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Olympus E-M5 III vs E-PL5

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and the Olympus PEN E-PL5 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in October 2019 and September 2012. Both the E-M5 III and the E-PL5 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The E-M5 III has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the E-PL5 provides 15.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-M5 III
versus
Olympus E-PL5
Olympus E-M5 III   Olympus E-PL5
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor 15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video 1080/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 200-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots) Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Swivel touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second 8 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodynot weather sealed
310 shots per battery charge360 shots per battery charge
125 x 85 x 50 mm, 414 g 111 x 64 x 38 mm, 325 g
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Check E-M5 III offers at
ebay.com
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Check E-PL5 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and the Olympus PEN E-PL5? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M5 III and the Olympus E-PL5. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M5 III can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the E-PL5 is available in three color-versions (black, silver, white).

Size Olympus E-M5 III vs Olympus E-PL5
Compare E-M5 III versus E-PL5 top
Comparison E-M5 III or E-PL5 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-PL5 is considerably smaller (33 percent) than the Olympus E-M5 III. Moreover, the E-PL5 is markedly lighter (21 percent) than the E-M5 III. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-M5 III is splash and dust resistant, while the E-PL5 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the E-M5 III gets 310 shots out of its Olympus BLS-50 battery, while the E-PL5 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-5 power pack. The power pack in the E-M5 III can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M5 III 125 mm 85 mm 50 mm 414 g 310 Y Oct 2019 1,199ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 III 134 mm 91 mm 69 mm 580 g 420 Y Feb 2020 1,799ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV 122 mm 84 mm 49 mm 383 g 360 n Aug 2020 699 amazon.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M1X 144 mm 147 mm 75 mm 997 g 870 Y Jan 2019 2,999ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus PEN-F 125 mm 72 mm 37 mm 427 g 330 n Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 II 124 mm 85 mm 45 mm 469 g 310 Y Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-M1 130 mm 94 mm 63 mm 497 g 350 Y Sep 2013 1,399ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PL6 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n May 2013 599ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-M5 122 mm 89 mm 43 mm 425 g 360 Y Feb 2012 1,299ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-PM2 110 mm 64 mm 34 mm 269 g 360 n Sep 2012 499ebay.com
14.
 
Olympus E-PL3 110 mm 64 mm 37 mm 313 g 300 n Jun 2011 599ebay.com
15.
 
OM System OM-5 125 mm 85 mm 50 mm 414 g 310 Y Oct 2022 1,199 amazon.com
16.
 
Panasonic G95 130 mm 94 mm 77 mm 536 g 290 Y Apr 2019 999ebay.com
17.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The E-PL5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the E-M5 III, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

In terms of chip-set technology, the E-M5 III uses a more advanced image processing engine (TruePic VIII) than the E-PL5 (TruePic VI), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Olympus E-M5 III and Olympus E-PL5 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-M5 III offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the E-PL5. This megapixels advantage translates into a 13 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-M5 III has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 3.76μm for the E-PL5). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the E-M5 III is much more recent (by 7 years and 1 month) than the E-PL5, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M5 III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-M5 III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-M5 III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-PL5 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The E-M5 III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the E-PL5, the E-M5 III has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (80MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 64-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus PEN E-PL5 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

E-M5 III versus E-PL5 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-M5 III Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.1132476
2.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 III Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.1135676
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.2140276
5.
 
Olympus E-M1X Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.213.0125475
6.
 
Olympus PEN-F Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38881080/60p23.112.489474
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.012.584273
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
10.
 
Olympus E-M1 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.775773
11.
 
Olympus E-PL6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.512.071768
12.
 
Olympus E-M5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i22.812.382671
13.
 
Olympus E-PM2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.293272
14.
 
Olympus E-PL3 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 30241080/60i20.910.349952
15.
 
OM System OM-5 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.413.4162278
16.
 
Panasonic G95 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.213.0127375
17.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the E-M5 III provides a higher video resolution than the E-PL5. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the E-PL5 is limited to 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M5 III has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PL5 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-PL5 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-3. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-M5 III and Olympus E-PL5 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Olympus E-M5 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
2.
 
Olympus E-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 III2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 15.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M1X2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
6.
 
Olympus PEN-F2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-M12360 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
11.
 
Olympus E-PL6optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
12.
 
Olympus E-M51440 n3.0 / 610 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s n Y
13.
 
Olympus E-PM2optional n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
14.
 
Olympus E-PL3optional n3.0 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 5.5/s n Y
15.
 
OM System OM-52360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
16.
 
Panasonic G952360 n3.0 / 1240 swivel Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y Y
17.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the E-M5 III is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Olympus E-M5 III has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-M5 III and the E-PL5 write their files to SDXC cards. The E-M5 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the E-PL5 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and Olympus PEN E-PL5 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
2.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IVYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M1XYstereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y-Y
6.
 
Olympus PEN-FYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
10.
 
Olympus E-M1Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
11.
 
Olympus E-PL6Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
12.
 
Olympus E-M5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
13.
 
Olympus E-PM2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
14.
 
Olympus E-PL3Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
15.
 
OM System OM-5Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
16.
 
Panasonic G95Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0Y-Y
17.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
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It is notable that the E-M5 III has a microphone port, which is missing on the E-PL5. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the E-M5 III and the E-PL5 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-PL5 was replaced by the Olympus E-PL6, while the E-M5 III was followed by the OM System OM-5. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M5 III and E-PL5 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M5 III Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PL5 Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Olympus E-M5 III better than the Olympus E-PL5 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.


Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (20.2 vs 15.9MP) with a 13% higher linear resolution.
  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (TruePic VIII vs TruePic VI).
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Reflects 7 years and 1 month of technical progress since the E-PL5 launch.


Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-PL5:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • More compact: Is smaller (111x64mm vs 125x85mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 89g or 21 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (360 versus 310) out of a single battery charge.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2012).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M5 III is the clear winner of the match-up (20 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-M5 III 20:06 E-PL5

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M5 III and the Olympus E-PL5 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-M5 III or the E-PL5. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-M5 III5/5+5/582/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2019 1,199ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 III5/5..5/583/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2020 1,799ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV4.5/5..5/581/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2020 699 amazon.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M1X4.5/5o5/585/1004.5/5.. Jan 2019 2,999ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus PEN-F....4/582/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M5 II5/5+ +4.5/581/1005/55/5 Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 649ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-M15/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2013 1,399ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PL6............ May 2013 599ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-M54/5+ +..80/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2012 1,299ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-PM23/5....77/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 499ebay.com
14.
 
Olympus E-PL33/5+ +..72/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2011 599ebay.com
15.
 
OM System OM-55/5..4.5/583/1005/54.5/5 Oct 2022 1,199 amazon.com
16.
 
Panasonic G954.5/5+4.5/583/1004.5/54.5/5 Apr 2019 999ebay.com
17.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-M5 III vs Olympus E-PL5

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-M5 III Olympus E-PL5
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date October 2019 September 2012
    Launch Price USD 1,199 USD 599
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-M5 III Olympus E-PL5
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 224.9 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 20.2 Megapixels 15.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5184 x 3888 pixels 4608 x 3456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.34 μm 3.76 μm
    Pixel Density 8.96 MP/cm2 7.08 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 200 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 64 - 25,600 ISO no Enhancement
    Image Processor TruePic VIII TruePic VI
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) .. 72
    DXO Color Depth (bits) .. 22.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) .. 12.3
    DXO Low Light (ISO) .. 889
    Screen Specs Olympus E-M5 III Olympus E-PL5
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Viewfinder optional
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.68x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 460k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-M5 III Olympus E-PL5
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 10 shutter flaps/s 8 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/32000sno E-Shutter
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inno Intervalometer
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-II UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-M5 III Olympus E-PL5
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port no MIC socket
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in no Wifi
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in no Bluetooth
    Body Specs Olympus E-M5 III Olympus E-PL5
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodynot weather sealed
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-50 Olympus BLS-5
    Battery Life (CIPA)310 shots per charge360 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging no USB charging
    Body Dimensions 125 x 85 x 50 mm
    (4.9 x 3.3 x 2.0 in)
    111 x 64 x 38 mm
    (4.4 x 2.5 x 1.5 in)
    Camera Weight 414 g (14.6 oz) 325 g (11.5 oz)
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