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Olympus E-M5 II

 
Olympus OM-D E-M5 II front
 
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 469g - 124 x 85 x 45mm
  • Revealed February 2015
  • Replaced the Olympus E-M5
  • Newer Model is Olympus E-M5 III
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
80
Imaging
53
Features
84
Overall
65

Olympus E-M5 II summary

Olympus E-M5 II is Olympus's Advanced Mirrorless digital camera first launched on February of 2015. The camera comes with a 16MP, MOS Four Thirds sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4608 x 3456.

Olympus launched this model in order to replace the previous Olympus E-M5 (Read Full Comparison) and afterwards introduced the newer Olympus E-M5 III (Read Full Comparison) in order to update this model.

The E-M5 II is scored #39 out of 62 in Advanced Mirrorless cameras and over-all #225 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. Please check our Smart camera filter to see camera listings based on your custom requirements.

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Below is a graph of various factors used in the rating system.

Olympus E-M5 II history

The Olympus E-M5 II is part of a family of products. You can see the detailed range underneath.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
OM-System-OM-5 front thumbnailOM System OM-5
E-M5 II vs OM System OM-5
20MPFour Thirds10.0 fps2022
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-IV front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 IV
E-M5 II vs E-M10 IV
20MPFour Thirds8.7 fps2020
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Olympus-OM-D-E-M1-Mark-III front thumbnailOlympus E-M1 III
E-M5 II vs E-M1 III
20MPFour Thirds60.0 fps2020
Olympus-OM-D-E-M5-III front thumbnailOlympus E-M5 III
E-M5 II vs E-M5 III
20MPFour Thirds30.0 fps2019
Olympus-OM-D-E-M1X front thumbnailOlympus E-M1X
E-M5 II vs E-M1X
20MPFour Thirds60.0 fps2019
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-Mark-III front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 III
E-M5 II vs E-M10 III
16MPFour Thirds8.6 fps2017
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Olympus-OM-D-E-M1-Mark-II front thumbnailOlympus E-M1 II
E-M5 II vs E-M1 II
20MPFour Thirds60.0 fps2016
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-II front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 II
E-M5 II vs E-M10 II
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2015
Olympus-OM-D-E-M5-II front thumbnailOlympus E-M5 II16MPFour Thirds10.0 fps2015
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10 front thumbnailOlympus E-M10
E-M5 II vs E-M10
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2014
Olympus-OM-D-E-M1 front thumbnailOlympus E-M1
E-M5 II vs E-M1
16MPFour Thirds10.0 fps2013
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Olympus-OM-D-E-M5 front thumbnailOlympus E-M5
E-M5 II vs E-M5
16MPFour Thirds9.0 fps2012

Olympus E-M5 II Pros and Cons

Below is a list of advantages and disadvantages of the Olympus E-M5 II based on factors which are often regarded as important in a digital camera.

above average ISO range (25,600)
boasts touch focus
delivers RAW files
fully articulated screen
great max shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
includes external mic socket
includes face detection focus
includes HDMI socket
includes tracking autofocus
manual focus
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
nice screen size (3 inches)
selfie friendly display
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
silent mode (1/16,000 seconds)
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
touch screen
very good screen resolution (1,037 thousand dots)
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
weather proofing
does not have headphone socket
does not have phase detect auto focus
terrible battery life (310 CIPA)
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Olympus E-M5 II Sensor details

The Olympus E-M5 II is powered by the TruePic VII processor. The sensor size in the Olympus E-M5 II is 17.3mm x 13mm (Four Thirds). The 225 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 4608 x 3456 pixels and aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis). In body stabilization is superior than digital stabilization as the latter may lead to cropping.

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The MOS sensor boasts 16 megapixels and gives a standard ISO range of 200 - 25600. This ISO can also be extended electronically to a low of 100. RAW photos are supported so you have wider margin for error.

The image underneath displays the E-M5 II's sensor dimensions when compared to other popular sizes. The E-M5 II sensor comes with a crop factor of 2.1 and is shown in green.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 II sensor size Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images

To get an understanding of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Olympus E-M5 II dimensions

Olympus E-M5 II weighs 1.03 lbs (469 grams / 16.54 ounces) and features external dimensions of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8"). The weight of average Advanced Mirrorless camera is 454 grams so the Olympus E-M5 II is similar compared with other rivals.

Photography Glossary

Underneath is a image of the Olympus E-M5 II next to a softdrink so you're able to have a feel for its scale.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 II dimensions scale

The top view under will provide the button design on the E-M5 II.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 II topview buttons dials

Olympus E-M5 II Lens specs

The E-M5 II works with the Micro Four Thirds mount and has 162 lenses available for purchase. Below is a small number of the lenses we have in our database which will work with the E-M5 II.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Sigma-30mm-F1.4-DC-DN-C-Micro-Four-Thirds lensSigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN C30mmf/1.4 265g
Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-ED-9-18mm-f4.0-5.6 lensOlympus Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm f4.0-5.69-18mmf/4.0-5.6 280g
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Tamron-14-150mm-F3.5-5.8-Di-III-Micro-Four-Thirds lensTamron 14-150mm F3.5-5.8 Di III14-150mmf/3.5-5.8 285g
Olympus-Body-Cap-Lens-15mm-F8.0 lensOlympus Body Cap Lens 15mm F8.015mmf/8.0 22g
Sigma-50mm-F1.4-EX-DG-HSM-Four-Thirds lensSigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM50mmf/1.4 505g
Samyang-135mm-F2.0-ED-UMC-Four-Thirds lensSamyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC135mmf/2830g
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Olympus-M.Zuiko-Digital-45mm-f1.8 lensOlympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f1.845mmf/1.8 116g
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Olympus E-M5 II Connectivity

The E-M5 II has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras which have NFC or Bluetooth support are able to be controlled wirelessly with smartphones. You will be able to transfer files and in some cases change settings with no need to connect physically to the camera.

Several applications even give a Liveview and release the shutter whenever you are not close to the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI out, it can easily be attached to an external monitor. Most cameras enable you to charge the battery pack using the USB port.

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Olympus E-M5 II Video specs

The highest possible video quality in the Olympus E-M5 II is 1920 x 1080 and it can shoot in MPEG-4, H.264 and Motion JPEG file format. 1080p quality delivers a great balance in video quality and file sizes but 1080p won't leave you with much room to crop. Although the camera includes a mic socket, it is missing a headphone socket so you won't have the capability to monitor your audio levels.

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Olympus E-M5 II Weather Sealing

Olympus E-M5 II comes with weather proofing making it a excellent candidate to use in tricky environments. This is especially valuable when you are unsure about the conditions you might encounter in outdoor photography.

Olympus E-M5 II Screen and Viewfinder

The Olympus E-M5 II comes with a 3 inch fully articulated screen supporting a resolution of 1,037 thousand dots.

It includes a selfie friendly screen to get self portraits and group shots when required. Additionally the screen is touch friendly so you will be able to switch focus points and change settings by using your finger.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 II screen and viewfinder Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video

The ViewFinder specifications regarding Olympus E-M5 II are below:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • ViewFinder Resolution 2,360 thousand dots
  • ViewFinder Coverage 100%
  • ViewFinder Magnification 0.74x

In those sunny outdoor conditions which make the camera displays washed out and challenging to view, viewfinders can be quite useful.

Olympus E-M5 II Shutter specs

Olympus E-M5 II has the capability to shoot continuously at 10.0 frames/s. The maximum shutter speed is 1/8000s. The camera also includes silent electronic shutter of 1/16000s. Beware that the electronic shutter could cause "rolling shutter" in certain circumstances.

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Olympus E-M5 II Flash and Hot shoe specs

Olympus E-M5 II includes external flash support but does not include inbuilt flash. The highest flash sync is 1/250s.

Olympus E-M5 II Autofocusing specs

Olympus E-M5 II includes just Contrast Detect Auto Focus and does not have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is more snappier & precise in comparison with Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera comes with Face detection which can be useful for portrait photography.

It comes with 81 focus points to choose from. Olympus E-M5 II has touch to focus. You can use your fingers in order to switch where you focus. It also features Tracking Auto Focus for things that move. Olympus E-M5 II comes with manual focus if needed in low light situations or you want more exact control on focus.

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Olympus E-M5 II Battery life

The battery life (BLN-1) in the Olympus E-M5 II is fashioned to last for 310 images according to the CIPA requirements making it lower compared with its competitors. The average Advanced Mirrorless camera battery life is 390. Sony A6600 offers the best (810) battery life in this kind of cameras.

Underneath is a listing of Advanced Mirrorless cameras having the best battery life:

Olympus E-M5 II for various kinds of photography

The following illustration displays a rundown of the Olympus E-M5 II for various kinds of photography. To look at more, go to the specific paragraph underneath.

Olympus E-M5 II as a Portrait photography camera

The Olympus E-M5 II has a points tally of 71 which is very good, and means the camera is a good choice for portrait photography. Taking portraits favors greatly towards sensor resolution, RAW support and capability to use external lighting.

Photography Glossary
has manual focus
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
features face detect focus
delivers RAW formats

Street photography with Olympus E-M5 II

With a superb score of 82, the Olympus E-M5 II is a brilliant fit to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera provides a perfect balance of image quality and portability.

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screen articulates fully
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
features focus by touch
weather proof
very good high ISO (25,600)

Olympus E-M5 II as a Sports photography camera

A above average sports photography score of 65 indicates the Olympus E-M5 II is a good fit for photographing sports. A camera should have great autofocus and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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high shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
quiet mode (1/16,000 seconds)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
megapixel count good (16 megapixels)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
features tracking autofocus
weather sealing
terrible battery (310 CIPA)
does not have phase detect AF

Olympus E-M5 II Travel photography features

Portability is very critical in buying a travel camera. All round, the Olympus E-M5 II gets a nice 74 for a travel camera which makes it a very decent fit to take with you on your travels.

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weather proofing
features focus by touch
MP count good (16 megapixels)
selfie friendly screen
not so great battery pack (310 per charge)

Olympus E-M5 II as a Landscape photography camera

When you are planning to purchase a camera for landscape photos, the most significant aspect will be image quality. The Olympus E-M5 II at it's nice rating of 74 for a landscape camera is a fine fit amongst it's rivals.

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you can focus manually
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
MP count good (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
good ISO range (25,600)
saves RAW formats
environment proof
terrible battery (310 CIPA)

Olympus E-M5 II Vlogging information

A camera for vlogging really should posses a articulating screen, mic input and preferably IBIS. Taking everything in to account, the Olympus E-M5 II is a outstanding fit as a vlog camera as it delivers a awesome score of 82.

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selfie friendly screen
touchscreen capability
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
has face detection autofocus
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
includes external mic support

Olympus E-M5 II Alternatives

If you want replacements to the E-M5 II, below is a collection of the top ranked cameras that fall within the class of Advanced Mirrorless.

The line graph listed below shows you an overview of the E-M5 II versus it's highest rated rivals suggested previously.

Following are several cameras you may take into account as alternate options. To read a complete comparison, visit the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Olympus
Model
Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
Category
Advanced Mirrorless
Revealed
2015-02-06
Physical type
SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type
MOS
Chip
TruePic VII
Sensor size
Four Thirds
Sensor dimensions
17.3 x 13mm
Sensor surface area
224.9mm²
Sensor resolution
16MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW images
Maximum native ISO
25600
Minimum native ISO
200
Minimum enhanced ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Number of focus points
81
Lens
Lens mount
Micro Four Thirds
Amount of lenses
107
Crop factor
2.1
Screen
Type of screen
Fully Articulated
Screen sizing
3 inches
Screen resolution
1,037 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
2,360 thousand dots
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.74x
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
73
DXO Color Depth score
23.0
DXO Dynamic range score
12.4
DXO Low light score
896
Features
Minimum shutter speed
60 secs
Fastest shutter speed
1/8000 secs
Fastest silent shutter speed
1/16000 secs
Continuous shutter rate
10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range
no built-in flash
Flash settings
Auto, redeye, fill, off, redeye slow sync, slow sync, 2nd-curtain slow sync, manual
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash synchronize
1/250 secs
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Maximum video resolution
1920x1080
Video data format
MPEG-4, H.264, Motion JPEG
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
469 gr (1.03 lb)
Dimensions
124 x 85 x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8")
Other
Battery life
310 images
Battery type
Battery Pack
Battery model
BLN-1
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom)
Time lapse recording
Storage type
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots
1
Cost at release
$699