Olympus OM-D E-M5 IIIvs A1
OM System
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019)
Starting from £699 new
Best for Travel & lightweight outdoor photography
View Olympus OM-D E-M5 III
VS
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel & Lightweight Outdoor Photography — Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019): The lightest weather-sealed MFT camera — compact, travel-friendly, and capable with 7.5-stop IBIS in a body that fits in a jacket pocket.
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019)
- Travel photographers who want a compact, weather-sealed MFT body
- Outdoor photographers upgrading from the E-M10 who want better sealing
- Enthusiasts who want strong IBIS in a lightweight, portable system
- Photographers who want a capable travel camera that won't weigh them down
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Quick take: The a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp; the olympus om-d e-m5 iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Olympus OM-D E-M5 III (2019) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £699 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 20.4MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase/contrast AF with face/eye detection | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 7.5-stop 5-axis IBIS | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 10fps mechanical | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | 390 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 414g body only | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 125.3 × 85.2 × 49.7mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.35" OLED EVF, 2.36M dots | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Olympus OM-D E-M5 III | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with Olympus OM-D E-M5 III
Camera family history