Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 — Which Is Better?

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 are both 2015 mirrorless cameras sharing the Micro Four Thirds mount, so any native Micro 4/3 lens fits either body without adaptation. The G7 is the lighter carry at 410 g against 469 g, while the E-M5 Mark II is the slimmer body at 45 mm deep against 77 mm, which suits smaller bags more easily.

The E-M5 Mark II is the stronger camera for handheld shooting in dim interiors or at dusk, because it has in-body image stabilisation while the G7 does not, steadying whatever lens you mount. It also suits fast action better, with a 10 fps burst against 7 fps and 81 autofocus points against 49. A 1/8000 top shutter speed, against 1/4000 on the G7, gives more control over wide apertures in bright daylight.

Resolution gives neither camera a meaningful edge, at 16.1 MP against 16 MP. Both offer the same 200 to 25600 standard ISO range and the same Micro Four Thirds sensor format. The electronic viewfinders match too, at 2,360,000 dots each, so neither offers an eye-level advantage.

The G7 is the clear choice for video work, recording 4K while the E-M5 Mark II is limited to Full HD. That extra resolution gives sharper footage and room to crop or reframe a clip in editing, useful for handheld travel films where you may want a tighter shot after the fact. Both cameras support frame rates up to 60 fps as their maximum, and both have built-in timelapse for condensing a sunset or city street into a short sequence.

The E-M5 Mark II is the better pick for shooting in dust and moisture, because it has weather sealing while the G7 does not. The G7 answers with a built-in flash, handy for fill light on backlit portraits when no external unit is packed. Its rear screen is also sharper, with 2,360,000 dots against 1,037,000, more than twice as many, for more precise manual focus checking.

On controls and sharing, the two are similar in ways that matter day to day. Each pairs a 3-inch LCD with touch input and an articulating design for waist-level or overhead framing, and each has Wi-Fi for transferring images to a phone.

The G7 is the more convenient camera on a long day out, rated for 350 shots against 310 for the E-M5 Mark II. It charges over USB, so a power bank can top it up between locations. The E-M5 Mark II does not offer USB charging. It runs on a BLN-1 battery, while the G7 uses a DMW-BLC12E pack. Storage is a shared arrangement: each camera takes SD, SDHC and SDXC cards in a single slot.