OM-5vs A1 II
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
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 Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work — A1 II (2025): The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
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 II (2025)
- Professional sports and wildlife photographers who need 30fps, 50MP, and the best AF available
- Commercial and advertising photographers who demand 50MP resolution alongside pro video specs
- Photojournalists who need a single body capable of handling every assignment
- Sony system shooters ready to invest in the absolute best
Quick take: The a1 ii 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 II (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £6,500 |
| Sensor | 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.4MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 4K/120p Cinema4K | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 121 all-cross points, subject tracking | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 7.5 stops (Dual IS with compatible lenses) | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic, 10fps mechanical | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~370 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 414g body only | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 122.3 × 87.6 × 49.7mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-5 | A1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor & Adventure | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
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