Olympus E-M5 II versus Panasonic GM5: An In-Depth Comparison for Enthusiasts and Pros

When it comes to Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras, Olympus and Panasonic have long been the pillars of the system, each catering to different photographic styles and user priorities. Today, we’re diving deep into a face-off between the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 - two gems from the mid-2010s that still hold relevance for specific photographers hunting for robust features in compact bodies.

Having extensively tested both cameras across a multitude of scenarios - from landscapes to wildlife, from handheld night shots to portraiture - I’ll walk you through their strengths, quirks, and where each model truly shines. The goal? To help you figure out which one fits your shooting style, budget, and ergonomic preferences.

Before we get started, here’s a useful visual to get a physical sense of their size and handling differences:

First Impressions: Ergonomics and Design

You can’t judge a camera purely by specs - it’s the feel in hand, the accessibility of controls, the balance with lenses that often makes or breaks a shooting experience. The Olympus E-M5 II sports a classic SLR-style body, with a solid grip and pronounced dials for shutter speed, exposure compensation, and shooting modes. This makes it a joy to use when you need quick manual adjustments. In contrast, the Panasonic GM5 is a tiny rangefinder-style model designed for ultimate portability, making it a stealthy companion when size is a priority.

The GM5 is almost half the weight of the E-M5 II - 211g versus 469g - which is a huge difference if you’re trekking light or prefer inconspicuous street shooting. But this size savings comes at a cost: the GM5’s smaller grip and more compact control layout can feel cramped, especially with larger lenses.

Here’s a view from the top that illustrates the control layout differences:

I prefer how the E-M5 II places its dials and buttons; they’re tactile and telescope well to my shooting style, especially when juggling fast frame rates and exposure tweaks. The GM5's minimalistic design suits those prioritizing pocketable convenience, but expect more menu diving to change key settings.

Sensor and Image Quality: Breaking Down the Heart of the Cameras

Both cameras use Micro Four Thirds sensors with 16MP resolution: the Olympus E-M5 II uses a 16MP Four Thirds MOS sensor, while the Panasonic GM5 employs a 16MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor. At face value, the specifications are similar, but image quality nuances and processing differ significantly.

Here’s a detailed comparison of their sensor specs and the resulting image quality performance (DxO Mark scores included):

The Olympus E-M5 II scores notably higher overall (DxO score 73) compared to the Panasonic GM5 (DxO score 66). This comes down mainly to Olympus’s TruePic VII processor extracting better dynamic range (12.4 EV vs. 11.7 EV) and improved low-light ISO performance (up to ISO 896 vs. 721 as a low-light score). This translates into cleaner images at higher ISO settings with more preserved shadow detail and better color depth.

I’ve found that when shooting raw files outdoors, especially in challenging lighting, the Olympus captures slightly richer shadow nuances and the colors feel more natural straight out of the camera. Skin tones appear more accurate - a big plus for portrait photographers.

The GM5 isn’t far behind though. Its sensor delivers sharp, punchy images with decent dynamic range, and fine-tuned Panasonic lenses add to the sharpness, but it struggles slightly in low-light or higher ISO situations.

Autofocus Systems: Speed and Precision in the Wild

Both cameras rely on contrast-detect autofocus with no phase-detection pixels on sensor, but Olympus’s E-M5 II employs a sophisticated 81-point AF system, while the GM5 has a more modest 23-point system.

Here’s a quick rundown of continuous performance:

• E-M5 II: Phase-detection-free but uses on-sensor contrast AF with 81 points, face and eye detection enabled, AF tracking available, and supports focus bracketing and stacking.
• GM5: 23 contrast-detect points, face detection, but no focus bracketing or stacking.

In the field, this means the Olympus locks focus faster and tracks moving subjects more reliably - which is a real boon for wildlife and sports photography. For animal eye detection, neither camera supports it, so for serious wildlife shooters, manual focus skill or paired lenses with fast AF are recommended.

Burst rates also highlight the E-M5 II advantage: 10 fps vs. 5.8 fps on the GM5 - essential when you want to capture fleeting moments.

Handling and User Interface: The Screens and Viewfinders

Both cameras have 3-inch LCD screens, but the differences emerge in articulation and resolution.

The E-M5 II’s screen is fully articulated with a slightly higher 1037k-dot resolution, making it perfect for shooting from unconventional angles or selfies (yes, Olympus calls it selfie-friendly). The touchscreen functionality is responsive and intuitive.

The GM5’s screen, while touchscreen-enabled, is fixed and slightly lower resolution at 921k dots. No tilt or swivel capability which can be limiting.

Compare them side-by-side:

Viewfinder-wise, the Olympus packs a 2360k-dot OLED electronic viewfinder with 0.74x magnification - sharp, bright, and immersive for composing images. The GM5’s viewfinder, while electronic, is more limited at 1166k dots and 0.46x magnification, feeling more cramped.

I’ve spent countless hours liking the Olympus's EVF for critical manual focusing or evaluation of depth of field, especially for portraits and macro work.

Real-World Shooting Across Genres

Let’s talk about how these cameras perform in practice for different kinds of photography. I’ll incorporate some sample shots here to give you a feel for the output.

Olympus E M5 II front Olympus E M5 II screen back Panasonic GM5 front Panasonic GM5 screen back

Portrait Photography

The E-M5 II is a clearer winner here due to its more sophisticated autofocus with eye detection and better color rendition, especially skin tones. The 5-axis sensor stabilization is particularly useful for handheld portraits in natural light, smoothing out small shakes and making results sharper. The GM5 produces good portraits too, but autofocus speed and bokeh rendition aren’t as refined.

Landscape Photography

With a capable 16MP sensor and wide ISO latitude, the Olympus E-M5 II offers better dynamic range and noise control, which is vital for expansive landscapes. Weather sealing also favors the E-M5 II, meaning you can shoot in mist, light rain, or dusty environs without worry.

The Panasonic GM5, lacking weather sealing and sporting fewer autofocus points, is less ideal here, though its compact size is handy for travel hikes where weight is crucial.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

For capturing motion, autofocus tracking speed counts more than anything. With twice as many AF points and a higher frame rate, the E-M5 II is clearly better suited to the demands of wildlife and sports. Its burst shooting lets you capture action sequences without frustration.

The GM5 is serviceable for casual animals or family sports but won’t excel for professionals or serious amateurs needing rapid, reliable focus.

Street Photography

Here the small stature of the GM5 shines. Its minimal design and light weight mean less attention drawn, perfect for candid street shots. However, the limited grip and slower autofocus might challenge fast-paced shooting, especially in dim lighting.

The E-M5 II is bulkier and more obvious but offers much better control and image quality if you don’t mind the size trade-off.

Macro Photography

E-M5 II’s 5-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS) is a huge aid for macros, allowing slower shutter speeds without blur when handholding. Combined with focus bracketing capabilities, it can produce superb detail composites.

The GM5 lacks IBIS and focus bracketing, so macro shooters will either rely on external lens stabilization or tripods.

Night and Astro Photography

Thanks to its superior low-light sensor performance and higher native ISO utility, the E-M5 II is a better pick for nightscapes and astro work. Its articulated screen facilitates compositions at odd angles for capturing the night sky.

GM5 can handle night scenes at low ISOs but will produce more noise as ISO rises.

Video Capabilities

Both cameras offer Full HD 1080p recording at various frame rates. The E-M5 II tops out at 60p, where the GM5 maxes at 60i (interlaced), offering smoother motion capture on Olympus. Built-in microphone jacks on the E-M5 II give it an edge for more serious videography, while the GM5 lacks mic inputs.

Neither offer 4K or advanced video features, so neither is truly made for heavy video creators, but for casual use or hybrid shooting, the Olympus is more flexible.

Durability, Battery, and Connectivity

The E-M5 II benefits from dust and splash resistance, a rarity in this segment, while the GM5 lacks weather sealing.

Battery endurance also favors Olympus with roughly 310 shots per charge compared to the GM5’s 220. This extra buffer is helpful on long shoots or travel days.

Wireless connections on both cameras are limited – both have built-in Wi-Fi but no Bluetooth on Olympus, and the GM5 adds NFC support for one-tap pairing. USB 2.0 and HDMI outputs exist on both but only the E-M5 II offers a microphone input jack.

Lens Compatibility and Ecosystem

Both use the standard Micro Four Thirds mount, delivering access to an extensive selection of lenses (around 107 native lenses and counting, across both brands and third-party makers).

However, the Olympus system is known for finely engineered lenses with fast apertures and optical image stabilization that pairs well with the E-M5 II’s IBIS, enhancing image quality.

Panasonic lenses often prioritize autofocus speed and video use with Power OIS, but when paired with GM5’s lack of IBIS, your stabilization options are more lens-dependent.

Price-to-Performance: What You Get for Your Money

At launch, the Olympus E-M5 II was priced around $699, making it a highly capable mid-tier advanced camera. Today, used or refurbished models hover in the $400–$600 range, representing great value for the features.

The Panasonic GM5 originally commanded nearly $965, reflecting its ultra-compact design niche. Now it can frequently be found for $400–$550 used, but at new price points, it’s harder to justify considering its feature set.

Here’s a visual breakdown of overall scores to frame their value proposition:

And a specialty genre analysis to see where each camera is strongest:

So Which Should You Choose?

If you want my direct recommendation based on hands-on testing:

• Choose the Olympus E-M5 II if you are:

  • An advanced enthusiast or professional seeking robust handling, solid image quality, and excellent autofocus.
  • Into a variety of photography types, including landscapes, wildlife, portraiture, macro, and video.
  • Looking for weather sealing and in-body stabilization.
  • Budget-conscious but want a feature-packed camera that stands up over time.

• Choose the Panasonic GM5 if you are:

  • Prioritizing ultimate compactness and stealth for street or travel photography.
  • Comfortable working within a smaller control layout and slower autofocus.
  • A casual or beginner shooter who favors portability over extensive features.
  • Ready to trade some performance for a camera that fits in a jacket pocket.

Wrapping Up: The Classic Trade-Off Between Size and Performance

Having tested both thoroughly, these cameras embody the classic Micro Four Thirds trade-off nicely: smaller, simpler vs. bigger, more capable.

The E-M5 II remains a remarkably versatile camera for its generation, strengthened by its stellar autofocus, IBIS, weather sealing, and viewfinder. Its appeal spans outdoorsy enthusiasts to studio shooters who want servo AF and solid JPEG results on demand.

Meanwhile, the GM5 is an ultra-portable marvel with respectable image quality but concessions in speed, durability, and handling limit it mainly to casual or travel use.

Ultimately, your choice comes down to what you shoot, how you like to hold your camera, and if you value compactness over higher performance. For those aiming at serious work, the Olympus is the better long-term investment. But for days when lightness matters most, the GM5 still has charm.

Feel free to compare sample RAW files and test these cameras yourself if possible - your hands and eye will tell the final story.

I hope this detailed comparison helps you navigate your Micro Four Thirds journey with confidence. Happy shooting!

NextUp: Check out my video review where I test autofocus speeds on both cameras under real-world conditions!

Note: All specifications are accurate as per manufacturer announcements and third-party testing sources. Images included illustrate key points and provide a visual reference complementing the detailed analysis above.