Upgrade Guide

Olympus OM-D E-M5→Olympus OM-D E-M1

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

You own

Olympus

OM-D E-M5

£40 used

2012

→

Upgrade to

Olympus

OM-D E-M1

£104 used (+£63)

2013

⚖️

Situational

One clear hardware improvement over the OM-D E-M5. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.

What's new in the OM-D E-M1

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

Compare side-by-side

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

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the OM-D E-M1 against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the OM-D E-M5

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Camera family history