Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 — Which Is Better?

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 are both mirrorless cameras on the shared Micro Four Thirds mount, so one lens collection serves either body. The 2015 Olympus is the smaller, lighter carry at 124 x 85 x 45 mm and 469 g, against 133 x 93 x 84 mm and 560 g for the 2014 Panasonic.

The E-M5 Mark II is the safer pick for handheld stills in dim interiors or evening streets, because it offers in-body image stabilisation while the GH4 does not. That stabilisation steadies whatever lens you mount, keeping static subjects sharp at slower shutter speeds.

Their sensors match closely, 16.1 against 16 megapixels on CMOS, with a common 200 to 25600 ISO standard range, so neither gives more room to crop or a higher ISO setting. The Olympus offers 81 autofocus points against 49, while the GH4 reaches a faster maximum burst of 12 fps against 10.

The GH4 is the clear choice for 4K video, recording at a resolution the E-M5 Mark II cannot reach, since the Olympus tops out at Full HD. Anyone delivering ultra-high-definition footage, or cropping into a frame while editing, gets that only with the Panasonic.

The Olympus answers with a higher maximum frame rate, 60 fps against 24, for smooth motion and half-speed slow motion. Both cameras offer a built-in timelapse function, so interval shooting needs no external trigger on either body.

The GH4 carries a built-in flash, so a fill light for casual indoor shots is always in the body, while the Olympus has none and needs an external unit. Both cameras accept an external flash when you want stronger lighting control.

Both cameras are weather-sealed and offer Wi-Fi for wireless transfer, plus a 3-inch touch LCD that flips out for waist-level or overhead framing. Neither body has GPS, so geotagging requires a phone or separate receiver.

The GH4's battery carries the longer rating, 500 shots against 310 for the E-M5 Mark II. That margin favours the Panasonic for longer shooting days before a spare battery enters the bag.

The GH4 also has dual card slots where the Olympus has one, letting a working photographer separate stills and video cards or carry extra capacity on assignment. Both accept SD, SDHC and SDXC media, and neither charges over USB, so a mains or external charger stays part of the kit.