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Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II

Portability
70
Imaging
42
Features
34
Overall
38
Olympus E-500 front
 
Olympus OM-D E-M5 II front
Portability
80
Imaging
54
Features
84
Overall
66

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Key Specs

Olympus E-500
(Full Review)
  • 8MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 400 (Increase to 1600)
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 479g - 130 x 95 x 66mm
  • Introduced October 2005
  • Additionally Known as EVOLT E-500
  • Successor is Olympus E-510
Olympus E-M5 II
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 469g - 124 x 85 x 45mm
  • Announced February 2015
  • Old Model is Olympus E-M5
  • Updated by Olympus E-M5 III
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Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Overview

Let's look a bit more closely at the Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II, one is a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless and both are designed by Olympus. There is a big difference between the image resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and E-M5 II (16MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

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The E-500 was brought out 10 years before the E-M5 II which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-M5 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go into a detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-500 grades against the E-M5 II in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-500 over the Olympus E-M5 II

 E-500 E-M5 II 

Reasons to pick Olympus E-M5 II over the Olympus E-500

 E-M5 II E-500 
AnnouncedFebruary 2015October 2005More modern by 113 months
Screen typeFully ArticulatedFixed Fully Articulating screen
Screen dimensions3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution1037k215kCrisper screen (+822k dot)
Selfie screen Take selfies
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Common features in the Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-M5 II

 E-500 E-M5 II 
Focus manually Very precise focusing

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Physical Comparison

For anyone who is intending to carry around your camera, you have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-500 offers outside measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Olympus E-M5 II has dimensions of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") having a weight of 469 grams (1.03 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you select during that time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the E-500 and the E-M5 II.

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II size comparison

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and E-M5 II is 70 and 80 respectively.

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Sensor Comparison

Generally, its tough to envision the gap between sensor sizes purely by reviewing specifications. The pic below may provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-500 and E-M5 II.

To sum up, both of these cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Olympus E-M5 II to offer you more detail having its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures more aggressively. The more aged E-500 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II sensor size comparison

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-500 as a Portrait photography camera
Olympus E-M5 II as a Portrait photography camera
49
has manual focus
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
no liveview feature
MP count low (8 megapixels)
72
has manual focus
megapixel count decent (16MP)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
offers face detect focus
saves RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-500 Street photography factors
Olympus E-M5 II Street photography factors
57
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
lighter than average in class (479g)
no moving screen
does not have image stabilization
low maximum ISO (400)
82
screen can move to multiple angles
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
supports touch to focus
weather proofing
great ISO range (25,600)
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus E-500
Sports photography with Olympus E-M5 II
37
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
has phase detect auto focus
no liveview feature
slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
MP count low (8MP)
65
high shutter speed (1/8,000s)
silent shooting (1/16,000s)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
offers tracking focus
weather proofing
low battery (310 per charge)
no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-500 as a Travel photography camera
Olympus E-M5 II as a Travel photography camera
52
lighter than average in class (479 grams)
has built in flash
no Timelapse recording
MP count low (8 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
74
weather proofing
supports touch to focus
megapixel count decent (16MP)
display is selfie friendly
low battery (310 per charge)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-500 Landscape photography info
Olympus E-M5 II Landscape photography info
43
has manual focus
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
tiny screen (2.5 inches)
no liveview feature
does not have image stabilization
MP count low (8 megapixels)
low maximum ISO (400)
no Timelapse recording
74
has manual focus
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is decent (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
great ISO range (25,600)
saves RAW formats
weather proofing
low battery (310 per charge)
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-500 Vlogging info
Olympus E-M5 II Vlogging info
9
no video recording
82
display is selfie friendly
touch screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
offers face detect focus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
comes with microphone support
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Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-M5 II Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-M5 II
 Olympus E-500Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
General Information
Make Olympus Olympus
Model type Olympus E-500 Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
Also Known as EVOLT E-500 -
Class Advanced DSLR Advanced Mirrorless
Introduced 2005-10-21 2015-02-06
Physical type Mid-size SLR SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Processor Chip - TruePic VII
Sensor type CCD MOS
Sensor size Four Thirds Four Thirds
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 17.3 x 13mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 224.9mm²
Sensor resolution 8MP 16MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 3264 x 2448 4608 x 3456
Maximum native ISO 400 25600
Maximum boosted ISO 1600 -
Min native ISO 100 200
RAW support
Min boosted ISO - 100
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points 3 81
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds
Total lenses 45 107
Crop factor 2.1 2.1
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fully Articulated
Screen sizing 2.5 inches 3 inches
Screen resolution 215 thousand dots 1,037 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentaprism) Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 2,360 thousand dots
Viewfinder coverage 95% 100%
Viewfinder magnification 0.45x 0.74x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60s 60s
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000s 1/8000s
Maximum silent shutter speed - 1/16000s
Continuous shooting rate 3.0 frames/s 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 13.00 m (at ISO 100) no built-in flash
Flash options Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, redeye, fill, off, redeye slow sync, slow sync, 2nd-curtain slow sync, manual
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/180s 1/250s
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Maximum video resolution None 1920x1080
Video data format - MPEG-4, H.264, Motion JPEG
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 479g (1.06 lbs) 469g (1.03 lbs)
Physical dimensions 130 x 95 x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") 124 x 85 x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested 73
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 23.0
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 12.4
DXO Low light rating not tested 896
Other
Battery life - 310 pictures
Form of battery - Battery Pack
Battery ID - BLN-1
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots One One
Cost at launch $600 $699