Canon 60D vs Olympus E-M5 II

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Canon 60D vs Olympus E-M5 II

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APS-C 332.3mm²
18.0 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Canon 60D Review.
See real-world photos taken with the 60D.

4/3 224.9mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M5 II Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M5 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M5 II.
Compare Olympus E-M5 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M5 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon 70D
Compare 60D vs 70D

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M5 III
Compare E-M5 II vs E-M5 III

Compare CANON 70D vs OLYMPUS E-M5 III

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Differences

Canon 60D advantages over Olympus E-M5 II

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 0.8 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

1100 vs 310 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
34 vs 18 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Olympus E-M5 II advantages over Canon 60D

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
E-M5 II test data on DxO Mark 60D test data on DxO Mark

908 vs 813 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
44 mm vs 78 mm
Thinner
Newer
10 years vs 14 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.25 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.59x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
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
10.4 fps vs 5.3 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
10.4 fps vs 5.3 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 12800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Tilt-swivel screen
Both provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
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

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
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Read 60D User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read E-M5 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Excellent 18-megapixel sensor with superb detail; Very good high ISO performance, especially for 18-megapixel subframe sensor; 3.0-inch, 1,040K-dot Vari-angle LCD is very useful for video and Live View; Sharp 18-135 kit lens with above average zoom range and I.S.; Full HD (1920x1080) movies at 30/25/24p, 60/50p at 1280x720.
Body not as rugged as mag-alloy 50D; AF assist only works when flash is up, though flash can be forced off; Auto-exposure not reliable in very low light; No continuous autofocus in Movie mode.
Read our Canon 60D Full Review

Excellent handling in a compact, weather-sealed body; Crisp, roomy electronic viewfinder; Image quality that can take the fight to APS-C DSLRs; Unique high-res mode lets it bat far above its weight for static scenes; Extremely fast 10 fps burst shooting, Excellent video feature set
Control dials are easily bumped; Below-average battery life at default settings; Buffer depths for raw shooters are a bit limited; 16-megapixel sensor resolution feels dated; Weak bundled flash strobe
Read our Olympus E-M5 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 7D

Canon 60D

Canon 7D

$899
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$1499
APS-C

More cross-type AF points
Less shutter lag

Compare Canon 60D vs Canon 7D

Olympus E-M5 II

Canon 7D

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$1499
APS-C

Larger sensor
Fast startup

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Canon 7D

Compared to Nikon D7000

Canon 60D

Nikon D7000

$899
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
More telephoto lens reach

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Higher effective ISO

Compare Canon 60D vs Nikon D7000

Olympus E-M5 II

Nikon D7000

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Nikon D7000

Compared to Canon T3i

Canon 60D

Canon T3i

$899
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

$549
APS-C

Compare Canon 60D vs Canon T3i

Olympus E-M5 II

Canon T3i

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$549
APS-C

Larger sensor
Longer stills battery life

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Canon T3i

Compared to Panasonic GX7

Canon 60D

Panasonic GX7

$899
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$648
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon 60D vs Panasonic GX7

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic GX7

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
High resolution composite

$648
4/3

In-camera panoramas
Internal flash

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic GX7

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Canon 60D

Panasonic GX85

$899
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Canon 60D vs Panasonic GX85

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic GX85

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
High resolution composite

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic GX85

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