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Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5

Portability
68
Imaging
59
Features
93
Overall
72
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5 front
Portability
94
Imaging
37
Features
25
Overall
32

Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 Key Specs

Olympus E-M1 II
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 4096 x 2160 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 574g - 134 x 91 x 67mm
  • Revealed September 2016
  • Succeeded the Olympus E-M1
  • Updated by Olympus E-M1 III
Panasonic LS5
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 26-130mm (F2.8-6.5) lens
  • 126g - 97 x 62 x 27mm
  • Announced July 2011
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Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 Overview

Here is a in depth overview of the Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference among the image resolutions of the E-M1 II (20MP) and LS5 (14MP) and the E-M1 II (Four Thirds) and LS5 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor size.

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The E-M1 II was brought out 5 years later than the LS5 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M1 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LS5 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a in-depth comparison, here is a short overview of how the E-M1 II grades against the LS5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-M1 II over the Panasonic LS5

 E-M1 II LS5 
AnnouncedSeptember 2016July 2011Fresher by 63 months
Manual focus Dial exact focusing
Screen typeFully ArticulatedFixed Fully Articulating screen
Screen dimensions3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution1037k230kSharper screen (+807k dot)
Selfie screen Take selfies
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Panasonic LS5 over the Olympus E-M1 II

 LS5 E-M1 II 

Common features in the Olympus E-M1 II and Panasonic LS5

 E-M1 II LS5 

Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 Physical Comparison

If you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you are going to need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M1 II has exterior dimensions of 134mm x 91mm x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6") and a weight of 574 grams (1.27 lbs) and the Panasonic LS5 has dimensions of 97mm x 62mm x 27mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select during that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-M1 II and the LS5.

Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 size comparison

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 II and LS5 is 68 and 94 respectively.

Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 Sensor Comparison

Often, it is very hard to envision the contrast in sensor sizing simply by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic here will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M1 II and LS5.

Clearly, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-M1 II featuring a bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus E-M1 II will result in more detail having its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures more aggressively. The fresher E-M1 II will have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.

Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
Photography Glossary

Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-M1 II Portrait photography information
Panasonic LS5 Portrait photography information
75
you can focus manually
good resolution (20MP)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports face detection focus
delivers RAW files
33
decent MP (14MP)
supports face detection autofocus
focusing manually not possible
manual mode not available
external flash not possible
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-M1 II Street photography info
Panasonic LS5 Street photography info
78
fully articulated screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
comes with touch to focus
environment proof
lighter than competition in class (574g)
above average ISO range (25,600)
62
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competitors (126 grams)
fixed screen
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-M1 II Sports photography info
Panasonic LS5 Sports photography info
74
max shutter speed is good (1/8,000s)
quiet shutter (1/32,000s)
high fps (60.0 fps)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good resolution (20MP)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports tracking autofocus
environment proof
comes with phase detect auto focus
terrible battery life (350 per charge)
32
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (14 megapixels)
low fps (1.0 frames per second)
lack of shutter priority mode
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
not so great battery power (160 CIPA)
has no phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-M1 II Travel photography info
Panasonic LS5 Travel photography info
72
lighter than competition in class (574g)
environment proof
comes with touch to focus
good resolution (20 megapixels)
display is selfie friendly
terrible battery life (350 per charge)
65
lighter than competitors (126 grams)
decent MP (14MP)
built-in flash
really wide (26mm)
lack of Timelapse recording
not so great battery power (160 per charge)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-M1 II Landscape photography information
Panasonic LS5 Landscape photography information
76
you can focus manually
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is good (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good resolution (20MP)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
doesnt have anti aliasing filter
above average ISO range (25,600)
delivers RAW files
environment proof
two card slots
terrible battery life (350 CIPA)
36
really wide (26mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (14MP)
focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
small screen (2.7 inches)
manual mode not available
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
not so great battery power (160 per charge)
lack of Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-M1 II as a Vlogging camera
Panasonic LS5 as a Vlogging camera
79
display is selfie friendly
touchscreen enabled
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
supports face detection focus
high res video (4096 x 2160 pixels)
does have external mic socket
lighter than competition in class (574g)
32
really wide (26mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detection autofocus
lighter than competitors (126g)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
video res low (1280 x 720 pixels)
lack of external microphone socket
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Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic LS5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-M1 II and Panasonic LS5
 Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark IIPanasonic Lumix DMC-LS5
General Information
Company Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5
Type Pro Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Revealed 2016-09-19 2011-07-21
Physical type SLR-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by TruePic VIII -
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.4 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 226.2mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 20 megapixel 14 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3 and 16:9
Full resolution 5184 x 3888 4320 x 3240
Max native ISO 25600 6400
Min native ISO 200 100
RAW images
Min boosted ISO 64 -
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Total focus points 121 9
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 26-130mm (5.0x)
Maximal aperture - f/2.8-6.5
Number of lenses 107 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 5.9
Screen
Screen type Fully Articulated Fixed Type
Screen size 3 inches 2.7 inches
Screen resolution 1,037k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen tech - TFT Color LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic None
Viewfinder resolution 2,360k dots -
Viewfinder coverage 100 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.74x -
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 seconds 8 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/8000 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Highest silent shutter speed 1/32000 seconds -
Continuous shooting rate 60.0 frames per second 1.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes -
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 9.10 m (at ISO 100) 4.60 m
Flash options Redeye, Fill-in, Flash Off, Red-eye Slow sync.(1st curtain), Slow sync.(1st curtain), Slow sync.(2nd curtain), Manual Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize 1/250 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 4096 x 2160 @ 24p / 237 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM, 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 4096x2160 1280x720
Video file format MOV, H.264 Motion JPEG
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 574 gr (1.27 lbs) 126 gr (0.28 lbs)
Physical dimensions 134 x 91 x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6") 97 x 62 x 27mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 80 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 23.7 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.8 not tested
DXO Low light rating 1312 not tested
Other
Battery life 350 photographs 160 photographs
Type of battery Battery Pack AA
Battery ID BLH-1 2 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 secs, custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots 2 One
Launch pricing $1,700 $294