Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

    75
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    Highlights

    • 16.1 MP Micro Four Thirds MOS Sensor
    • 200 - 25,600 Native ISO
    • 81 Focus Points
    • 5-Axis Image Stabilization
    • 3.0" 1,037k dot Fully Articulated Screen
    • 2,360k dot Electronic Viewfinder
    • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
    • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
    • 30 min Video Recording Limit
    • Built-In Wi-Fi
    • Wheather Sealed Body
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    Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

    Overview

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II was announced in 2015 and is a Micro Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) Mirrorless camera with 16.1 Megapixel MOS sensor. Its native ISO ranges from 200 to 25,600 and expands to 100 - 25,600 in boosted mode. The camera has a Fully Articulated 3.0" screen with 1,037k dot resolution and built-in Electronic viewfinder with 2,360k dot resolution. It has a built-in 5-Axis Sensor Shift in body image stabilization.

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II can capture video up to 1920 x 1080 resolution.


    Here is the Olympus OM-D series lineup, where you can view and compare the main specifications of the cameras within the same series.

    Olympus OM-D series lineup
    Model Date Sensor Native ISO Screen Price
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV August
    2020
    20.3 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    1,040k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M1 III February
    2020
    20.4 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Articulated 3.0"
    1,037k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M5 III October
    2019
    20.4 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Articulated 3.0"
    1,040k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M1X January
    2019
    20.4 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Articulated 3.0"
    1,037k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M10 III August
    2017
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    1,040k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M1 II September
    2016
    20.3 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Articulated 3.0"
    1,037k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M10 II August
    2015
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    1,040k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M5 II February
    2015
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Articulated 3.0"
    1,037k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M10 March
    2014
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    1,037k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M1 October
    2013
    16.3 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    1,037k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus OM-D E-M5 April
    2012
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    610k dot
    Touchscreen

    You can view their side-by-side comparison here: Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV vs OM-D E-M1 Mark III vs OM-D E-M5 Mark III vs OM-D E-M1X vs OM-D E-M10 Mark III vs OM-D E-M1 Mark II.

    Pros and Cons

    In this section we present pros and cons of Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II.

    PROS

    •   Cheap
    •   Video Capture
    •   81 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Live View Autofocus
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Fully Articulated Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Live Composition
    •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
    •   Webcam Functionality
    •   HDMI Output
    •   Built-In Wi-Fi
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Light - 469 g (1.03 lb / 16.54 oz)
    •   USB Charging
    •   Orientation Sensor

    CONS

    •   Small Sensor
    •   200 Lowest Native ISO
    •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
    •   Low Video Recording Limit
    •   No Headphone Output
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   No Built-In Bluetooth
    •   Short Battery Life - 310 shots

    And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

    AVERAGE

    •   Sensor Resolution - 16.1 Megapixel
    •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot
    •   Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) - 1/16000 sec
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
    •   DxO Overall Score - 73

    Predecessor

    Here we are comparing Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II to its predecessor OM-D E-M5 and displaying the major changes.

    UPGRADES Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II vs Olympus OM-D E-M5
    Timelapse Recording vs
    More Focus Points 81 vs 35
    Screen Type Fully Articulated vs Tilting
    Higher Resolution Screen 1,037k dot vs 610k dot
    Live Composition vs
    Higher Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.74x vs 0.58x
    Higher Resolution Viewfinder 2,360k dot vs 1,440k dot
    Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/8000 sec vs 1/4000 sec
    Higher Max Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps vs 9.0 fps
    Higher DxO Low Light ISO 896 vs 826
    Higher DxO Color Depth 23.0 vs 22.8
    Higher DxO Dynamic Range 12.4 vs 12.3
    Higher DxO Overall Score 73 vs 71
    Microphone Input vs
    Built-In Wi-Fi vs Eye-Fi connection possible
    DOWNGRADES Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II vs Olympus OM-D E-M5
    Heavier 469 g (1.03 lb / 16.54 oz) vs 425 g (0.94 lb / 14.99 oz)
    Shorter Battery Life 310 shots vs 360 shots

    For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II vs OM-D E-M5.

    Successor

    In 2019 Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II was replaced by Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III. Let us now have a look at some important differences between Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II and its successor.

    UPGRADES Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III vs Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
    Higher Sensor Resolution 20.4 Megapixel vs 16.1 Megapixel
    Lower Boosted ISO 64 vs 100
    More Powerful Processor TruePic VIII vs TruePic VII
    Max Image Resolution 5184 x 3888 vs 4608 x 3456
    More Focus Points 121 vs 81
    Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
    Higher Resolution Screen 1,040k dot vs 1,037k dot
    Higher Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) 1/32000 sec vs 1/16000 sec
    Higher Max Continuous Shooting 30.0 fps vs 10.0 fps
    Average Metering vs
    Higher Video Resolution 4096 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080
    Built-In Bluetooth vs
    Lighter 414 g (0.91 lb / 14.60 oz) vs 469 g (1.03 lb / 16.54 oz)
    DOWNGRADES Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III vs Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
    More Expensive $1199 (body only), $1799 (w/14-150mm lens) vs $1099 (body only)
    Lower Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.68x vs 0.74x

    For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II vs OM-D E-M5 Mark III.

    Screen and Viewfinder

    Fully Articulated Touchscreen

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II has a 3.0" Fully Articulated touchscreen with 1,037k dot resolution. Fully articulated screen makes this camera selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting.

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    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with Fully Articulated screen


    Electronic Viewfinder

    Camera has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 2,360k dot resolution. It has a 100% coverage and 1.48x (0.74x 35mm equivalent) magnification.

    Sensor

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II features a 16.1 megapixel Micro Four Thirds MOS sensor with dimensions of 17.3 x 13 mm and a total area of 224.9 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 25,600 and expands to 100 - 25,600 in boosted mode.


    Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II's Micro Four Thirds sensor compares with other types of sensors:

    Sensor size chart
    Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
    Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
    Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
    Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.3 x 13 mm224.9 mm24:32x
    Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
    Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
    Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

    Photography Features

    Camera is equipped with TruePic VII processor and can take pictures up to 4608 x 3456 resolution.


    Lens Mount

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II has Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Due to Micro Four Thirds sensor its crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is 2x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 2.


    In-Body Image Stabilization

    The camera has a built-in 5-Axis Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS). This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

    Check out the cameras which are frequently compared to Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II.

    Connectivity, Battery and Storage

    Built-in Wi-Fi

    Camera has a built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
      Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


    USB Input and HDMI Output

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) input for data transfer and battery charging. There is a Micro HDMI connector for video signal output.


    Battery

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II comes with BLN-1 battery pack with battery life of 310 shots.


    External Storage Slots

    The camera has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) card slot.

    Other Features

    Shutter

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II has Mechanical Focal Plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/16000 sec with electronic shutter and up to 1/8000 sec with mechanical shutter. Camera can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps.


    Exposure

    Camera's exposure metering ranges from -2 to +20 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment.


    Flash

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/250 sec. Flash compensation can be set from -3 to +3 EV.

    Physical Parameters

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II has dimensions of 124 x 85 x 45 mm (4.88 x 3.35 x 1.77"). It weighs 469 g (1.03 lb / 16.54 oz), so it is a lightweight camera.

    124 mm (4.88")

    85 mm (3.35")

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    85 mm (3.35")

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    45 mm (1.77")

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    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II dimensions

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II for Different Types of Photography

    We give scores to the camera for different type of photography based on its features and specifications. Let us see how Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II is suitable for six different types of photography.


    Landscape Photography

    GOOD
    81

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II gets a score of 81 and is GOOD choice for Landscape photography.

    •   Small Sensor
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing

    Sports Photography

    GOOD
    77

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II gets a score of 77 and is GOOD choice for Sports photography.

    •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
    •   81 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
    •   Short Battery Life - 310 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Wildlife Photography

    GOOD
    73

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II gets a score of 73 and is GOOD choice for Wildlife photography.

    •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
    •   81 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Short Battery Life - 310 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Portrait Photography

    EXCELLENT
    86

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II gets a score of 86 and is EXCELLENT choice for Portrait photography.

    •   Small Sensor
    •   81 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Street Photography

    EXCELLENT
    90

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II gets a score of 90 and is EXCELLENT choice for Street photography.

    •   Small Sensor
    •   81 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Fully Articulated Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Light - 469 g (1.03 lb / 16.54 oz)

    Travel Photography

    EXCELLENT
    87

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II gets a score of 87 and is EXCELLENT choice for Travel photography.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Fully Articulated Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
    •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
    •   Low Video Recording Limit
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Light - 469 g (1.03 lb / 16.54 oz)
    •   Short Battery Life - 310 shots

    Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Evaluation

    We evaluate Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II and give score of 75 out of 100. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


    OVERALL
    75

    Sensor

    AVERAGE
    66

    We give Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II a score of 66 for Sensor parameters.

    •   Small Sensor
    •   Sensor Resolution - 16.1 Megapixel
    •   200 Lowest Native ISO
    •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
    •   DxO Overall Score - 73

    Photo

    GOOD
    78

    We give Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II a score of 78 for Photo parameters.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
    •   Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) - 1/16000 sec
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec

    Video

    POOR
    52

    We give Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II a score of 52 for Video parameters.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
    •   Webcam Functionality
    •   Low Video Recording Limit

    Focusing

    GOOD
    79

    We give Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II a score of 79 for Focusing parameters.

    •   81 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Live View Autofocus

    Screen and Viewfinder

    EXCELLENT
    86

    We give Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II a score of 86 for Screen and Viewfinder parameters.

    •   Fully Articulated Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,037k dot
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot

    Connectivity

    EXCELLENT
    87

    We give Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II a score of 87 for Connectivity parameters.

    •   HDMI Output
    •   No Headphone Output
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Built-In Wi-Fi
    •   No Built-In Bluetooth

    Battery, Storage and Physical

    AVERAGE
    68

    We give Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II a score of 68 for Battery, Storage and Physical parameters.

    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Light - 469 g (1.03 lb / 16.54 oz)
    •   Short Battery Life - 310 shots


    For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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