EOS R8vs Olympus OM-D E-M5 IIIvs OM-5

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon EOS R8 Canon EOS R8 (2023) From £1099 Best for Full-frame entry View EOS R8
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
VS
OM System OM-5 OM System OM-5 (2022) From £899 Best for Outdoor & adventure View OM-5

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.

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.

Outdoor & Adventure — OM-5 (2022): The toughest camera at this price — IP53 weather sealing and 7.5-stop IBIS built for adventure photographers.

↓ 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

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

OM-5 (2022)

  • You need weather sealing and in-body stabilisation in a compact, lightweight body
  • You hike, travel, or shoot outdoors and want serious protection without the weight penalty
  • You're in the MFT ecosystem and want a step up in capability from entry-level bodies

Quick take: The eos r8 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the olympus om-d e-m5 iii is the most affordable; only the olympus om-d e-m5 iii, om-5 are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification EOS R8 (2023)Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019)OM-5 (2022)
Price £1,099 £699 £899
Sensor 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS
Resolution 24.2MP 20.4MP 20.4MP
Video 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p 4K/30p, 1080p/120p 4K/60p, 4K/120p Cinema4K
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking Hybrid phase/contrast AF with face/eye detection Phase-detect, 121 all-cross points, subject tracking
Stabilisation None (no IBIS) 7.5-stop 5-axis IBIS 5-axis IBIS, 7.5 stops (Dual IS with compatible lenses)
Burst Rate 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic 30fps electronic / 10fps mechanical 30fps electronic, 10fps mechanical
Battery Life ~220 shots (CIPA) 390 shots (CIPA) ~370 shots (CIPA)
Weight 461g body only 414g body only 414g body only
Dimensions 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm 125.3 × 85.2 × 49.7mm 122.3 × 87.6 × 49.7mm
Weather Sealed No Yes Yes
Viewfinder EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× 0.35" OLED EVF, 2.36M dots EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification
Screen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount Canon RF mount (full-frame) Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds
Memory Cards Single SD UHS-II slot Single SD UHS-I Dual SD UHS-II slots
Connectivity USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
⚡ Compare specs side by side EOS R8 prices → Olympus OM-D E-M5 III prices → OM-5 prices →

Compare pairs from this group