Z50 IIvs OM-D E-M5 Mark II
Olympus
OM-D E-M5 Mark II (2015)
Starting from £350 new
Best for Travel & Landscape
View OM-D E-M5 Mark II
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
All-Round Photography — Z50 II (2024): Nikon's updated APS-C body with 4K/60p, improved subject tracking, and a vari-angle screen — a solid all-rounder.
Travel & Landscape — OM-D E-M5 Mark II (2015): The E-M5 II was the benchmark weather-sealed travel camera of its generation. The 16MP sensor is modest by today's standards but excellent in practice, and the 5-axis IBIS is genuinely useful. Weather sealing, a flip screen, and a high-res composite mode make it a practical companion. A highly capable used-market buy for travel and outdoor photographers who don't need the latest resolution numbers.
Who should buy what
Z50 II (2024)
- Beginners stepping into the Nikon Z system wanting improved autofocus
- Content creators who want APS-C Z quality with subject detection AF
- Z50 owners who want meaningfully better AF performance for people and pets
- Travel photographers wanting a compact, capable Z body at an accessible price
OM-D E-M5 Mark II (2015)
- Travel photographers wanting compact + weather sealing
- Outdoor and landscape shooters
- Micro Four Thirds system users
Quick take: The z50 ii has the highest resolution at 21mp; the om-d e-m5 mark ii is the most affordable; only the om-d e-m5 mark ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z50 II (2024) | OM-D E-M5 Mark II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £350 |
| Sensor | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS | 16MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS |
| Resolution | 20.9MP | 16.0MP |
| Video | 4K/60p uncropped, 1080p/120p, N-Log | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 249 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) | Contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 10fps |
| Battery Life | ~330 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 385g body only | 417g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 127.0 × 96.8 × 66.5mm | 123.7 × 85.0 × 44.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z50 II | OM-D E-M5 Mark II |
|---|---|---|
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Street | — | |
| Macro | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Astrophotography | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history