Olympus E-M5 II vs Canon G1X Mark III

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Olympus E-M5 II vs Canon G1X Mark III

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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.

APS-C 332.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
24.00mm - 72.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Canon G1X Mark III Review.
How does it shoot? Canon G1X Mark III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the G1X Mark III.

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M5 III
Compare E-M5 II vs E-M5 III
Compare Olympus E-M5 III vs Canon G1X Mark III

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Differences

Olympus E-M5 II advantages over Canon G1X Mark III

High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 2.1 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

310 vs 200 shots
Capture more photos
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
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 9.3 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
10.4 fps vs 9.4 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/2000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Canon G1X Mark III advantages over Olympus E-M5 II

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
More pixels
24.2 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
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
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Both provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
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

Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
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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Review Excerpt

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

We haven’t finished our review of the Canon G1X Mark III, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
Read our Canon G1X Mark III Shooter's Report

The Competition

Compared to 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

Canon G1X Mark III

Panasonic GX7

$999
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$648
4/3

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Canon G1X Mark III vs Panasonic GX7

Compared to Leica X-E (Typ 102)

Olympus E-M5 II

Leica X-E (Typ 102)

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$1534
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Leica X-E (Typ 102)

Canon G1X Mark III

Leica X-E (Typ 102)

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$1534
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon G1X Mark III vs Leica X-E (Typ 102)

Compared to Panasonic GX8

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic GX8

$899
4/3

High resolution composite
Fast startup

$998
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic GX8

Canon G1X Mark III

Panasonic GX8

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Built-in Bluetooth

$998
4/3

Shoot 4K video
Fast startup

Compare Canon G1X Mark III vs Panasonic GX8

Compared to Fujifilm X70

Olympus E-M5 II

Fujifilm X70

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Eye-level viewfinder

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Less expensive

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Fujifilm X70

Canon G1X Mark III

Fujifilm X70

$999
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Eye-level viewfinder

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Canon G1X Mark III vs Fujifilm X70

Compared to 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

Canon G1X Mark III

Panasonic GX85

$999
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Canon G1X Mark III vs Panasonic GX85

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