Choosing between the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 can feel like a tough call at first glance. Both are Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras targeted at entry-level enthusiasts, yet they bring distinctive features and quirks shaped by their respective release eras - Olympus launching theirs in 2017 and Panasonic’s offering dating back to 2012. I've put both models through rigorous testing across a broad range of photographic disciplines, from portraiture to landscape, wildlife, sports, and even video performance, aiming to give you a clear, experience-grounded perspective on how they match up in today’s competitive market.

Let’s dive into the real-world usability and performance differences you’ll encounter on a day-to-day basis, starting with the physical feel and controls.

Handling and Ergonomics: Size, Weight, and Interface Comfort

First impressions matter. In the hand, the Olympus E-M10 III strikes me as slightly more compact and refined in its grip shape, which aligns with Olympus’ heritage of crafting cameras that meld classic SLR styling with modern mirrorless functionality. The Panasonic G5, coming from an earlier generation, feels a touch chunkier with a more boxy profile.

Looking at the dimensions, Olympus measures 122x84x50mm at 410 grams, whereas Panasonic runs slightly smaller in footprint (120x83x71mm) but heavier by a few grams (396g). The E-M10 III’s slimmer depth is noticeable, lending it better portability for street shooting or day-long travel.

Flipping to the top panel reveals diverging philosophies in control layout:

Olympus favours a modern button and dial arrangement with dedicated exposure compensation dial, mode dial, and a clutch dial encircling the shutter button to switch between modes - a delight for those who appreciate tactile feedback and quick access. Panasonic’s top offers a traditional mode dial but fewer dedicated function buttons, leaning on the rear controls for settings tweaks.

Both incorporate electronic viewfinders; Olympus sports a higher resolution 2.36M-dot EVF with 0.62x magnification, while Panasonic’s 1.44M-dot EVF has a slightly larger magnification at 0.7x but lower clarity. In live conditions, this translates to crisper, more detailed framing and focus confirmation on the Olympus E-M10 III’s EVF.

Turn the camera over, and here’s where that Panasonic shines in one key way: the articulated screen.

The G5’s fully articulating 3-inch LCD with 920k dots tilts and flips out - ideal for vloggers or awkward shooting angles. Olympus offers a tilting 3-inch 1.04M-dot touchscreen, but its limited tilt ranges can cramp some creative framing opportunities. Both have touch controls, but Olympus’s interface feels nimbler with more responsive menus and smarter touch focus support.

Ergonomically, the E-M10 III edges out Panasonic in comfort during extended use, thanks to a better grip, smoother control layout, and a superior EVF experience, something I found beneficial during quick street shoots or capturing fleeting wildlife moments.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Both cameras utilize a Four Thirds CMOS sensor of roughly the same size (Olympus 17.4x13mm; Panasonic 17.3x13mm) and resolution (16MP). This means from a raw megapixel count, they’re neck and neck, producing images peaking at 4608x3456 pixels.

Despite the similarity in sensor specs, the Olympus E-M10 III benefits from a newer TruePic VIII processor, whereas the G5 runs on Panasonic’s older Venus Engine VII. This difference expresses itself in detail rendering, noise handling, and dynamic range.

In practical use, Olympus delivers finer detail retention and more nuanced color depth - especially in challenging lighting. The E-M10 III’s sensor and processor combo allowed me to pull more information out of highlights and shadows during high contrast outdoor landscapes. Noise control at ISO 1600 to 3200 was tighter on Olympus, preserving textures in shadow areas without smudging.

Panasonic’s G5 holds strong for under ideal lighting, but its dynamic range and low-light performance fall short in comparison. Noise becomes more noticeable past ISO 800, which might be limiting for event or low-light street photographers.

The G5’s maximum ISO tops out at 12,800, while Olympus officially supports ISO 25,600. However, I rarely found images above 6400 usable on either.

Color science is subjective, but Olympus leans toward vivid, punchy renditions, especially with skin tones - my portrait subjects showed warmer, more natural complexions on the E-M10 III. Panasonic’s colors are more neutral, which some might prefer for post-processing flexibility.

Real-World Photography Tests: Genres Put to the Test

Portraits: Skin Tones, Eye Detection, and Bokeh Quality

Portrait work benefits tremendously from solid autofocus and pleasing lens bokeh characteristics.

The Olympus E-M10 III shines with 121 contrast-detection AF points, including face and eye detection capabilities, speeding up focus lock on subjects’ eyes during portraits. Although it lacks Panasonic’s older contrast-only AF with 23 points, the newer firmware optimizations let the E-M10 III track faces with much more confidence, reducing frustrating misses during a live shoot.

The Micro Four Thirds lens mount offers a deep lens pool (already 107 lenses on both mounts) with numerous fast primes for gorgeous background blur. In my hands, Olympus lens combos evoked lush depth with smooth bokeh blobs with minimum focus distances down to 25cm plus in macro modes, while Panasonic’s kit showed more clinical edges.

Skin tone reproduction was also richer with the E-M10 III - its slight warmth gives subjects a natural glow without oversaturation.

Landscape Photography: Dynamic Range, Resolution, and Weather Resistance

Both cameras’ resolution is sufficient for large prints or cropping. But Olympus holds the edge on dynamic range, thanks to its better sensor and processor pairing.

Neither camera sports serious weather sealing - a notable downside if you shoot harsh elements or damp environments regularly - but Olympus has a slight advantage with better sealing on recent lenses if you’re considering an Olympus lens ecosystem investment.

I tested both on a cloudy, moody mountain morning and found Olympus’s files captured more shadow detail and preserved highlight textures on bright clouds. Panasonic’s files required more postprocessing to balance exposures.

Wildlife and Sports: Autofocus Speed, Burst Rate, and Tracking

Sports and wildlife photography demand precision AF in continuous modes and high frame rates for action capture.

Olympus’s E-M10 III offers a faster burst shooting speed at 8.6fps, compared to Panasonic’s 6fps max. The difference is palpable when photographing small birds or children playing - more frames yield better chances for the perfect shot.

The Olympus also packs more focus points (121 vs. 23), which enhances tracking accuracy although both remain contrast-detection AF systems without phase detection. This makes them less reliable than hybrid or phase-detection rivals in this segment, but Olympus’s more sophisticated AF algorithms provide a tangible edge.

It’s worth noting neither camera offers animal eye AF, a feature increasingly popular with wildlife shooters.

In low light, Olympus maintains autofocus responsiveness better, with fewer missed focus locks.

Street Photography: Size, Discreetness, and Low Light Performance

Both cameras are compact enough for street use, but Olympus’s slightly smaller form factor and lighter weight give it a stealthier profile.

The quiet electronic shutter on the E-M10 III (up to 1/16000s) is a godsend for candid shooting without distracting clatter - something Panasonic lacks, relying solely on mechanical shutter speeds maxing at 1/4000s.

Low-light performance favors Olympus again, with reduced noise and faster AF acquisition helping snag quick, unpredictable moments after dusk.

Macro and Close-Up Work: Magnification, Focusing, and Stabilization

Olympus includes sensor-based 5-axis image stabilization, which proved remarkably effective when handholding macro lenses at slower shutter speeds, an advantage over Panasonic’s lack of in-body stabilization.

While neither camera has true focus stacking or bracketing modes, Olympus offers focus bracketing to some extent - helpful for stacking in macro pans.

Focusing precision was generally more reliable on Olympus, especially when paired with Olympus’s M.Zuiko macro lenses that offer close working distances.

Night and Astro Photography: High ISO and Exposure Modes

For astrophotography or low-light long exposures, sensor noise and manual exposure nuance count.

Olympus E-M10 III’s higher ISO ceiling combined with longer electronic shutter options and built-in intervalometer for timelapse recording makes it friendlier for night sky shooting.

Panasonic lacks intervalometer support out-of-box, limiting night photo creativity without external triggers.

Video Capabilities: Beyond Stills

Video shooters will find the Olympus E-M10 III’s 4K UHD capture at 30fps impressive for its class, delivering higher resolution, better detail, and more crisp footage compared to Panasonic G5’s 1080p max recording.

Neither camera offers microphone or headphone ports, so audio quality depends heavily on the built-in mic.

Olympus’s sensor stabilization also aids handheld video smoothness, an area where Panasonic again suffers from lack of in-body IS.

If your workflow involves casual videos or YouTube vlogging, the G5’s fully articulating screen might be a dealmaker, though.

Professional Workflow, Connectivity, and Storage

Neither camera is designed as a professional flagship, but Olympus does advance the battle here.

E-M10 III supports RAW image capture with solid third-party RAW compatibility and Wireless WiFi connectivity for instant sharing or remote control. Panasonic G5 lacks any wireless connectivity, limiting quick transfers or smartphone pairing.

Both cameras use a single SD card slot compatible with UHS-I or II standards, though packs only USB 2.0 ports - this limits tethering speed in studio setups.

Battery life is roughly equivalent, about 320-330 shots per charge, which can easily be extended with spare batteries for long shoots.

Price, Value, and Overall Performance Ratings

As of now, prices hover around $650 for Olympus E-M10 III and $700 for Panasonic G5 - making Olympus the better bang for your buck given its newer technology and improved feature set.

Our compiled performance scores summarize the trade-offs objectively:

To dig deeper, here’s how each camera fares by photography genre:

Olympus clearly dominates in video, low-light, and autofocus domains, while Panasonic remains competitive in basic daylight shooting, especially for users prioritizing a fully articulating screen.

Sample Image Gallery: Visual Proof

To flesh out the technical talk, here is a side-by-side gallery showcasing RAW-processed images from both cameras under various conditions: natural light portraits, dense foliage landscapes, quick wildlife action, and urban night scenes.

Olympus E M10 MIII front Olympus E M10 MIII screen back Panasonic G5 front Panasonic G5 screen back

You’ll notice Olympus renders warmer tones and sharper details, with cleaner shadows, whereas Panasonic’s files lean towards flat, neutral colors requiring more postprocessing lift.

Final Thoughts and Who Should Choose Which?

Having rigorously tested Olympus E-M10 III and Panasonic G5 across a breadth of settings, my take is this:

• Choose Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III if:

  • You prioritize image quality, autofocus speed and accuracy
  • You shoot wildlife, sports, or fast action often
  • You want robust in-body stabilization for handheld macro and video work
  • You need 4K video support and wireless connectivity
  • You value compact size and refined handling for street or travel photography

• Choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 if:

  • Your budget leans tighter and you can find it discounted
  • You require a fully articulating screen for vlogging or tricky angles
  • You shoot mostly in good light with less demanding autofocus needs
  • You’re comfortable with slower burst speeds and no sensor stabilization
  • You prefer a neutral, less “processed” color profile out of camera

Both cameras are productive Micro Four Thirds entry points, but Olympus stakes a more future-proof claim with newer tech and versatile shooting modes. If you primarily shoot stills in daylight and appreciate Panasonic’s fold-out screen, the G5 remains a reliable tool, especially for beginners keen on video framing freedom.

In Closing: Tested Insights for Your Next Camera

My approach to comparing these cameras combined laboratory measures - sensor output, AF accuracy, buffer depth - with extensive real-world shooting spanning low light bursts, demanding framing, and video capture challenges. It’s vital to look past spec sheets and consider how features translate into actual photographic opportunity and creative control.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 III emerges as the more balanced, capable all-rounder, especially suitable for enthusiasts eager to step up their cameras without breaking the bank. Meanwhile, the Panasonic G5 offers a unique mix of articulation and familiar ergonomics but has begun to show its age with limited video capabilities and less forgiving noise performance.

I hope this comparison serves you well in navigating your Micro Four Thirds choice. Camera gear is only as good as what you put through the lens - and both these cameras, in the right hands, can capture truly inspiring images.

Happy shooting!