Canon 5D Mark II vs Olympus E-M10 III

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Canon 5D Mark II vs Olympus E-M10 III

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35mm 864.0mm²
21.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Canon 5D Mark II Review.
See real-world photos taken with the 5D Mark II.

4/3 226.2mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M10 III Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M10 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M10 III.
Compare Olympus E-M10 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M10 III conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon 5D Mark III
Compare 5D Mark II vs 5D Mark III
Compare Canon 5D Mark III vs Olympus E-M10 III

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Differences

Canon 5D Mark II advantages over Olympus E-M10 III

Larger sensor
35mm vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 6.41 vs 3.78 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 1.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

850 vs 330 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
105 mm vs 84 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
More viewfinder magnification
0.71x vs 0.62x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
21.1 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Wider angle kit lens
24 mm vs 28 mm
Capture more of the scene with the included lens

Olympus E-M10 III advantages over Canon 5D Mark II

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Less expensive
$799 vs $2999
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Thinner
49 mm vs 75 mm
Thinner
Newer
7 years vs 16 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Lighter weight
503g vs 1588g
Lighter weight
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.21 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
8.6 fps vs 3.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 75 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.6 fps vs 3.9 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
33 vs 11 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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Buy the Canon 5D Mark II

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Body Only
Kit with 24-105mm f/4 lens

All 5D Mark II Deals

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Buy the Olympus E-M10 III

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Silver)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Black)
Kit with 14-42mm EZ lens (Silver)

All E-M10 III Deals

Review Excerpt

Read our Canon 5D Mark II Full Review

Superbly-built, comfortable and compact body; Pairs beautifully with pancake kit lens; Excellent image quality; Excellent performance in most respects; Great single-shot autofocus; Really nice viewfinder and touch-screen display; Friendlier user interface courts amateurs.
Some controls are a bit small and tightly-packed; Hand grips are still a bit modestly-sized for larger lenses; Continuous and video autofocus just isn't up to snuff; New user interface can feel limiting to advanced photographers; Underwhelming battery life.
Read our Olympus E-M10 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D3X

Canon 5D Mark II

Nikon D3X

$1200
35mm

Shoots 1080p video
Bigger JPEG buffer

$2500
35mm

Fast startup
More dynamic range

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D3X

Olympus E-M10 III

Nikon D3X

$549
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$2500
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Nikon D3X

Compared to Nikon D600

Canon 5D Mark II

Nikon D600

$1200
35mm

More telephoto lens reach
Bigger JPEG buffer

$1900
35mm

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D600

Olympus E-M10 III

Nikon D600

$549
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1900
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Nikon D600

Compared to Canon 6D

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 6D

$1200
35mm

Less shutter lag
More AF points

$1499
35mm

Less expensive
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Canon 6D

Olympus E-M10 III

Canon 6D

$549
4/3

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1499
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Canon 6D

Compared to Olympus E-M10 II

Canon 5D Mark II

Olympus E-M10 II

$1200
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$349
4/3

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10 III

Olympus E-M10 II

$549
4/3

Shoot 4K video
Bigger JPEG buffer

$349
4/3

Less expensive

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Olympus E-M10 II

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Canon 5D Mark II

Panasonic GX85

$1200
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Canon 5D Mark II vs Panasonic GX85

Olympus E-M10 III

Panasonic GX85

$549
4/3

More telephoto lens reach
Higher max flash sync

$598
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Panasonic GX85

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