation, exposure bracketing would be needed to save the situation. Exposure bracketing entails shooting one image at a particular exposure, and then two other images at two adjusted exposures.
Exposure bracketing can be automatically set up on cameras that come with the automatic exposure bracketing (AEB) feature.
In this regard, both cameras are great choices, as they come with this feature. With automatic exposure bracketing, you can set the width of the three shots to be taken.
This way, the first shot taken will be in the set exposure, while the second shot will be underexposed by the number of stops set. And the third shot will be overexposed by the number of stops set.
Face Detection Focusing
The a6000 and E-M10 feature the face detection autofocusing system.
A camera with this feature will automatically set its focus and exposure for a shot immediately it detects human faces within the frame.
This feature makes both the Sony Alpha a6000 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 great choices for shooting portraits and for filming people.
How Different Are They From Each Other – Sony a6000 vs E-M10?
Which can be remote controlled with a smartphone: a6000 or E-M10?
The Sony a6000 has the feature which makes it possible for you to control it with a smartphone. With the smartphone, you can shoot, record, and even change settings. It is a really fun function to use and can come really handy sometimes, too.
Which allows for a one touch wireless connection: a6000 or E-M10?
The Sony Alpha a6000 comes with the near field communication feature that facilitates easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices simply by touching them together. The Olympus OM-D E-M10 does not come with this feature.
Which comes with image stabilization: a6000 or E-M10?
The Olympus E-M10 has a built-in sensor-shift image stabilizer which stabilizes all the camera’s lenses, but the Sony Alpha a6000 has none. The built-in image stabilization reduces the likelihood of shooting blurry images caused by movements or vibrations in camera position by automatically stabilizing the camera’s lenses.
Which has a touch screen: a6000 or E-M10?
The Olympus E-M10 has a touch-sensitive screen, the Sony a6000 does not have this feature. For ease of use, having a camera with a touch screen is desirable.
Which has the higher sensor resolution: a6000 or E-M10?
While the Sony a6000 has a pretty impressive maximum sensor resolution of 24 mega pixels, the Olympus E-M10 falls short with its 16 mega pixel Four-Thirds CMOS sensor. The Sony a6000 is designed with an APS-C sized CMOS sensor, which features the BIONZ X processor. While the Olympus E-M10’s Four-Thirds sized CMOS sensor features the TruePic VII processor.
The 8.0 mega pixel difference does not in any way make the Olympus E-M10 inadequate, as its sensor can comfortably capture images that will appear well on large prints while displaying good enough details.
We all know there is much hype about the mega pixels of a camera. It is important to state here that megapixels should be a criterion for selection of a camera basically when you are certain about the sizes of images you intend to print and how much cropping you will be doing.
This is because a larger image size will cause whatever sharpness or fineness that was lost as a result of blowing up an image or cropping it to be more noticeable.
Ideally, with a camera with a 16.0 mega pixel sensor, any print that is 16 by 12 or smaller will look really good, while a 24.0 mega pixel sensor camera will produce awesome high-quality prints at 20 x 30 or smaller.
Which has more focus points: a6000 or E-M10?
Both the Sony a6000 and the Olympus E-M10 come with automatic focusing systems that guarantee the speed and accuracy of the cameras’ focusing. They, however, differ in the number of focus points that they offer. While the Sony Alpha a6000 offers 179 focus points to choose from, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 offers 81.
What Are The Unique Pros Of Each Camera –Sony a6000 vs E-M10 ?
What are the Pros of the Sony a6000?
- Sony Alpha a6000 has an APS-C sized sensor, which is larger than the Olympus OM-D E-M10’s Four Thirds sensor. This means that the Sony Alpha a6000 has a larger sensor area than the Olympus OM-D E-M10.
- The smartphone remote control is present in the Sony Alpha a6000, and not in the Olympus OM-D E-M10.
- Of the two cameras, only the Sony Alpha a6000 comes with near field communication.
- The Sony Alpha a6000 allows you to shoot movie-type 24p video.
- Of the two cameras under review, the Sony Alpha a6000 has a higher sensor resolution.
- At 0.7, the Sony Alpha a6000 has more viewfinder magnification than the Olympus OM-D E-M10’s 0.58.
A Sony Alpha a6000 Demonstration Video
What are the Pros of the Olympus OM-D E-M10?
- Only one of the two cameras under review has a built-in image stabilizer which helps to stabilize its lenses. The Olympus E-M10 is the camera with this advantage.
- The E-M10 has a touch-sensitive LCD screen which makes menu controls easier.
- Of the two cameras under review, the E-M10 has the higher resolution screen at 1037k dots as against the Sony’s 922k dots.
An Olympus E-M10 Demonstration Video
What Are The Unique Cons Of Each Camera – Sony a6000 vs E-M10 ?
What are the Cons of the Sony Alpha a6000?
- The Sony a6000 does not come with a touch-sensitive LCD screen.
- There is the absence of built-in image stabilization in the a6000.
- Of the two cameras under review, the a6000 has the lower resolution screen.
What are the Cons of the Olympus E-M10?
- This camera does not come with the smartphone control feature.
- Although it has wireless connectivity, the E-M10 does not come with near field communication.
- Unlike the a6000, the E-M10 does not have on-sensor phase detection.
Check out these other articles:
- Sony a7ii Vs Nikon D750 – Which Is Better for You?
- Sony Alpha a5000 vs Canon EOS M3 – Detailed Review
- 47 Ways To Make Money With/In Photography
- Sony a7 Vs E-m1 – Detailed Comparison
- Sony a6000 vs GX7 – Detailed Comparison
- Sony a6000 vs Olympus OM-D E-M5 – Detailed Comparison
What Pros Are Common To Both Cameras – Sony a6000 vs E-M10 ?
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Sony Alpha a6000 | Olympus E-M10 |
| Articulating screen | The Sony Alpha a6000 comes with a flip-out screen that allows for some level of flexible shooting positions. | The Olympus E-M10 also has a 3-inch sized flip-out screen. |
| Built-in flash | The built-in flash of the a6000 can come in handy when shooting in low-light conditions. The camera has a flash coverage of 6.0 metres. | The flash coverage of the E-M10’s built-in flash is 5.8 metres. |
| Electronic viewfinder | The Sony a6000 comes with a 1440k dot electronic viewfinder that allows you properly compose pictures. | This camera comes with an OLED 2359k dot electronic viewfinder. |
| External flash shoe | The a6000 comes with an external flash shoe that provides flash support. | The E-M10 also makes room for external flash support as it comes with an external flash shoe. |
| Built-in wireless connection | The Sony a6000 has been built for better connectivity as this camera comes with a wireless connection. | The E-M10 also has a built-in wireless connection available. |
| Automatic exposure bracketing | The a6000’s automatic exposure bracketing makes it an efficient tool for shooting in tough lighting conditions. | This camera also comes with the auto exposure bracketing. This feature comes in handy when shooting high dynamic range (HDR) and in tough lighting conditions. |
| Face detection focusing | The face detection automatic focusing system is a feature that makes this camera great for shooting portraits and filming people. | The face detection feature on Olympus E-M10 also makes it a great choice for shooting images and videos with a lot of people in it. |
| RAW support | The RAW support feature of the a6000 allows you to store your images as uncompressed files. | The RAW support of the Sony E-M10 guarantees no loss of image data as images are stored unprocessed. |
What Cons Are Common To Both Cameras – Sony a6000 vs E-M10 ?
Sony Alpha a6000 | Olympus E-M10 | |
| Environmental sealing | Without a weather sealing, the Sony a6000 has no added protection against tough weather conditions. | Extra caution needs to be taken when shooting with the Olympus E-M10, as its body has no environmental sealing. |
| Battery life | The Sony a6000 has a barely average battery life of 360 shots per full charge for a camera of its class. | The E-M10 has a battery life that affords only 320 shots per full charge. This is well below what is expected from a camera of its class. |
| External microphone jack | Having an external microphone jack provides you with an opportunity to improve your video’s audio quality. Unfortunately, this feature is absent on the Sony a6000. | There is also the absence of an external microphone jack on the E-M10. |
| Built-in GPS | A built-in GPS is absent in the Sony a6000. | The E-M10 has no built-in GPS, so, it cannot be relied on to track the locations of shots taken. |
| Headphone jack | Sony did not arrange a headphone jack when producing the Sony a6000. | This camera is also not fitted with a headphone jack. |
What Do People Think About Both – Sony a6000 vs E-M10 ?
Sony Alpha a6000 | Olympus E-M10 |
| The first thing noticed by users was the impressive light weight of the Sony a6000’s body. Users were proud of the quality of pictures this camera produces, and many seemed to agree that the Sony Alpha a6000 was an excellent travel companion due to its size and production. | A lot of users were satisfied with the quality of images produced with the Olympus EM10. |
| A huge number exclaimed that they did not know they were getting a camera with a pop-up flash and were delighted when they made the discovery. | Just like the menu of the Sony camera, users had mixed reactions for that of the E-M10. All found it challenging, some immediately took to learning, while some were put off. |
| The battery life of the Sony a6000 was the cause of complaint about a lot of users. They felt 360 shots per single charge was quite poor. However, due to the satisfaction gotten from the camera’s production, a lot of users did not mind purchasing extra batteries. Some users suggested that the camera be put on “Airplane mode” when not in use to prevent further draining of the battery. | Users considered the battery life of the Olympus E-M10 to be all too poor. And just like its counterpart in today’s comparison, this camera’s battery’s performance made users look for backup plans so they could keep enjoying it. |
| There are mixed feelings about this camera’s menu. While some users found the gigantic menu to be a huge put-off, other users found the menu intuitive. | The image stabilization feature on its body made a lot of users delighted to go on daring shooting sprees. |
| The general opinion is that the Sony a6000 is a great camera for its price, despite the flaws pointed out. | Generally, the word on the street is that the Olympus E-M10 gave exactly what it promised, and at a great price too. |
What’s Our Take On Them – Sony a6000 vs E-M10?
Sony Alpha a6000 | Olympus E-M10 |
| For us, the Sony a6000 is the winner in this mirrorless camera contest. This camera is highly functional, user friendly, compact, and still affordable. What a lovely combo! | Both cameras have pros and cons. However, the Olympus E-M10 is the less expensive one and has a great LCD screen that is touch sensitive. Depending on what your needs are, this could be a great choice for you. We would particularly recommend this camera for creative shooting and events photography. |
Sony a6000 vs E-M10 — FAQs
Is the Sony a6000 good for filming?
The Sony a6000 is good for recording videos, but for filming? No! This camera shoots full HD and surely that is not enough for filmmaking. For filmmaking, your camera ideally needs to be able to shoot 4K DCI, or at least, 4K UHD. The a6000 falls short, so, we won’t recommend this for filming.
Also, the Sony a6000 is not compatible with external microphones, and as a filmmaker, you know that that is not an area where you can make compromises. For a good film, you need the best video and audio quality, and in both departments, the a6000 just does not measure up.
Is the Sony a6000 still worth it?
The Sony a6000 was launched in April 2014, and many years later, this camera is still worth buying. It has a 24 mega pixel APS-C CMOS sensor and comes with most of the latest modern technology; built-in Wi-Fi, near field communication, smartphone remote control, an articulating screen, and UHS compatibility.
The a6000 also has a pretty impressive 11 frames per second burst mode speed, a 1440k dot electronic viewfinder, and it boasts of a pretty laudable low light performance. This camera offers all these and more for just a little more than 500 dollars, so, surely, it is a good bargain.
Is the Olympus E-M10 good for photography?
The Olymous E-M10 will be doing a pretty decent job at amateur wedding photography; major thanks to the built-in image stabilization that will help you get good photos in spite of your many movements. Also, with 8 frames per second in continuous shooting, it will be doing pretty good in amateur sports photography.
If you are looking to get creative, the E-M10 supports that with its in-camera time-lapse app and smartphone remote control function. And it is lightweight, so, of course, it is a convenient camera for daily photography and to take with you on tours, hikes, walks, and all such activities.
Is the Olympus E-M10 good for beginners?
The Olympus E-M10 is a good camera to get for a beginner. First of all, it does not cost so much, so, it can fit into a tight budget. Secondly, it is an easy camera to use. Its touch sensitive screen makes it even easier for you to navigate through the menu and functions. Using this camera will feel sort of like using your smartphone.
Another reason this is a good choice for beginners is that it is handy. It weighs less than a pound, so, no one will have trouble taking this along with them everywhere to capture precious moments with family and friends.
Is the Olympus E-M10 good for video?
The Olympus E-M10 will be producing videos with good quality. This camera shoots full HD, and if your videos are going to end up on YouTube — or anywhere on the internet really — this is sufficient quality.
Anyway, you might encounter some challenges if you have to record out in the open as the E-M10 does not allow you make use of external microphones. So, you will have to depend entirely on the built-in microphone of this camera which you can’t trust — not even one bit — to do away with background noise.
Does the Olympus E-M10 have wireless connectivity?
The Olympus E-M10 comes with built-in Wi-Fi. So, transferring your files away from this camera won’t be so stressful. It, however, cannot guarantee you a one touch wireless connection as it does not feature near field communication technology.
The Olympus E-M10 also does not come with Bluetooth, but that should not be much of a problem as the Wi-Fi will have you pretty much covered. And thanks to it, you can connect your smartphone and use it as a remote controlling device for this camera. Cool, isn’t it?
