OM-D E-M5 Mark IIvs Pentax K-3 Mark III
Olympus
OM-D E-M5 Mark II (2015)
Starting from £350 new
Best for Travel & Landscape
View OM-D E-M5 Mark II
Pentax
Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
Starting from £1699 new
Best for DSLR enthusiasts & outdoor photographers
View Pentax K-3 Mark III
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.
Dslr Enthusiasts & Outdoor Photographers — Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021): The finest APS-C DSLR ever made — class-leading weather sealing, optical viewfinder, 5-axis IBIS, and extraordinary build for photographers committed to DSLR.
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
Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
- DSLR photographers who want the finest APS-C optical viewfinder experience
- Outdoor and weather photographers who need robust all-weather sealing
- Pentax lens owners who want to use their existing K-mount glass
- Photographers who prefer optical viewfinders and refuse to switch to mirrorless
Quick take: The pentax k-3 mark iii has the highest resolution at 26mp; 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) | Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 25.7MP APS-C BSI CMOS (AA-filterless) |
| Resolution | 16.0MP | 25.7MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, face detection | SAFOX 13 phase-detect, 101-point (25 cross-type) |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | 5.5-stop 5-axis IBIS (Shake Reduction III) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 12fps |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | 800 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 417g (with battery and card) | 820g body only |
| Dimensions | 123.7 × 85.0 × 44.5mm | 134.5 × 103.5 × 73.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.05× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Pentax KF-mount |
| 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 | Pentax K-3 Mark III |
|---|---|---|
| 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