Upgrade Guide
Olympus OM-D E-M1→Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The OM-D E-M1 Mark II improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most OM-D E-M1 owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the OM-D E-M1 Mark II
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Resolution20MP vs 16MP (+4MP)
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Burst rate60fps (18fps with continuous AF) vs 10fps (6.5fps with continuous AF)
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Battery life~440 shots (CIPA) vs ~350 shots (CIPA)
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Generation3 years newer (2016 vs 2013)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | OM-D E-M1 | OM-D E-M1 Mark II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.5 | ||
| Street | -0.1 | ||
| Travel | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.5 | ||
| Documentary | +0.9 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.6 | ||
| Landscape | +1.0 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.0 | ||
| Casual | +0.2 | ||
| Food | +0.7 | ||
| Macro | +0.6 | ||
| Architecture | +1.4 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.1 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Filmmaking | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | OM-D E-M1 | OM-D E-M1 Mark II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £179 | £396 | |
| Released | 2013 | 2016 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 16.3MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS | 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS | |
| Resolution | 16MP | 20MP | ↑ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/30 | C4K/24p, 4K/30p, Full HD 1080p/60 | |
| Autofocus | Dual Fast AF: 37-point on-sensor phase detect + 81-area contrast AF, face and eye detection | 121-point all cross-type on-sensor phase detect + contrast AF, face and eye detection | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis in-body stabilisation, 4 stops (CIPA) | 5-axis in-body stabilisation, 5.5 stops (CIPA) | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps (6.5fps with continuous AF) | 60fps (18fps with continuous AF) | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA) | ~440 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 497g (with battery) | 574g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | OLED EVF, 2.36M dots, 1.48x | OLED EVF, 2.36M dots, 1.48x | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Dual SD slots |
Compare side-by-side
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