OM-D E-M5 Mark IIvs ZV-E1
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.
Video Creators, Vloggers & Filmmakers — ZV-E1 (2023): Full-frame video quality in a vlogging body — exceptional low-light performance and a genuinely compact form factor.
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
ZV-E1 (2023)
- Video creators who want full-frame low-light quality in a compact body
- Vloggers stepping up from APS-C who prioritise image quality over resolution
- Filmmakers who want S-Log3 and cinematic colour in a run-and-gun package
- A7S III users who want the same sensor in a smaller, lighter body
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; 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) | ZV-E1 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 16.0MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/60p (S-Cinetone, S-Log3), 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, face detection | Real-time Tracking AF with subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | IBIS — Active Mode for video |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 10fps |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~570 shots (CIPA) / ~105 min video |
| Weight | 417g (with battery and card) | 483g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 123.7 × 85.0 × 44.5mm | 121.4 × 71.6 × 54.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | None — screen only |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm mic, Multi-Interface Shoe |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-D E-M5 Mark II | ZV-E1 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Street | ||
| Macro | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Portrait | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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