EOS R8vs Hasselblad X1D II 50Cvs Olympus OM-D E-M5 III

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon EOS R8 Canon EOS R8 (2023) From £1099 Best for Full-frame entry View EOS R8
VS
Hasselblad Hasselblad X1D II 50C Hasselblad Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019) From £3999 Best for Fine art, portrait & entry-level medium format View Hasselblad X1D II 50C
VS
OM System Olympus OM-D E-M5 III OM System Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019) From £699 Best for Travel & lightweight outdoor photography View Olympus OM-D E-M5 III

Which should you buy?

Full-Frame Entry — EOS R8 (2023): Canon's most affordable full-frame mirrorless — 4K/60p 10-bit and class-leading Dual Pixel AF at an accessible entry price.

Fine Art, Portrait & Entry-Level Medium Format — Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019): The most accessible Hasselblad XCD body — 50MP medium-format quality for those who cannot stretch to the X2D 100C.

Travel & Lightweight Outdoor Photography — Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019): The lightest weather-sealed MFT camera — compact, travel-friendly, and capable with 7.5-stop IBIS in a body that fits in a jacket pocket.

↓ Full specifications below

EOS R8 (2023)

  • You want full-frame image quality on a tight budget
  • You shoot mainly in good light and can live without built-in stabilisation
  • You primarily shoot stills with occasional video

Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)

  • You want Hasselblad's legendary colour rendition in a modern mirrorless body
  • You shoot portrait, landscape, or fine art photography at a professional level
  • You value the camera as an object — aesthetics and build quality matter as much as specs

Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019)

  • You want a lightweight, sealed camera for travel and outdoor photography
  • You're new to Micro Four Thirds and want a capable mid-range body with excellent stabilisation
  • Note: consider the newer OM-5 for updated specs in a similar compact form factor

Quick take: The hasselblad x1d ii 50c has the highest resolution at 50mp; the olympus om-d e-m5 iii is the most affordable; only the olympus om-d e-m5 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification EOS R8 (2023)Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019)
Price £1,099 £3,999 £699
Sensor 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS 50MP medium-format CMOS (43.8 × 32.9mm) 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS
Resolution 24.2MP 50.0MP 20.4MP
Video 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p None 4K/30p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking Contrast-detect AF Hybrid phase/contrast AF with face/eye detection
Stabilisation None (no IBIS) None 7.5-stop 5-axis IBIS
Burst Rate 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic 2.7fps 30fps electronic / 10fps mechanical
Battery Life ~220 shots (CIPA) 370 shots (CIPA) 390 shots (CIPA)
Weight 461g body only 766g body only 414g body only
Dimensions 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm 148.0 × 97.0 × 73.8mm 125.3 × 85.2 × 49.7mm
Weather Sealed No No Yes
Viewfinder EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× 0.87" OLED EVF, 3.69M dots 0.35" OLED EVF, 2.36M dots
Screen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen 3.6" touchscreen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount Canon RF mount (full-frame) Hasselblad XCD Micro Four Thirds
Memory Cards Single SD UHS-II slot Dual SD UHS-II Single SD UHS-I
Connectivity USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
⚡ Compare specs side by side EOS R8 prices → Hasselblad X1D II 50C prices → Olympus OM-D E-M5 III prices →

Compare pairs from this group