Nikon Z9vs Olympus OM-D E-M5 III
OM System
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019)
Starting from £699 new
Best for Travel & lightweight outdoor photography
View Olympus OM-D E-M5 III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional Sports & Wildlife — Nikon Z9 (2021): The Z9 redefined what professional mirrorless could be — no mechanical shutter, 45MP stacked BSI, and 8K RAW in the most rugged Z body.
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.
Who should buy what
Nikon Z9 (2021)
- Professional sports, wildlife and photojournalism photographers
- Nikon D6 or D850 users making the final switch to mirrorless
- Those who need the fastest, most reliable AF Nikon has ever made
- Professionals who need a flagship body with no mechanical shutter
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019)
- Travel photographers who want a compact, weather-sealed MFT body
- Outdoor photographers upgrading from the E-M10 who want better sealing
- Enthusiasts who want strong IBIS in a lightweight, portable system
- Photographers who want a capable travel camera that won't weigh them down
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the olympus om-d e-m5 iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £699 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 20.4MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Hybrid phase/contrast AF with face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | 7.5-stop 5-axis IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 30fps electronic / 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | 390 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 414g body only |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 125.3 × 85.2 × 49.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | 0.35" OLED EVF, 2.36M dots |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Single SD UHS-I |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | Olympus OM-D E-M5 III |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — |
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