Olympus E-M5 II vs Olympus E-PM1

Following is a thorough analysis of the Olympus E-M5 II and Olympus E-PM1, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both built by Olympus. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the E-M5 II (16MP) and E-PM1 (12MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor size (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 II was brought out 3 years after the E-PM1 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M5 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-M5 II grades versus the E-PM1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M5 II & Olympus PEN E-PM1. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-M5 II Gallery & Olympus E-PM1 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-M5 II has external dimensions of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") having a weight of 469 grams (1.03 lbs) while the Olympus E-PM1 has measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-M5 II and Olympus E-PM1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have at that moment. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-M5 II compared to the E-PM1.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 II and E-PM1 is 80 and 89 respectively.

Usually, it is very hard to envision the difference in sensor sizes purely by looking through specs. The image underneath should provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M5 II and E-PM1.

All in all, both the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but not the same megapixels. You can anticipate the Olympus E-M5 II to provide you with more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop photos more aggressively. The newer E-M5 II is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.