OM-5vs A1
VS
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Outdoor & Adventure — OM-5 (2022): The toughest camera at this price — IP53 weather sealing and 7.5-stop IBIS built for adventure photographers.
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
OM-5 (2022)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need a compact, weather-sealed body
- Travellers who want MFT's compact size with pro-level weather protection
- E-M5 III owners upgrading to OM System's improved subject detection
- Photographers who want strong IBIS and rugged build without OM-1 pricing
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 om-5 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | OM-5 (2022) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £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/60p, 4K/120p Cinema4K | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 121 all-cross points, subject tracking | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 7.5 stops (Dual IS with compatible lenses) | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic, 10fps mechanical | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | ~370 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 414g body only | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 122.3 × 87.6 × 49.7mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | 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 | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-5 | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor & Adventure | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with OM-5
Camera family history