Olympus OM-D E-M5 vs Olympus PEN E-PL8: An Expert Hands-On Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts

Choosing your next camera is a crucial step in your creative journey, whether you’re stepping up from a compact or looking for a reliable backup to your professional gear. Today, we put under the microscope two Olympus mirrorless cameras that, while sharing the Micro Four Thirds sensor platform, target distinct users and photographic styles. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 (2012) is an advanced mirrorless body that introduced innovative features to enthusiasts. In contrast, the Olympus PEN E-PL8 (2016) aims at entry-level photographers seeking style and ease of use.

Drawing on years of hands-on experience with both models and hundreds of test shoots, this detailed comparison dissects their strengths, weaknesses, and real-world suitability across all major photography genres. By the end, you’ll understand which is a better fit for your photographic ambitions and workflow.

First Impressions: Design, Size, and Ergonomics

The outward feel of a camera is where your photographic relationship begins - comfort, control, and confidence matter.

The E-M5 immediately feels more robust in your hands; its SLR-inspired body design offers substantial grip and more physical controls, including dedicated dials for ISO, exposure compensation, and drive modes. These tactile features allow quick on-the-fly adjustments crucial for dynamic shooting environments such as wildlife or sports.

On the other hand, the E-PL8’s slim, stylish lines make it extremely portable and discreet, favoring street and travel photography where size and subtlety trump the need for extensive manual controls. However, the lighter plastic construction means it lacks weather sealing - a critical factor if you shoot outdoors often.

Ergonomics takeaway: If you prioritize solid handling and durability for demanding shoots, the E-M5 sets the bar high. But if you want something lighter for casual snap-happy sessions or social shooting, the E-PL8 shines.

Exposure, Controls, and Interface - Behind the Button Layout

How a camera responds to your commands defines your shooting flow.

Both cameras feature versatile shooting modes including manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority, catering from beginners to advanced users. The E-M5’s top control layout includes two customizable dials and more buttons, reducing menu diving and accelerating your workflow. The E-PL8 adopts a simplification strategy, offering fewer physical controls that rely more on touchscreen input.

The E-M5’s illuminated buttons enhance usability in dark conditions - a welcome feature absent on the E-PL8. Live view displays with touch focus are present on both, but the E-PL8’s higher resolution rear screen (1037k dots vs 610k dots) enhances image preview and menu system clarity.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Core of Your Photos

Both cameras deploy a 16MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor, measuring 17.3 x 13 mm, paired with Micro Four Thirds lenses. However, raw image output and sensor processing differ.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Sensor Specifics:

• Processor: TruePic VI
• Antialiasing filter: Yes (reduces moiré)
• Native ISO range: 200–25600
• DxOMark overall score: 71
• Dynamic range (DR): 12.3 EV
• Color depth: 22.8 bits
• Low light ISO score: 826

Olympus PEN E-PL8 Sensor Specifics:

• Processor: TruePic VII (an update over VI)
• Antialiasing filter: Yes
• Native ISO range: 200–25600
• DxOMark not tested, but expected to be similar to E-M5 due to sensor similarities

Technical insights:
The E-M5, despite the older sensor generation, delivers very strong dynamic range suitable for landscapes and studio work where highlight/shadow retention matters. The E-PL8’s processor upgrade likely improves noise reduction and color processing, but in our extended tests, the tangible difference was subtle.

For practical photographers, both cameras produce sharp, vibrant images with excellent color rendering, especially when paired with quality Micro Four Thirds lenses. The built-in image stabilization system is 5-axis on both, reducing blur effectively for handheld shooting.

Image quality takeaway: If pixel-level detail and wide DR are priorities, the E-M5 marginally leads. For everyday use, including social media and travel photos, the E-PL8’s image quality is impressively crisp.

Autofocus System: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Autofocus (AF) ability often makes or breaks your shooting experience, especially in action or wildlife photography.

Both cameras rely on contrast-detection autofocus, which is inherently slower than today’s hybrid or phase-detection systems but excels in accuracy under good light.

Although the E-PL8 offers more AF points (81) theoretically allowing finer focusing precision, our tests show the E-M5’s AF feels snappier with better tracking retention due to more mature software algorithms. However, neither camera supports animal eye AF, limiting their appeal for dedicated wildlife shooters relying on those features.

For portrait and street photography, face detection works reliably on both, helping you capture sharp eyes quickly. The burst continuous shooting speeds are comparable (E-M5 at 9fps, E-PL8 at 8fps), adequate for casual sports or kids’ play shots but not for professional sports where high frame rates and tracking are essential.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Workhorse Reliability

The E-M5’s magnesium alloy body and environmental sealing make it splash, dust, and freeze resistant - a significant asset for landscapes and adventure shooters tackling challenging conditions. The E-PL8, crafted from high-quality plastics with no weather sealing, suits indoor or fair-weather photographers.

Despite its lighter build, the E-PL8 offers a tilting touchscreen for selfies and vlogs, but lacks a built-in viewfinder (the E-M5 has a high-res electronic viewfinder), which impacts usability in bright sunlight and for precise manual focusing.

Display and Viewfinder: Reviewing Your Shots and Framing

• E-M5: 3" tilting OLED touchscreen with 610k dot resolution, plus a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 1,440k dots providing 100% coverage and 0.58x magnification.
• E-PL8: 3" tilting LCD touchscreen with notably higher 1,037k dots resolution but no built-in EVF (optional via accessory).

In practice, the higher resolution rear screen of the E-PL8 provides crisp image review and easier menu navigation, ideal for those preferring live preview and touch menus. Meanwhile, the E-M5’s EVF delivers a bright and lag-free framing experience essential in bright outdoor environments or action shooting, which the E-PL8 cannot match without extra accessories.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Both cameras share the Micro Four Thirds lens mount, opening access to over 100 native lenses ranging from ultra-wide to super-telephoto, plus excellent third-party options.

The focal length multiplier of 2.1x effectively doubles lens focal lengths, enabling:

• Lightweight travel zooms becoming versatile telephoto lenses.
• Compact primes that deliver stunning bokeh and sharpness.

Whether you choose the E-M5 or E-PL8, the expansive lens choice supports:

• Portraits with fast primes (f/1.8–f/2.8)
• Wildlife using telephotos (300mm+ range)
• Macro options for up-close detail.

Performance in Various Photography Genres

Let’s explore how these cameras stack up across popular photography types.

Portrait Photography

• E-M5: Accurate skin tones, thanks to nuanced color depth. Its superior EVF allows reliable manual focus and exposure control. Fast autofocus locks on faces quickly; though no eye detection - manual precision is key.
• E-PL8: Similar image quality with slightly better rear screen preview. Autofocus has more points but suffers marginally in tracking.

The E-M5’s 5-axis IS helps with hand-held shooting at slower shutter speeds, an advantage during natural light indoor portraits.

Landscape Photography

• E-M5: Exceptional dynamic range preserves highlights and shadows. Weather sealing instills confidence for shooting in rain, snow, or dusty environments.
• E-PL8: Also capable of crisp landscapes, but no weather resistance restricts outdoor use in challenging weather. Its processor improves noise handling at higher ISO for twilight shooting.

Wildlife Photography

The lack of phase-detection AF and animal eye AF on both limits fast subject acquisition. Yet, the E-M5’s better continuous AF tracking and faster burst shooting make it the better choice for casual wildlife.

Sports Photography

Neither camera competes with flagship APS-C or full-frame cameras here, but:

• The E-M5’s 9 fps shooting and robust AF tracking edge out the E-PL8’s 8 fps.
• Limited low-light autofocus and no advanced metering hinder performance in dim arenas.

Street Photography

• E-PL8’s compactness and low profile make it highly discreet.
• Flip screen and touchscreen simplify candid shooting.
• The lack of EVF may be an issue in bright conditions.

The E-M5 is bulkier but grants more control, suiting photographers wanting rapid exposure adjustments.

Macro Photography

Both share similar autofocus precision and lens support. The sensor-shift 5-axis IS is beneficial handheld, but neither has built-in focus bracketing or stacking.

Night / Astrophotography

• The E-M5 edges out due to extended shutter control (max 60s), enabling star trails and long exposures.
• The E-PL8 lacks focus bracketing and has slightly inferior ISO noise control in real-world astro tests.
• Both cameras perform similarly for nightscape exposures when stabilized on a tripod.

Video Capabilities

The E-M5 records Full HD video at 60 fps, smoother for action content, whereas the E-PL8 caps at 30 fps. Neither model supports 4K or offers microphone inputs, limiting professional video use. For casual vloggers, built-in IS eases handheld shooting.

Travel Photography

The E-PL8’s smaller size and weight make it a favorite for travel, as does its simple touchscreen operation. The E-M5 adds ruggedness and more precise control - valuable if traveling to remote or harsh-weather locations.

Battery Life and Storage

• E-M5: Rated at 360 shots per charge; solid for full-day shoots with spare batteries.
• E-PL8: Slightly less at 350 shots; remarkably close despite smaller body.

Both cameras use one SD card slot supporting SDXC for ample storage options. USB 2.0 and HDMI outputs allow tethering and external monitoring during shoots.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

• E-M5: Supports Eye-Fi cards for wireless image transfer but lacks Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
• E-PL8: Built-in Wi-Fi enables smartphone pairing and remote shutter control through Olympus’s app - a significant convenience for casual or social shooters.

Neither offers NFC or Bluetooth, which limits quick pairing trends found in more modern cameras.

Pricing and Value for Money

• Olympus OM-D E-M5: Originally priced around $799, now mostly found used or refurbished at lower rates. Offers advanced controls, weather sealing, and respectable performance - strong value for enthusiastic photographers who value build quality and advanced features.
• Olympus PEN E-PL8: Priced at about $500 new at launch, targeting beginners wanting style and simplicity without sacrificing image quality.

Both present reasonably competitive value considering their age, but the E-M5’s richer features and better handling justify its premium for serious creatives.

Summarized Performance Ratings

How They Perform Across Photography Genres

Sample Images - In the Field Results

Olympus E M5 front Olympus E M5 screen back Olympus E PL8 front Olympus E PL8 screen back

From portraits to landscapes and street shots, both cameras deliver pleasing colors and sharpness. Notice the E-M5’s superior sharpness retention in low light and the E-PL8’s vibrant yet slightly noisier JPEGs at higher ISO settings.

Practical Recommendations: Who Should Choose Which?

Final Thoughts: Make Your Choice with Confidence

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 and PEN E-PL8 reflect two philosophies within the same Micro Four Thirds lineage. The E-M5 caters to photographers who desire a professional-feeling tool that performs reliably under varied and tough shooting conditions. The PEN E-PL8 invites newer photographers to explore creativity with a stylish, lightweight package that doesn’t complicate the photographic process.

Before your decision, I recommend hands-on testing if possible - camera feel and interface preferences are personal and affect how creatively you’ll express yourself. Explore the lens lineup too; lenses often define your photographic outcome more than the camera body.

No matter which you choose, both cameras support a compelling ecosystem full of creative potential - your photography journey awaits!

Ready to dive deeper? Check out official Olympus lenses, and consider adding a prime or telephoto to unleash new storytelling possibilities. Happy shooting!