Olympus vs Sony Compared at $4,000 USD.
I recently transitioned to an all-Olympus setup, and my goals were simple: I wanted durability, weather-sealed gear, lenses ranging from ultra-wide to super telephoto, and some solid primes for portrait and family photos—all within a budget of $4,000 and to maximize my value, used gear only.
After getting my gear, I got curious: what would a similar setup look like if I'd gone full-frame? To find out, I went to eBay, pulled up some items that felt comparable (given my budget), and looked at completed deals. My Olympus prices are what I personally paid (including tax and shipping), while the Sony figures are from past sales data, with shipping and tax rounded off.
Note: While I didn't match aperture values directly, full-frame sensors generally offer better noise performance at higher ISOs. This means they can deliver clearer shots even in higher ISO settings compared to MFT. Also, the depth of field at a specific aperture on a full-frame will be shallower than on MFT. To get a similar depth of field on MFT, you'd typically need a larger aperture.
Here's how the two setups compare:
| Item | Olympus Product | Olympus Price (USD) | Olympus Weight (Grams) | Sony Product | Sony Price (USD) | Sony Weight (Grams) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camera | Olympus E-M1X | $723.20 | 997 | Sony A7III | $930 | 650 |
| Teleconverter | Olympus MC-20 Teleconverter | $347.41 | 150 | Sony FE 2x Teleconverter | $450 | 207 |
| Wide-angle Lens | Olympus 7-14mm 2.8 Pro | $408.76 | 534 | Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 | $500 | 420 |
| Standard Zoom Lens | Olympus 12-40mm 2.8 Pro | $440 | 382 | Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens | $350 | 426 |
| Standard Prime | Olympus 25mm 1.2 Pro | $613.45 | 410 | Sony FE 50mm 2.5 G | $400 | 174 |
| Portrait Prime | Olympus 45mm 1.2 Pro | $613.45 | 410 | Rokinon AF 85mm f/1.4 | $460 | 568 |
| Telephoto Zoom Lens | Olympus 40-150mm 2.8 Pro | $812.15 | 760 | Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens | $1,300 | 1480 |
| Total | $3,958.42 | 3643 grams | $4,390.00 | 3925 grams |
Honestly, Sony does pretty well here. Yes, some of the Sony lenses have slower focal lengths, but the benefits of a full-frame sensor, especially in terms of depth of field and ISO performance, can't be ignored. On the flip side, Olympus offers lighter gear and better reach. And personally, I believe the E-M1X packs more features than the A7III. Had I chosen the EM1III, the scales might tip a bit more towards Olympus, but the E-M1X was too tempting to pass up.
While I genuinely appreciate my Olympus for its durability and features, it's hard to overlook what Sony offers. The E-Mount ecosystem with its huge array of lens options, the advantages of full-frame and a narrowing price gap. If Sony begins to emphasize durability and integrates more innovative features into lower priced cameras, it might become difficult to justify staying with Micro Four Thirds in the future.