OM-D E-M5 Mark IIvs FX3
Olympus
OM-D E-M5 Mark II (2015)
Starting from £350 new
Best for Travel & Landscape
View OM-D E-M5 Mark II
Sony
FX3 (2021)
Starting from £3799 new
Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking
View FX3
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.
Professional Video, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking — FX3 (2021): The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.
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
FX3 (2021)
- Professional videographers and filmmakers who need cinema-quality colour science in a compact body
- Documentary and run-and-gun shooters who need 4K/120p and built-in XLR audio
- Sony A7S III owners who want a purpose-built video body alongside their stills camera
- Gimbal and drone operators who need a compact full-frame cinema camera
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) | FX3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £3,799 |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) |
| Resolution | 16.0MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, face detection | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~640 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 417g (with battery and card) | 715g body only (with XLR handle) |
| Dimensions | 123.7 × 85.0 × 44.5mm | 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | None — monitor/external EVF use only |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi | USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-D E-M5 Mark II | FX3 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Street | ||
| Macro | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Wedding | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with OM-D E-M5 Mark II
Camera family history