OM-D E-M5 Mark IIvs A7R
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?
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.
Studio, Tripod Landscape & Camera History — A7R (2013): The world's first 36MP full-frame mirrorless — a landmark camera that launched the A7R series, despite contrast-detect AF and significant shutter shock limitations.
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
A7R (2013)
- Collectors and photographers interested in the camera that started the A7R lineage
- Studio photographers who work on a tripod and can manage contrast-detect AF
- Landscape photographers who prioritise resolution over autofocus performance
- Sony FE system users who want a historical body at a very low used price
Quick take: The a7r has the highest resolution at 36mp; the a7r 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 | OM-D E-M5 Mark II (2015) | A7R (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £349 |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) |
| Resolution | 16.0MP | 36.4MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, face detection | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | None |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 4fps |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 417g (with battery and card) | 465g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 123.7 × 85.0 × 44.5mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-D E-M5 Mark II | A7R |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Street | — | |
| Macro | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Architecture | — |
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