Interested in the OM5ii for video? Get the E-M5iii instead.

[John Matthews]

Sadly the new OM5ii isn't offering any real video upgrades. The E-M5iii remains the smallest M43 camera with PDAF at a decent used price until Panasonic pulls their head out of their rear-end.

 

[eatstoomuchjam]

That or the G9 II - it seems to be not much bigger (a little taller and the hand grip + EVF protrude just a little more) and it barely costs more used.

This one seems to be another example of OM system taking an existing camera, upgrading the processor, and adding computational photography features.  The CP features are pretty neat, but it'd be so much better to see OM systems invest in something more interesting/revolutionary.

Also, at least in pictures, the limited edition "sand" finish looks cheap and tacky.

[maxJ4380]

2 minutes ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

That or the G9 II - it seems to be not much bigger (a little taller and the hand grip + EVF protrude just a little more) and it barely costs more used.

This one seems to be another example of OM system taking an existing camera, upgrading the processor, and adding computational photography features.  The CP features are pretty neat, but it'd be so much better to see OM systems invest in something more interesting/revolutionary.

Also, at least in pictures, the limited edition "sand" finish looks cheap and tacky.

That cheap and tacky finish might work in your favour, if your into a less obtrusive style of street photography or videography. It wouldn't be my first choice but  I think i'd take it, over a fire engine red one, any day of the week. However i happy enough with the em-1iii so its all kinda irrelevant to me.

[Marcio Kabke Pinheiro]

And remembering that this camera (and predecessors) only have 8-bit color.

The problem with Olymṕus is their codecs - they have high bitrates but are much softer than other companies, since the E-M5 MK II days. If you like the look (I had a concert video form the E-M5 MK II that you clearly see that is far from perfect, but it looked fantastic), could be a compelling option, but it probably falls apart very quickly with grading.

The thing that amazes me (and the only explanation is that it have a VERY good patent) is that no other company implemented Live Bulb - it makes long exposures a breeze, you see the image "developing" on screen, you just pause when I think it is good. It the feature that I miss the most from my Olympus days (and the IBIS perfectly tuned for video).

[John Matthews]

I've had the E-M5ii and E-M5iii. I've also had the E-M1ii, E-P7 and E-PL9. All of them had decent images in 4k. The E-M5iii and E-M1ii were definitely a step up when you turned on its picture mode (I forget the exact term). Shooting in 4k in the other normal modes wasn't bad, but a little "soft" for extreme detail. The major problem I had with the E-M5ii was absolutely horrendous moiré issues. For AF, both the E-P7 and E-PL9 did way better continuous AF in video than Panasonic contrast detect.

The OM5 series could be so good if they could just put a little better processing in it and 10-bit.

The beige looks like puke. Maybe it would be stealthy for a safari or desert situation. Also, OM System is thinking they can way more for this camera, but they will soon realise the contrary. It costs 1299 euros and 200 cheaper in dollars. I get the feeling OM System is asking the europeans to pay those effing tariffs for the Americans rather than asking the Americans to pay. The price gap is too much, especially since the dollar has been in a rather large decline since January 2025.

[MrSMW]

My S9 sits smugly looking on.

At sub 1k prices, its video spec is in another league.

[John Matthews]

2 hours ago, MrSMW said:

My S9 sits smugly looking on.

At sub 1k prices, its video spec is in another league.

That is VERY clear! Even in terms of photography, it's not that bad even for studio work if you use continuous lighting (which I now do). For outside stuff, you'll need a good reflector.

On another note, the S9 can also be fitted with the new Sigma 17-40 f/1.8, which would perform like a M43 camera with a 25-60 f/1.2.

 

[ac6000cw]

8 hours ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

That or the G9 II - it seems to be not much bigger (a little taller and the hand grip + EVF protrude just a little more) and it barely costs more used.

The G9 ii is much larger and over 50% heavier than an OM-5:

The obvious M43 alternative (larger and heavier, but not as bad as the G9 ii) is a used OM-1 - almost a steal at it's current sub-£1000 used prices in the UK for what you get in a rugged, weather-sealed, reasonably compact body.

And of course as MrSMW said, there's the S9 at sub-£1000 new, but that's not weather-sealed nor has an EVF.

It's the lack of a compact M43 body with PDAF, 4k50/4k60 and excellent video IBIS that drove me to buy an S9 - my first ever non-M43 MILC (after 13 years of buying M43 cameras and owning a sizeable lens M43 collection).

That said, the E-M5iii/OM-5/OM-5ii series aren't really aimed at the video-user market - they are primarily lightweight, small, weather-sealed stills-orientated cameras with a bit of retro style (which is an OM-System self-confessed niche, really).

[eatstoomuchjam]

23 minutes ago, ac6000cw said:

The G9 ii is much larger and over 50% heavier than an OM-5:

"Much larger" is subjective.  It's about 15% bigger (it's hard to get a real number since sites like cameradecision which you also used measure height, for example, to the top of the EVF - and Panny Boy's VF protrudes more.  And yes, it's about 50% heavier.  But when that 50% is a total of like 250g, I kind of shrug.  Neither one is going to break your back if you carry it around all day.  I'd make that trade-off for much better (but still not great) AF.   I also think of my R5 as a very compact/light body and it weighs more than either of them.  Years of medium and large format photography may have warped my perception.  For a long time, I was doing abandoned buildings with an RB67 which meant jumping fences with it and a heavy tripod (carbon fiber wasn't even remotely affordable yet!) in a backpack.  😅

[MrSMW]

10 hours ago, John Matthews said:

On another note, the S9 can also be fitted with the new Sigma 17-40 f/1.8, which would perform like a M43 camera with a 25-60 f/1.2.

Or, instead of forcing my 6k open gate camera into shooting 4k cropped, I can stick with my smaller and lighter Sigma 28-70 f2.8 🤔

Arguably, the new zoom is the equivalent of 1mm wider and 10mm longer in terms of focal range and arguably f1.8 is still f1.8 for light gathering purposes, but for DOF equivalencies, f2.7 = f2.8, but nah, zero real world gains for my needs and a HUGE downgrade from 6k open gate. 

Now if the lens was significantly smaller and lighter, maybe a small argument could be made, but nah…

For APSC users, it’s a different matter and the lens makes sense. Just not for me.

[John Matthews]

6 minutes ago, MrSMW said:

Or, instead of forcing my 6k open gate camera into shooting 4k cropped, I can stick with my smaller and lighter Sigma 28-70 f2.8 🤔

Arguably, the new zoom is the equivalent of 1mm wider and 10mm longer in terms of focal range and arguably f1.8 is still f1.8 for light gathering purposes, but for DOF equivalencies, f2.7 = f2.8, but nah, zero real world gains for my needs and a HUGE downgrade from 6k open gate. 

Now if the lens was significantly smaller and lighter, maybe a small argument could be made, but nah…

For APSC users, it’s a different matter and the lens makes sense. Just not for me.

Good point!

[MrSMW]

11 hours ago, John Matthews said:

Good point!

Well I think so 😉

I checked out the new Sigma as soon as it was announced but as soon as I saw the size & weight, it was game over vs the full frame 28-70.

As I said above though, for the APSC shooter, great and would be superb on a Fuji X or or Sony FX30!