Canon EOS M vs Olympus E-M1

Cameras
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Canon EOS M vs Olympus E-M1

APS-C 332.3mm²
18.0 megapixels
ISO 100 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Canon EOS M Review.
How does it shoot? Canon EOS M in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the EOS M.
Compare Canon EOS M image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon EOS M conclusion.

4/3 224.9mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M1 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M1.

Succeeded by the Canon EOS M3
Compare EOS M vs EOS M3

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M1 II
Compare E-M1 vs E-M1 II

Compare CANON EOS M3 vs OLYMPUS E-M1 II

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Differences

Canon EOS M advantages over Olympus E-M1

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Thinner
32 mm vs 63 mm
Thinner
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos

Olympus E-M1 advantages over Canon EOS M

Lens selection
Excellent vs Limited
Better lens selection gives you more options
Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 2.7 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
E-M1 test data on DxO Mark EOS M test data on DxO Mark

12.7 vs 11.2 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

350 vs 230 shots
Capture more photos
Higher max flash sync
1/320 vs 1/200 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.74 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
9.9 fps vs 4.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
50 vs 13 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.9 fps vs 4.4 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
50 vs 6 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Touchscreen
Both provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
On-sensor phase detect
Both provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read EOS M User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read E-M1 User Reviews

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Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 12-40mm Lens

Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality similar to Rebel T4i, T5i and SL1 DSLRs, with 18-megapixel APS-C-type sensor delivering considerable resolution for a mirrorless camera; Solid build and sleek design; Bright, high-resolution 3-inch LCD touchscreen monitor; Full 1080p HD video recording that's virtually silent with an STM lens.
Barely acceptable autofocus speed still lags far behind most mirrorless cameras despite firmware update fix; Limited physical controls and buttons, including no Program, Priority, or Manual on Mode dial; Lacks built-in flash or electronic viewfinder option; Only two compact EF-M mount lenses currently available.
Read our Canon EOS M Review

Exceptional rugged, weather-proof, professional build; Lightning fast contrast-detect AF, and phase-detect AF that makes Four Thirds lenses far more responsive; Tons of useful physical controls with immense customizability; Arguably the best image quality of any Micro Four Thirds camera we've tested to date; Large, sharp, high-resolution electronic viewfinder; Advanced Wi-Fi capabilities, including remote control shooting in PASM exposure modes.
Bigger and heavier than many other compact system cameras; Most expensive Micro Four Thirds camera on the market to date; Menu system and customization options have a steep learning curve; No optical low-pass filter means greater risk of moire; No built-in flash.
Read our Olympus E-M1 Review

The Competition

Compared to Olympus E-M5

Canon EOS M

Olympus E-M5

$600
APS-C

Larger sensor
On-sensor phase detect

$900
4/3

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Canon EOS M vs Olympus E-M5

Olympus E-M1

Olympus E-M5

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
Fast startup

$900
4/3

Less expensive
Thinner

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus E-M5

Compared to Sony NEX-C3

Canon EOS M

Sony NEX-C3

$600
APS-C

Touchscreen
On-sensor phase detect

$559
APS-C

Lens selection
In-camera panoramas

Compare Canon EOS M vs Sony NEX-C3

Olympus E-M1

Sony NEX-C3

$1099
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$559
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Sony NEX-C3

Compared to Sony NEX-5N

Canon EOS M

Sony NEX-5N

$600
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

$700
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M vs Sony NEX-5N

Olympus E-M1

Sony NEX-5N

$1099
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Sony NEX-5N

Compared to Sony NEX-5R

Canon EOS M

Sony NEX-5R

$600
APS-C

Less expensive
External Mic Jack

$499
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Canon EOS M vs Sony NEX-5R

Olympus E-M1

Sony NEX-5R

$1099
4/3

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$499
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Sony NEX-5R

Compared to Panasonic GH4

Canon EOS M

Panasonic GH4

$600
APS-C

Larger sensor
On-sensor phase detect

$898
4/3

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Canon EOS M vs Panasonic GH4

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic GH4

$1099
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
On-sensor phase detect

$898
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic GH4

Compare Other Cameras?