Canon T3i vs Olympus E-M5 II

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Canon T3i 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 T3i Review.
See real-world photos taken with the T3i.

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 T4i
Compare T3i vs T4i

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

Compare CANON T4I vs OLYMPUS E-M5 III

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Differences

Canon T3i advantages over Olympus E-M5 II

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
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

440 vs 310 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos

Olympus E-M5 II advantages over Canon T3i

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
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 1.5 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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 T3i test data on DxO Mark

908 vs 793 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
44 mm vs 79 mm
Thinner
Newer
10 years vs 14 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.28 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.53x
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 3.6 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
18 vs 9 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
10.4 fps vs 3.6 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
13 vs 5 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/4000 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
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
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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Adorama
Read T3i User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read E-M5 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality; Good grip; Full HD video recording; Swiveling LCD; Very fast autofocus; HDMI output.
Slow frame rate for sports shooting; Tendency to overexpose in bright sunlight; Live View AF is slow; No microfocus adjustment.
Read our Canon T3i 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 Nikon D7000

Canon T3i

Nikon D7000

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Fast startup

Compare Canon T3i 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 Pentax K-5

Canon T3i

Pentax K-5

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
More telephoto lens reach

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon T3i vs Pentax K-5

Olympus E-M5 II

Pentax K-5

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Pentax K-5

Compared to Canon T4i

Canon T3i

Canon T4i

$549
APS-C

$579
APS-C

Touchscreen
Fast startup

Compare Canon T3i vs Canon T4i

Olympus E-M5 II

Canon T4i

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$579
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Canon T4i

Compared to Panasonic GX7

Canon T3i

Panasonic GX7

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$648
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon T3i 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 T3i

Panasonic GX85

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$598
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon T3i 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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