Panasonic GH3 vs Olympus E-M5 II

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Panasonic GH3 vs Olympus E-M5 II

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4/3 224.9mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Panasonic GH3 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the GH3.

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 Panasonic GH4
Compare GH3 vs GH4

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

Compare PANASONIC GH4 vs OLYMPUS E-M5 III

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Differences

Panasonic GH3 advantages over Olympus E-M5 II

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

540 vs 310 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 18 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
24 vs 13 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)

Olympus E-M5 II advantages over Panasonic GH3

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
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
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 GH3 test data on DxO Mark

908 vs 812 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
44 mm vs 82 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/250 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Higher-res screen
346k vs 205k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.21 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.67x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Faster JPEG shooting
10.4 fps vs 6.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
10.4 fps vs 5.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

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
Touchscreen
Both provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
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
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Adorama
Read GH3 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read E-M5 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Professional quality video in a compact body; Still image quality ranks with the best mirrorless models and even some prosumer DSLRs; Fast autofocus; Rugged, weatherized camera build; Reasonably priced for its advanced feature set; Large selection of high quality lenses.
Not as compact as most mirrorless cameras; Live View not available during high speed bursts; High ISO image quality and dynamic range not quite as good as top APS-C cameras.
Read our Panasonic GH3 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 Panasonic G5

Panasonic GH3

Panasonic G5

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Fast startup

$500
4/3

Higher-res screen

Compare Panasonic GH3 vs Panasonic G5

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic G5

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$500
4/3

Less expensive
Internal flash

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic G5

Compared to Panasonic GX7

Panasonic GH3

Panasonic GX7

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Higher effective ISO

$648
4/3

Focus peaking
Less expensive

Compare Panasonic GH3 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 Olympus E-M1

Panasonic GH3

Olympus E-M1

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Longer stills battery life

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Panasonic GH3 vs Olympus E-M1

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M1

$899
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$1099
4/3

On-sensor phase detect
Bigger JPEG buffer

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Olympus E-M1

Compared to Panasonic GH4

Panasonic GH3

Panasonic GH4

$798
4/3

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Panasonic GH3 vs Panasonic GH4

Olympus E-M5 II

Panasonic GH4

$899
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
High resolution composite

$899
4/3

Shoot 4K video
NFC

Compare Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic GH4

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Panasonic GH3

Panasonic GX85

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Higher effective ISO

$598
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Panasonic GH3 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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