EOS R8vs Z5 IIvs 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
Nikon Z5 II Nikon Z5 II (2024) From £1299 Best for Full-frame value View Z5 II
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.

Full-Frame Value — Z5 II (2024): The most accessible full-frame mirrorless — dual card slots, weather sealing, and Nikon colour at a sensible price.

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

Z5 II (2024)

  • You want full-frame image quality at the lowest possible entry price
  • You shoot stills primarily — portrait, landscape, or travel
  • You're upgrading from a DSLR and want a familiar but thoroughly modern Nikon experience

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 z5 ii has the highest resolution at 24mp; the olympus om-d e-m5 iii is the most affordable; only the z5 ii, olympus om-d e-m5 iii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification EOS R8 (2023)Z5 II (2024)Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019)
Price £1,099 £1,299 £699
Sensor 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS 24.5MP Full-frame BSI CMOS 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS
Resolution 24.2MP 24.5MP 20.4MP
Video 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p 4K/30p oversampled, 1080p/120p, N-Log 4K/30p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking Phase-detect, 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) Hybrid phase/contrast AF with face/eye detection
Stabilisation None (no IBIS) 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops 7.5-stop 5-axis IBIS
Burst Rate 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic 30fps electronic / 10fps mechanical
Battery Life ~220 shots (CIPA) ~470 shots (CIPA) 390 shots (CIPA)
Weight 461g body only 700g body only 414g body only
Dimensions 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.9mm 125.3 × 85.2 × 49.7mm
Weather Sealed No Yes Yes
Viewfinder EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification 0.35" OLED EVF, 2.36M dots
Screen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen 3.2" tilting touchscreen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount Canon RF mount (full-frame) Nikon Z-mount (full-frame) Micro Four Thirds
Memory Cards Single SD UHS-II slot Dual SD UHS-II slots Single SD UHS-I
Connectivity USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
⚡ Compare specs side by side EOS R8 prices → Z5 II prices → Olympus OM-D E-M5 III prices →

Compare pairs from this group