Canon M5 vs Olympus E-M5 II: We compare two Semi-Pro Mirrorless cameras. The Canon M5 which has a 24.0MP APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-M5 II which has a 16.0MP Four Thirds sensor. To start, here’s a brief overview of the main features of both cameras.
Canon M5 vs Olympus E-M5 II Specs
Specifications |
Canon M5 |
E-M5 II |
---|---|---|
Megapixels | 24.2 | 16.1 |
Sensor Type | CMOS | Live MOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C | Micro Four Thirds |
Crop Factor | 1.6x | 2.0x |
AA Filter | Yes | None |
Image Resolution | 6000 x 4000 | 4608 x 3456 |
Body Image Stabilization | Yes (Movie only) | Yes |
Lens Mount | Canon EF-M | Micro Four Thirds |
ISO | 100 – 25,600 | 200 – 25,600 |
Expanded ISO | None | None |
AF Points | 49 Hybrid | 81 Contrast |
Cross-type AF Points | Dual Pixel AF | 0 phase |
Continuous Mode | 7fps | 5fps/10fps |
LCD | 3.2″ – Articulating | 3.0″ – Fully Articulated |
LCD Resolution | 1,620,000 dots | 1,037,000 dots |
Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
Focus Peaking | Yes | Yes |
Top LCD Display | No | No |
Viewfinder Type | EVF (2.36M) | EVF (2.36M) |
Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 1.48x | |
Video Resolution | 1920×1080 (60/50/30/25/24p | 1920×1080 (60/50/30/25/24p) |
1280×720 (60/50p) | 1280×720 (60/50/30/25/24p) | |
Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
Headphone Jack | No | No |
Memory Card Type | SD | SD |
Dual Card Slots | No | No |
SD UHS Support | UHS-I | UHS-II |
Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/4000 | 1/16000 |
Slowest Shutter Speed | 30″ | 60″ |
Bulb Mode | Yes | Yes |
JPEG Buffer Size | 27 | 18 |
RAW Buffer Size | 18 | 13 |
Time Lapse | Yes | Yes |
Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
Max Flash Sync Speed | 1/200 | 1/250 |
Startup Time | 1.2s | 0.8s |
Built-in Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
Built-in GPS | No | No |
Built-in NFC | Yes | No |
Bluetooth | Yes | No |
USB Type | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
Environmentally Sealed | No | Yes |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 295 shots | 310 shots |
Battery Included | Yes (LP-E17) | Yes (BLN-1) |
Weight | 15.0 oz (427g) | 16.5 oz (469g) |
Size | 4.6 x 3.5 x 2.4″ | 4.9 x 3.3 x 1.8″ |
Price | Amazon | Amazon |
Release Date | 2016 | 2015 |
Olympus E-M5 II vs Canon M5 Common Features
Wireless Connection | Yes vs Yes | Better connectivity |
Articulating Screen | Yes vs Yes | Flexible shooting positions |
External Flash Shoe | Yes vs Yes | Better for flash photography |
Touch Screen | Yes vs Yes | Easy control of camera functions |
Viewfinder | Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) | Better framing and control |
RAW Support | Yes vs Yes | Better image quality |
Face Detection Focus | Yes vs Yes | Very handy for portraits |
Continuous Shooting | 9.0fps vs 10.0fps | Fast shooting speeds |
Microphone Port | Yes vs Yes | High-quality audio recording option |
Timelapse Recording | Yes vs Yes | Creative shooting |
AE Bracketing | Yes vs Yes | Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR |
Selfie Friendly LCD | Yes vs Yes | Rotate LCD for taking Selfies |
Smartphone Remote Control | Yes vs Yes | Remote control your camera with a smartphone |
Canon M5 vs Olympus E-M5 II Size Comparison
The Olympus E-M5 II is 4mm shorter and 16mm thinner than the Canon M5 however it is 8mm wider. Furthermore, the Canon M5 is 42g lighter than the Olympus E-M5 II. The weight difference here is not enough to be considered a deterrent.
And, since the Canon M5 has an APS-C sized sensor and the Olympus E-M5 II has a smaller Four Thirds sensor, the Olympus E-M5 II’s lenses for a similar focal length and aperture are generally lighter and smaller than the Canon M5 lenses.
Canon M5 vs Olympus E-M5 II Sensor Comparison
The Canon M5 has a 24.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features a Digic 7 processor. However, the Olympus E-M5 II has a 16.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features TruePic VII processor.
The Canon M5’s sensor is 8MP more than Olympus E-M5 II’s sensor. This difference in megapixels has a significant advantage in photography and videography. It allows you to print your images larger or crop more freely. Although, do keep in mind that max sensor resolution is not the only factor that influences the output of images. Factors such as the optical elements, low-pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affect the final resolution of the captured image.
The Canon M5 features a 1.5x Larger sensor area than the Olympus E-M5 II. Larger sensors allow for more control over the depth of field and blurry background compared to the smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.
Canon M5 Advantages Over Olympus E-M5 II
Built-in Flash | Yes vs No | Useful in low-light |
Max Sensor Resolution | 24 MP vs 16 MP | 50% more pixels |
LCD Screen Size | 3.2″ vs 3″ | 0.2 inches larger display |
LCD Screen Resolution | 1.620k dots vs 1.037k dots | 56% higher resolution screen |
Weight | 427 g vs 469 g | 42 g lighter |
NFC Connection | Yes vs No | Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices |
Bluetooth | Yes vs No | Connect your camera to other devices via Bluetooth |
Reasons you might want to choose the Canon M5 over the Olympus E-M5 II:
- Megapixels – 8.1 more megapixels. For printing big and cropping, the Canon M5 is a much better choice.
- Sensor Format – APS-C is bigger than MFT, which results in slightly less noise at higher ISO levels.
- Continuous mode – 7fps vs 5fps/10fps.
- LCD – 3.2″ vs 3.0″.
- LCD Resolution – Higher resolution.
- JPEG Buffer Size – 27 vs 18. Useful for long bursts.
- RAW Buffer Size – 18 vs 13.
- Built-in Flash
- Built-in NFC
- Bluetooth Support
Video: Canon M5 Hands-on Review
Canon’s latest mirrorless camera promises to be an 80D in a smaller package. With 1080p and a reasonable 24-megapixels, is it another flop or does the Dual Pixel Autofocus save the day? Watch as Kai takes you through the pros and cons.
Olympus E-M5 II Advantages Over Canon M5
Built-in Image Stabilization | Sensor-shiftvsNone | All the lenses are stabilized |
Number of Focus Points | 81vs49 | 32 more focus points |
Max Shutter Speed | 1/16000svs1/4000s | faster shutter speed |
Continuous Shooting | 10.0fpsvs9.0fps | 1 fps faster |
Battery Life | 310 shotsvs295 shots | 15 more frames with a single charge |
Environmental Sealing | YesvsNo | shoot at tough conditions |
Sensor Pixel Area | 14.12µm2vs13.84µm2 | 2% larger pixel area |
Price | $899vs$929 | $30 cheaper |
AE Bracketing Range | ±5 EVvs±3 EV | Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR |
Pixel Shift High-Resolution Mode | Yes (40.0MP)vsNo | Increased resolution with pixel shift |
Focus Bracketing | YesvsNo | Take multiple photos shifting focus point |
Reasons why you may choose to buy the Olympus E-M5 II over the Canon M5:
- AA Filter – The Olympus E-M5 II has no AA filter.
- Body Image Stabilization – The Olympus E-M5 II has built-in body stabilization for photos and videos, which is an excellent feature for traveling and shooting in low light.
- AF Points – 81 vs 49.
- LCD – It’s fully articulated.
- UHS-II – Faster writing speeds than UHS-I, but you need a memory card that can handle such speeds.
- Faster Max Shutter Speed – 1/16000 vs 1/4000.
- Slower Max Shutter Speed – 60” vs 30”.
- Max Flash Sync Speed – 1/250 vs /200.
- Environmentally Sealed – The Olympus E-M5 II is better suited for shooting outdoors in difficult terrain and bad weather conditions.
- Size – The Olympus E-M5 II is noticeably smaller.
Video: Olympus E-M5 II Hands-on Review
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