OM-D E-M5 Mark IIvs A7S II
Olympus
OM-D E-M5 Mark II (2015)
Starting from £350 new
Best for Travel & Landscape
View OM-D E-M5 Mark II
Sony
A7S II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Low-light video, documentary & available-light filmmaking
View A7S 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.
Low-Light Video, Documentary & Available-Light Filmmaking — A7S II (2015): A landmark in mirrorless history — the first Sony with IBIS and internal 4K, its low-light video capability still impresses today at a used-market price.
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
A7S II (2015)
- Filmmakers and videographers who want legendary low-light performance at a used-price discount
- Documentary shooters working in unpredictable available light conditions
- A7S III shooters who want a second Sony FE body for backup or B-camera use
- Budget-conscious video producers who want full-frame 4K with S-Log at an accessible price
Quick take: The om-d e-m5 mark ii has the highest resolution at 16mp; 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) | A7S II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £799 |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 16.0MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, face detection | 169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 5fps continuous |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 417g (with battery and card) | 584g body only |
| Dimensions | 123.7 × 85.0 × 44.5mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD UHS-I slots |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth (via app), Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-D E-M5 Mark II | A7S II |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Street | ||
| Macro | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Sports | — |
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