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OM System

OM-5

Compact weather-sealed MFT for travel and outdoor photography.

$1,199

Released Nov 2022

vs

OM System

OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Compact pro MFT with IBIS and weather sealing.

$1,199

Released Oct 2019

OM-5 is 3.1 years newer.

Wins

7categories

OM-5

TravelSports & Action

Wins

3categories

OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Sports & ActionWildlife

7 categories tied

TL;DR — Key differences

OM-5 wins 2 categories·OM-D E-M5 Mark III wins 3 categories
  • BOM-D E-M5 Mark III has higher AF points / zones (1053 vs 121)
  • AOM-5 has higher ISO max (native) (102,400 vs 25,600)
  • AOM-5 has higher Burst (electronic) (30 fps vs 15 fps)
  • BOM-D E-M5 Mark III has higher 4K max frame rate (60 fps vs 30 fps)
  • BOM-D E-M5 Mark III has higher Card slots (2 vs 1)

Key specs at a glance

OM-5OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Resolution20.4 MP20.4 MP
SensorMFTMFT
ISO max102,40025,600
Burst30 fps15 fps
4K30 fps60 fps
IBIS6.5-stop6-stop
Weight414 g580 g
Battery640 shots640 shots

Size and weight, to scale

OM-5

125 × 85 × 50 mm

414 g (0.91 lb / 14.60 oz)

OM-D E-M5 Mark III

134 × 91 × 72 mm

580 g (1.28 lb / 20.46 oz)

OM-5 is 9mm narrower, 6mm shorter, and 22mm thinner than OM-D E-M5 Mark III.

OM-5 is 166 g lighter than OM-D E-M5 Mark III.

Depth (front-to-back): 50mm OM-5 · 72mm OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Sensor size, to scale

OM-5

17.4 × 13 mm · Compact / large-type

226 mm² area

OM-D E-M5 Mark III

17.3 × 13 mm · Micro Four Thirds

225 mm² area

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

OM-5

✓ more lenses

Micro Four Thirds

130+

native lenses available

60 first-party70 third-party

OM-D E-M5 Mark III

✓ more lenses

Micro Four Thirds

130+

native lenses available

60 first-party70 third-party

Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseOM-5OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Portrait
4.0Fair
4.0Fair
Sports & Action
6.5Good
8.0Excellent✓ wins
Video & Hybrid
4.5Fair
6.0Good✓ wins
Landscape
2.5Limited
3.5Limited✓ wins
Travel
8.0Excellent✓ wins
7.5Good
Wildlife
6.5Good
8.0Excellent✓ wins
Vlogging
6.5Good
7.0Good✓ wins

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

OM-5

  • AF low-light limit

    -8 EV vs -7 EV — lower is better

  • Subject recognition

    Adds People, Birds, Animals…

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 125.3, 85.2, 49.7

  • ISO max (native)

    102,400 vs 25,600 — higher is better

  • Burst (electronic)

    30 fps vs 15 fps — higher is better

  • Card types

    Adds SD UHS-I

  • Burst (mechanical)

    10 fps vs 6 fps — higher is better

  • Codecs

    Adds MOV

Reasons to choose

OM-D E-M5 Mark III

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Human, Animal, Bird…

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 134, 91, 72

  • AF points / zones

    1053 vs 121 — higher is better

  • AA filter

    Only OM-D E-M5 Mark III supports it

  • 4K max frame rate

    60 fps vs 30 fps — higher is better

  • Card slots

    2 vs 1 — higher is better

  • Headphone jack (3.5mm)

    Only OM-D E-M5 Mark III supports it

Both cameras share

  • ResolutionBoth 20.4 MP
  • AF frame coverageBoth 100 %
  • Eye AFBoth support eye af
  • Animal / bird AFBoth support animal / bird af
  • Pre-Capture / Pre-ReleaseBoth support pre-capture / pre-release
  • Max video bit rateBoth 150 Mbps

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

OM-5

Pros

  • Compact
  • IP53 sealing
  • Computational features

Cons

  • No grip extension
  • MFT sensor
  • Single slot

OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Pros

  • Compact pro
  • Weather sealed
  • IBIS

Cons

  • Older
  • MFT
  • Superseded

Full specifications

= category winner

OM-5
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Resolution
20.4 MP
20.4 MP
Sensor type
4/3 Live MOS
Four Thirds Live MOS
Sensor size
17.4 x 13.0 mm
17.3 × 13.0 mm
AA filter
No
Yes
OM-5
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
AF system
121-point all cross-type phase detection AF
Cross-type PDAF
AF points / zones
121
10538.7× more
AF frame coverage
100 %
100 %
AF low-light limit
-8 EV
-7 EV
Eye AF
Yes
Yes
Animal / bird AF
Yes
Yes
Subject recognition
People, Birds, Animals, Motorsports, Airplanes, Trains
Human, Animal, Bird, Vehicle
OM-5
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Burst (mechanical)
10 fps+67%
6 fps
Burst (electronic)
30 fps2× more
15 fps
Pre-Capture / Pre-Release
Yes
Yes
RAW buffer depth
60 frames
OM-5
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Max resolution
4K / C4K
4K UHD
4K max frame rate
30 fps
60 fps2× more
Max video bit rate
150 Mbps
150 Mbps
Internal RAW video
No
No
Log profile
OM-Log / HLG
Standard profiles
Codecs
H.264, H.265, MOV
H.265, H.264
OM-5
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Weight
414 g−166 g less
580 g
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
125.3 × 85.2 × 49.7 mm
134 × 91 × 72 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
Yes

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for sports, OM-5 or OM-D E-M5 Mark III?

OM-D E-M5 Mark III scores 8.0/10 versus 6.5/10 for OM-5 — 15fps burst — fast action ready.

What's the resolution difference between the OM-5 and OM-D E-M5 Mark III?

Both cameras share the same 20.4 MP resolution.

Do the OM-5 and OM-D E-M5 Mark III have in-body image stabilization?

OM-5 has 6.5-stop in-body image stabilization, while oM-D E-M5 Mark III has 6-stop in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the OM-5 or the OM-D E-M5 Mark III?

OM-5 reaches 30 fps electronic. OM-D E-M5 Mark III reaches 15 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the OM-5 and OM-D E-M5 Mark III?

OM-5 weighs 414 g and OM-D E-M5 Mark III weighs 580 g, so the OM-5 is 166 g lighter.

Do the OM-5 and OM-D E-M5 Mark III record 4K video?

OM-5: 4K up to 30p. OM-D E-M5 Mark III: 4K up to 60p.

Are the OM-5 and OM-D E-M5 Mark III weather sealed?

OM-5: Yes. OM-D E-M5 Mark III: Yes.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 640 shots (CIPA) for the OM-5 and 640 shots for the OM-D E-M5 Mark III, giving the OM-D E-M5 Mark III the edge.

How much does each cost?

Both launched at $1,199.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.