OM-D E-M5 Mark IIvs OM System OM-1 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
OM System
OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Wildlife, birds & outdoor sports
View OM System OM-1 Mark II
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Wildlife, Birds & Outdoor Sports — OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024): OM System's most capable camera — 120fps AF burst, AI subject detection, and IP53 weather sealing make it the best-value pro wildlife camera.
Who should buy what
OM-D E-M5 Mark II (2015)
- Travel photographers wanting compact + weather sealing
- Outdoor and landscape shooters
- Micro Four Thirds system users
OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024)
- Wildlife and bird photographers who need the best subject tracking in MFT
- Sports photographers who want weather sealing and 50fps burst
- OM-1 owners looking for a meaningful autofocus upgrade
- Professionals who need pro-grade weather sealing in the lightest possible system
Quick take: The om system om-1 mark ii has the highest resolution at 20mp; the om-d e-m5 mark ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | OM-D E-M5 Mark II (2015) | OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 20MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS |
| Resolution | 16.0MP | 20.0MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/60p, 1080p/240p, 4K HLG |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, face detection | AI subject detection AF (birds, animals, motorsport) |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | 8.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 120fps with AF tracking |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | 520 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 417g (with battery and card) | 599g body only |
| Dimensions | 123.7 × 85.0 × 44.5mm | 134.8 × 91.6 × 72.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | 0.83" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-D E-M5 Mark II | OM System OM-1 Mark II |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Street | — | |
| Macro | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| 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