OM-5vs A7C
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.
Compact Travel & Content Creation — A7C (2020): The A7C proves full-frame doesn't have to be bulky. Excellent battery life, reliable Eye AF and a vari-angle screen in a pocketable body is a compelling combination for travel and content creators. The A7C II improved on it, but the original remains a strong value buy.
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
A7C (2020)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame in the smallest possible body
- Content creators who need a flip screen and reliable Eye AF
- Photographers upgrading from APS-C who want to keep a compact kit
- Vloggers who need 4K and great battery life on the road
Quick take: The a7c has the highest resolution at 24mp; the om-5 is the most affordable; only the om-5 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | OM-5 (2022) | A7C (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £1,299 |
| Sensor | 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.4MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 4K/120p Cinema4K | 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 121 all-cross points, subject tracking | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 7.5 stops (Dual IS with compatible lenses) | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic, 10fps mechanical | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~370 shots (CIPA) | ~740 shots (CIPA) — outstanding for a Sony mirrorless |
| Weight | 414g body only | 509g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 122.3 × 87.6 × 49.7mm | 124.0 × 71.1 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | None built-in — use rear screen or accessory EVF |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Single SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-5 | A7C |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor & Adventure | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Street | — |
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