OM-D E-M5 Mark IIvs OM-3
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-3 (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Travel, outdoor & adventure photography
View OM-3
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.
Travel, Outdoor & Adventure Photography — OM-3 (2024): The ideal mid-range OM System camera — weather sealed, class-leading IBIS, and superb computational features in a compact body.
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-3 (2024)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need weather sealing and compact size
- Wildlife and bird photographers wanting improved AF over the OM-5
- Travel shooters who want a rugged, lightweight MFT system
- OM-5 or E-M5 III owners wanting better autofocus without going to the OM-1
Quick take: The om-3 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-3 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £999 |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds |
| Resolution | 16.0MP | 20.4MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, face detection | Phase-detect AF — subject recognition (human, animal, bird, vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | IBIS — up to 6.5 stops (7.5 stops with Sync IS lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic with AF |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 417g (with battery and card) | 414g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 123.7 × 85.0 × 44.5mm | 122.3 × 84.6 × 49.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification |
| 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 | Single SD UHS-II slot |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-D E-M5 Mark II | OM-3 |
|---|---|---|
| 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