Olympus OM-D E-M5 II (left) Vs Mark III (right)

Olympus has announced the 20.4 Megapixel OM-D EM-5 Mark III, a long-awaited update to the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, but what are the differences between the OM-D E-M5 Mark III and OM-D E-M5 Mark II? We're comparing the specs of both mirrorless cameras to find out, on paper, which is the best. 

Price-wise, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III body only is priced at £1099.99 and the older Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II can be purchased for around £849 body only.

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Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III  Vs Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II - What's The Same?

Both the OM-D E-M5 Mark III and OM-D E-M5 Mark II have a 3inch vari-angle touch-screen LCD monitor, and an electronic viewfinder (EVF), 5-axis Image Stabilisation (IS), the same battery life rating, and use the same memory card type. 

They also have a very similar body design with the familiar retro-inspired look and compact shape. There's been some adjustment to dial/button positions but overall, with the mode dial moved, and new ISO and exposure compensation buttons on the E-M5 Mark III, however you definitely know the OM-D E-M5 Mark III is part of the Olympus OM-D family. 

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III  Vs Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II - What's New?

Olympus OM-D E-M5 II (left) Vs III (right)

There's now a 20.4 megapixel CMOS sensor built into the OM-D E-M5 Mark III compared with the 16.1mp Live MOS Sensor found on the OM-D E-M5 Mark II. There's also 4K CINE / UHD video built into the OM-D E-M5 Mark III whereas the OM-D E-M5 Mark II only offered FullHD as the highest resolution. There's been a improvement in continuous shooting, too, with the OM-D E-M5 Mark III offering 10fps mehanical shooting, or up to 30fps electronic shooting, compared with 9fps on the OM-D E-M5 Mark II.

Olympus OM D E M5 II (left) Vs III (right)

The overall body-size has some slight differences with the OM-D E-M5 Mark III weighing 55g less than the OM-D Mark II but it is ever so slightly bigger (we're only taking a few mm, though). The E-M5 Mark III has a noticeably larger grip on the front, as well as on the back, but the camera is now made out of plastic, compared to the metal construction on the Mark II. 

From the back of the camera, it's quite difficult to tell them apart, but the clue can be found in the location of the mode dial, which has direct access to the B (Bulb) mode, as well as giving access to the Custom mode. There's also direct access to the ISO speed, using the ISO button on the Mark III. 

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III  Vs Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II - Main Specs Compared 

The flash sync socket from the E-M5 II is no longer there, but you will find a remote release socket (2.5mm jack) on the side, as well as a new LED indicator on the back that lets you know if the camera is writing to the memory card. The battery used in the E-M5 III is also different, with the new camera using an BLS-50 battery instead of the E-M5 II battery. The E-M5 Mark III offers up to 30fps continuous shooting, using the electronic shutter, and features the same "Pro Capture" mode, as first introduced on the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III  Vs Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II - Final Thoughts?

Olympus OM D E M5 II (left) Vs III (right)

It'll be interesting to see if the OM-D E-M5 Mark III can knock the OM-D E-M5 Mark II off its number 2 spot in our 'Best Premium Mirrorless Compact System Cameras' top list. In fact, forget second place, we're looking forward to seeing if it can knock our current reigning champion - the Sony Alpha A7R Mark II off the top spot. 

• Read our Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Review
• Read our Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Review