Olympus V207043BE000

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II is a compact Micro Four Thirds camera with excellent 5-axis stabilization and weather sealing, but its 16MP sensor and dated autofocus hold it back. At 899 EUR used, it's hard to recommend unless you specifically want the small size and affordable lens ecosystem. It's a niche pick for travel and stills, not a do-everything camera.

Let's talk about what this camera does well, because the stabilization is genuinely impressive for its era. The 5-axis system gives you sharp handheld shots at shutter speeds that would turn other cameras into a blurry mess. It's not the best stabilization in our database anymore, sitting around the 34th percentile, but it was a big deal when this launched and it still holds up for stills. Video stabilization is also solid, which is why people used these for run-and-gun filming back in the day.

But the rest of the performance picture is rough by modern standards. The autofocus lands at the 34th percentile, which means it's fine for static subjects and starts to struggle when things move fast. Burst shooting sits at the 32nd percentile, so this isn't a sports camera. The sensor is at the 28th percentile, which translates to decent daylight images and noisy low-light shots. The EVF is at the 39th percentile, usable but not great. Battery life is middle of the pack at the 46th percentile. None of this is surprising for a camera of this vintage, but it's worth knowing before you buy.

Stacked against the Fujifilm X-H2S, this Olympus looks like it's from another planet. The X-H2S has a stacked sensor, blazing autofocus, and video specs that embarrass the E-M5 Mark II. But the Fujifilm costs a lot more, so it's not a fair fight. The Sony a7R V is even further ahead with its 61 megapixel sensor, though again, you're paying a premium for that resolution. The Canon EOS R6 Mark III and Nikon Z6 III both offer full-frame sensors with modern autofocus and video features that make the Olympus feel ancient.

Where the Olympus wins is size and lens cost. A full-frame kit with comparable weather sealing will weigh more and cost significantly more. The Panasonic Lumix S5 II is probably the closest competitor in spirit, since it also emphasizes stabilization and video, but it's a full-frame camera with a much newer sensor. If you're choosing between these, the Olympus only makes sense if compact size and cheap lenses are your top priorities.

Here's where things get tricky. At 899 EUR on the used market, the E-M5 Mark II is competing against cameras that beat it in nearly every measurable way. You can find newer APS-C bodies with better sensors and autofocus for similar money. The value proposition only makes sense if you specifically want the Micro Four Thirds ecosystem, the compact size, and the weather sealing. The lens selection is genuinely great and cheap, which helps offset the body cost. But if you're starting from scratch, you should think hard about whether this is the best use of 899 EUR.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II is a Micro Four Thirds camera that's been around long enough to feel like an old friend, but it still gets brought up when people ask about compact travel cameras with serious stabilization. It's a 16 megapixel body that weighs just 496g, and it made its name on the 5-axis image stabilization system that Olympus packed inside. You can find it floating around the used market for about 899 EUR in France and Italy, which puts it in a weird spot. That's not cheap for a camera this old, but it's also not what it cost new.

People searching for this camera usually want to know if it's still worth buying in a world full of 24 and 33 megapixel sensors. The honest answer is that it depends entirely on what you shoot. If you want a small, weather-sealed body with lenses that won't break your back or your bank account, this thing still has a pulse. If you're chasing resolution or modern autofocus, you'll feel its age immediately.

The High Res Shot mode is the party trick here. It shifts the sensor to stitch together a 40 megapixel image, which sounds great until you realize it only works on completely still subjects. Landscapes, architecture, product shots on a tripod, sure. Kids, pets, anything that breathes, forget it. Still, for the right person, that feature alone keeps this camera relevant.

Skip this camera if you shoot fast action, sports, or wildlife. The autofocus and burst rate just can't keep up with moving subjects. Skip it if you care about low-light image quality, since the 16MP sensor gets noisy quickly. Skip it if you want modern video features like 4K60 or reliable subject tracking. And skip it if you're buying your first camera with 899 EUR to spend, because newer APS-C and full-frame options will serve you better. This camera is for a specific type of shooter, someone who values compact size, weather sealing, and stabilization above raw performance.

Should you buy the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II in 2025? Only if you know exactly what you're getting into. This is a camera for people who want a small, tough, stabilized body and don't mind an older sensor and sluggish autofocus. It's great for travel, hiking, and casual stills where you're not chasing fast action. The weather sealing is a real advantage, and the lens ecosystem is one of the best values in photography.

But at 899 EUR, it's a tough sell when newer cameras offer so much more performance for similar money. If you already own Micro Four Thirds lenses, this could be a solid backup body. If you're buying your first serious camera, you should probably look elsewhere unless the compact size is non-negotiable.