Upgrade Guide
Olympus OM-D E-M1→Olympus OM-D E-M1X
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The OM-D E-M1X improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most OM-D E-M1 owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the OM-D E-M1X
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Resolution20MP vs 16MP (+4MP)
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Burst rate60fps (18fps with continuous AF) vs 10fps (6.5fps with continuous AF)
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Battery life~870 shots (CIPA) vs ~350 shots (CIPA)
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Generation6 years newer (2019 vs 2013)
Unchanged or similar
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Weather sealingNot present in new body
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | OM-D E-M1 | OM-D E-M1X | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.1 | ||
| Street | -0.6 | ||
| Travel | -1.0 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +2.2 | ||
| Documentary | +0.7 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.7 | ||
| Landscape | +0.6 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.0 | ||
| Casual | -0.1 | ||
| Food | +1.0 | ||
| Macro | -0.9 | ||
| Architecture | +1.7 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.6 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Filmmaking | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | OM-D E-M1 | OM-D E-M1X | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £104 used | £479 used | |
| Released | 2013 | 2019 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 16.3MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS | 20.4MP Four Thirds Live MOS | |
| Resolution | 16MP | 20MP | ↑ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/30 | 4K/30p, C4K/24p, Full HD 120p | |
| Autofocus | Dual Fast AF: 37-point on-sensor phase detect + 81-area contrast AF, face and eye detection | 121-point cross-type on-sensor phase detect + contrast, Intelligent Subject Detection | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis in-body stabilisation, 4 stops (CIPA) | Sensor-shift in-body stabilisation | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps (6.5fps with continuous AF) | 60fps (18fps with continuous AF) | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA) | ~870 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 497g (with battery) | 997g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | OLED EVF, 2.36M dots, 1.48x | EVF, 100% coverage, 1.48-1.65x (50 mm lens) | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Dual SD slots |
Compare side-by-side
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See OM-D E-M1 and OM-D E-M1X next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
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