Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic GF5

In this article, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-M5 II versus Panasonic GF5, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference among the image resolutions of the E-M5 II (16MP) and GF5 (12MP) but they enjoy the same exact sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

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The E-M5 II was unveiled 2 years later than the GF5 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic GF5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a thorough comparison, below is a short overview of how the E-M5 II scores vs the GF5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M5 II and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 II Gallery and Panasonic GF5 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry your camera often, you'll have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M5 II provides outside measurements of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") and a weight of 469 grams (1.03 lbs) while the Panasonic GF5 has sizing of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-M5 II versus Panasonic GF5 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the E-M5 II against the GF5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 II and GF5 is 80 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it's tough to envision the difference in sensor sizing simply by going through specs. The graphic below will give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M5 II and GF5.

All in all, each of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Olympus E-M5 II to show extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots a little more aggressively. The more recent E-M5 II is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.