Upgrade Guide

Olympus OM-D E-M1→Olympus OM-D E-M5

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Olympus

OM-D E-M1

£104 used

2013

→

Upgrade to

Olympus

OM-D E-M5

£40 used (-£63)

2012

❌

Skip it

The OM-D E-M5 offers little measurable spec improvement over the OM-D E-M1. Spend the money on glass instead.

Unchanged or similar

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.

Full spec comparison

Spec	OM-D E-M1	OM-D E-M5
Price	£104 used	£40 used
Released	2013	2012	↓
Sensor	16.3MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS	16.1MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS
Resolution	16MP	16MP	↓
Video	Full HD 1080p/30	Full HD 1080/60i
Autofocus	Dual Fast AF: 37-point on-sensor phase detect + 81-area contrast AF, face and eye detection	Contrast-detect AF, 35 areas, face and eye detection
Stabilisation	5-axis in-body stabilisation, 4 stops (CIPA)	5-axis in-body stabilisation
Burst Rate	10fps (6.5fps with continuous AF)	9fps	↓
Battery Life	~350 shots (CIPA)	~360 shots (CIPA)	↑
Weight	497g (with battery)	425g (with battery)	↑
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	OLED EVF, 2.36M dots, 1.48x	EVF, 1.44M dots
Screen	3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots	3.0" tilting OLED touch screen, 610k dots
Mount	Micro Four Thirds	Micro Four Thirds
Memory Cards	Single SD slot	Single SD slot

Compare side-by-side

See OM-D E-M1 and OM-D E-M5 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

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