The OM System OM-5 Mark II ($1,199.99, body only) mirrorless camera is a relatively light update to the OM-5, which itself was a warmed-over edition of the Olympus E-M5 Mark III. OM is getting as much mileage out of the aging platform as it can, and the Mark II comes with a refreshed menu system and a USB-C port, addressing two of my gripes about the OM-5 directly. An uneven feature set includes fantastic computational tools and industry-leading weather resistance, but is hampered by rudimentary autofocus that skips standard niceties like pet recognition. Photographers who make images outdoors or are after a second camera for light carry may be willing to overlook drawbacks, but we'll continue to recommend the Fujifilm X-S20 as our Editors' Choice in this price class due to its stronger all-around imaging and video performance.

Design: Striking, and IP53 Protected for Rough Conditions

The OM-5 Mark II makes two big arguments to win over photographers: light carry weight and robust weather protection. It's a standout in both instances. The camera body measures 3.4 by 4.9 by 2.0 inches (HWD) and weighs just 14.7 ounces without a lens attached. The Mark II includes the same IP53 rating as the OM-5 when paired with a weather-sealed lens, so it's suitable for use in rainy, snowy, or dusty conditions without worry.

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Most other mirrorless cameras around the $1,200 price point skip weather protection entirely, but there are exceptions. Both the Nikon Z50II ($909.95) and the Sony a6700 ($1,399.99) include dust and splash protection, but aren't as thoroughly sealed—they are fine for rainy days, but I'd take caution to protect the camera if you get caught in a downpour. I'm more confident that the OM-5 II can handle really rough conditions as well as pricier options like the Fujifilm X-T5 ($1,699.95).

The OM-5 II is a Micro Four Thirds (M43) camera, which means that its image sensor is slightly smaller (17 by 13mm) than competitors, most of which use an APS-C chip (24 by 18mm) sensor. M43 was the first mirrorless camera system when it debuted back in 2008, and because of its longevity and multi-brand support, it has a huge lens library. Its 4:3 aspect ratio is a little boxier than the 3:2 you get with an APS-C system, and you'll notice that focal lengths of its lenses are generally lower. A Micro Four Thirds lens like the M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 Pro covers the same angle of view as a 24-200mm for full-frame cameras, for instance.

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The OM-5 Mark II is available in three different colors. It comes in silver or black as either a body only or a kit with the 12-45mm F4 Pro ($1,599.99) or 14-150mm F4-5.6 II ($1,499.99), or in Sand Beige as a body only. I received the beige for review and am struck by how good it looks.

Handling: Comfortable Grip and Configurable Controls

The OM-5 Mark II looks and feels much like its predecessor, but it's not a perfect clone. Its handgrip is more pronounced, so the camera pairs a little better with long lenses. I used it with the M.Zuiko 300mm F4 Pro and found the pair to balance well enough, but missed the better purchase the OM-1 Mark II's deep grip provides for telephoto lenses. It's worth stepping up to the flagship if you often use a big lens like the 300mm F4 or the OM 150-600mm zoom.

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Controls are in line with what I expect from a camera that's targeted toward photography enthusiasts and hobbyists. Most family photographers and snapshot artists have moved to smartphones, but the OM-5 Mark II includes a full automatic mode for those times when you want to use it as a one-button camera. That said, I think family photogs who aren't yet tied to a lens system should look at the Nikon Z50II as its feature set is better suited for beginners, and it costs less.

The OM-5 II has plenty of buttons, though. It includes a configurable function button near the grip. Its top plate has dedicated buttons to set drive mode and toggle the EVF eye sensor at the left, plus a locking Mode dial, front and rear control dials, and Record and Computational Photography (CP) buttons. And on the rear you'll find AF-ON, Delete, Info, ISO, OK, and Play buttons, along with a four-way directional pad and a clever 1/2 toggle switch that switches between manual and autofocus by default.

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Most of the buttons are configurable, so you can change them from their default settings if you prefer. The OM-5 II uses the same decently fresh menu system as the OM-1 and OM-3 cameras, a welcome upgrade from the decade-old system of the first OM-5. Pressing OK on the rear opens up a Super Control Panel of quick options, including a Gear icon that takes you directly to button remapping.

The full menu system breaks settings down into eight multipage, color-coded tabs. Like most, it has a dense array of options, but includes a configurable My Menu page for your most frequently used settings.

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I'm happy to see the new menus, and like the way the camera feels in hand thanks to its sculpted handgrip. The buttons are a little undersized, but not squeezed too tightly together to the point of being difficult to manipulate. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the shutter release. The two-stage button simply feels mushy too me—it feels more like I'm squishing it than pressing. I don't recall this being a problem with the OM-5, so it could be an issue with my OM-5 II review unit in particular, or it could be a result of the Mark II's more extensive weather sealing.

Display and Electronic Viewfinder Quality: In the Middle of the Pack

Both the eye-level electronic viewfinder (EVF) and rear touch display carry over from OM-5. The LCD panel is a typical 3-inch vari-angle touch display with 1.04 million dots. It's not the sharpest display around (the X-S20 has a 1.8-million-dot LCD, for instance), but it gets the job done. I am able to see it outdoors pretty easily. Direct sunlight is an issue, but it's easy enough to tilt a little and avoid glare. The display is sharp enough to check an image for focus, though the EVF is a better choice for that task because it packs more pixels into a smaller frame.

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The OM-5 II uses the same 2.4-million-dot, 0.68x magnification viewfinder as the OM-5 and the E-M5 Mark III before it. The EVF is showing its age, but is about the same size and resolution as you'll find in the Fujifilm X-S20, Nikon Z50II, and Sony a6700, and is entirely competent. It simply pales when compared with the larger EVFs in pricier cameras like the Fujifilm X-T5 (0.80x, 3.7 million dots) and OM-1 Mark II (0.82x, 5.8 million dots). 

Connectivity: USB-C Finally Arrives

The BLS-50 power pack has been the standard entry-level battery for Olympus and OM System cameras for years, and it continues on. The battery is rated for up to 310 images per charge using CIPA testing standards, and can go as long as 640 exposures if you enable a Quick Sleep Mode that puts the camera to sleep after a specific duration, configurable from 3 seconds to 1 minute.

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Quick Sleep isn't as amazing as it sounds, though. It only works when you've got the LCD closed in against the body and are not actively looking through the viewfinder. On the plus side, it doesn't get in the way of composing an image. On the other hand, if you've got the camera hanging at your side, there's a likely chance the EVF is active due to its automatic eye sensor and your battery is draining regardless.

CIPA battery ratings are notoriously conservative, so the figures are more useful to compare one model to another; when both are used in a similar fashion, the percentages play out. I found the OM-5 Mark II to be right in line with the previous edition in practice. Even with Quick Sleep enabled, I got about 350 images per charge when using single image drive. Because of this, you can expect about half the battery life from the OM-5 Mark II versus the Fujifilm X-S20 (750 exposures) or Sony a6700 (570 exposures).

The Mark II finally gets a modern USB-C charging and data port, a welcome change from the micro USB connector used on previous entries. The OM-5 II charges its battery in-camera via USB-C, and the connector also works for data transfers and webcam streaming. The OM-5 II supports the UVC/UAC standards so it works as a webcam for meetings and streaming without the need for additional software.

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In addition to USB-C, the OM-5 II includes 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks and a micro HDMI video out. It does not include a built-in flash, but works with external strobes or a wireless transmitter via its hot shoe and syncs as quickly as 1/250-second. The Mark II includes a single UHS-II SDXC memory card slot.

The OM-5 II works with a smartphone companion app for on-the-go transfers, remote control, and firmware updates. It requires the O.I. Share app, a free download for Android and iOS, and is mostly easy to set up. The app provides step-by-step guidance and uses a QR code (displayed on the OM-5's LCD) so you don't have to type in a password during setup. Remote control and image transfer work as expected, too. I'll caution that creators who own multiple pieces of OM or Olympus gear will run into a headache with the app, as it only allows you to pair one camera at a time. It's a real pain to have to go in, delete the paired camera, and connect another.

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Autofocus: Fundamentally Sound, But Underpowered

The OM-5 Mark II's autofocus system sees some relatively minor updates. Its human face and eye detection is able to lock onto figures that aren't prominent in the frame, and lets you swap between detected faces with a button press. The astrophotography Starry Sky AF feature gets an upgrade with a Night Vision mode that boosts the gain of a signal for easier viewing. But apart from that, the autofocus system matches that of the OM-5.

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That positions the OM-5 Mark II as a middle-of-the-road performer against its peers. It delivers snappy, confident focus and supports decent burst rates with focus at every frame (up to 10fps with the e-shutter and 6fps mechanical), and can detect and set focus on human eyes and faces. ProCapture, a mode that continuously buffers images as you focus so you can catch some action that occurs before you fully press the shutter, compensating for reaction time, is an option at up to 10fps as well.

Aside from the ProCapture buffering feature, the OM 5 II's autofocus system is well behind the curve, even when weighing it against entry-level alternatives like the Canon EOS R50, a $679 camera with 12fps continuous focus drive and a robust subject recognition and tracking system that supports pets, wildlife, and motor vehicles in addition to humans. Nearly every other camera maker puts advanced autofocus in basic models now, and OM has the know-how to make a smarter focus system. It introduced subject recognition for pets, wildlife, and vehicles in the OM-1 and refined it in the OM-1 Mark II and OM-3.

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Do you need subject recognition? I think it's a handy feature. For instance, with the OM-5 II you can leave the focus area set to automatic and rely on its face and eye detection. But if you're trying to take pictures of your pet, you'll want to narrow the area of focus and manually direct it to an eye, either using the rear d-pad or by tapping on the LCD. It comes down to the type of images you make: If you're a landscape photographer, you'll find the OM-5 II's autofocus system to be more than enough, but for wildlife, the extra speed and recognition modes leave something to be desired.

Imaging: Robust In-Camera Computational Features

The OM-5 Mark II uses the same 5-axis stabilized 20MP CMOS sensor and TruePic IX image processor as the OM-5 so the two provide identical image quality. It delivers clear results and strong colors through its native ISO 200-6400 sensitivity range, and supports both low (ISO 64-100) and high (ISO 12800-25600) extensions. If you snap JPG images you can expect excellent detail with no visible noise from ISO 64-800, and very good pictures with ever so slightly smudged details at ISO 1600-3200. Details begin to blur at ISO 6400, and picture quality suffers more at ISO 12800-25600.

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That means that in dim light the OM-5 is at slight disadvantage versus cameras with APS-C image sensors like the Fuji X-S20 and a couple steps behind a full-frame like the Canon EOS R8. Images also capture less dynamic range than larger chips, something that affects the JPG output, but is more noticeable if you choose instead to use a Raw format and process images yourself.

Adobe has not yet updated its Lightroom Classic app to work with the OM-5 Mark II's Raw files, but I know just what to expect from other cameras that use the same sensor and processor. It shows its widest dynamic range (the delta between the darkest and brightest parts of a scene) at ISO 200, around 9.5 EV stops. This gives you enough leeway to pull down highlights and raise shadow detail for most scenes. Dynamic range drops linearly as the ISO increases, so you'll see less room to tone photos at higher ISOs. Cameras with larger sensors have an advantage in base dynamic range, which, along with noise control, makes full-frame cameras more appealing for scenes that require a high ISO, whether from a lack of light, a desire for a very short shutter speed, a narrow aperture lens, or some combination thereof.

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In-camera Raw processing is available as an alternative to desktop software. The OM-5 Mark II can reprocess any Raw image on its memory card with different picture settings to make a new JPG. This gives you some creative freedom; for instance, the OM-5 II includes a big set of filtered looks and the camera makes it easy to apply a bunch at once using its Art Bracket editing function, or you could simply convert an image to black and white for a moody look.

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The stabilized sensor is a boon for photographers who prefer to leave a tripod at home. It works very well, as I am able to stretch the shutter for longer than a second when handholding the camera and enjoy sharp results without noticeable motion blur. The OM-5 II includes a new assist for long exposure, too. It lets you turn on a reticle in the viewfinder that moves when the camera shakes, and can help you learn to use breath control to minimize hand shake during exposures. The best practice is to press the shutter button as you exhale.

The earlier OM-5 has a host of computational features that enhance its baseline picture quality. The Mark II makes them easier to get at with the addition of a dedicated CP button on the top plate. You'll press the button and turn the rear command dial to change between the following options: Handheld High Res Shot (50MP), Tripod High Res Shot (80MP), Live Neutral Density, Focus Stacking, HDR, and Multiple Exposure.

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The OM-5 II adds the option to use High Res Shot and Focus Stacking together, which should please macro photographers, but doesn't adjust the toolkit otherwise. That doesn't detract from the utility. High Res Shot is handy for landscape photogs who don't want to carry (or spend for) a high resolution, full-frame camera. Live ND makes it possible to take long exposure images in bright light without the need for cumbersome glass lens filters. Focus Stacking takes multiple pictures at different points of focus in order to get more depth of field for macro images. HDR expands the dynamic range of photos, and Multiple Exposure combines a pair of images into one, a classic creative effect that dates back to the days of film photography.

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I especially like that all of OM's computational modes work in-camera. You'll have to wait a few seconds for the image processor to crunch through and finish a photo, but it's far more convenient than using kludgy desktop software as is the case with the Nikon Z6III and many other cameras with multi-image sampling. Micro Four Thirds system owners are spoiled, however, as both OM cameras and Panasonic models like the Lumix G9 II include a high-res mode that works both without a tripod and completely in-camera.

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Video: Stable Footage at up to 4K30

While its computation toolkit is impressive, the OM-5 Mark II is underwhelming when it comes to movies. It records at up to 4K30 with 8-bit color sampling and can push the frame rate to 120fps at 1080p to better capture action or ramp footage for slow-motion playback. Most other cameras that cost this much support 4K60 and 10-bit color for sharper slow-motion and more headroom for color correction, putting the OM-5 at a technical disadvantage.

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You can choose from any of the camera's color profiles or art filters for movies, or opt to use one of four video-specific profiles: OM-Cinema1, OM-Cinema2, Flat, and OM-Log400. The OM-Cine profiles give video a filmic look without the need for additional color correction. The main difference between the two is that Cine1 has darker shadow areas, while Cine2 opens shadows and pushes highlights for an ethereal look. The Flat profile cuts down contrast, but keeps color saturation normal, while OM-Log400 reduces both contrast and saturation to provide a neutral starting point for color correction. In any event, the 8-bit footage is not ideal for color correction as it preserves less data than 10-bit video included with many other cameras in this class, including the Fujifilm X-S20 and Lumix G9 II.

There are a few sundry video upgrades versus the OM-5. The Mark II now supports vertical video recording, which means that if you hold or mount it in portrait, your editing software will recognize the video was recorded vertically. It also adds a red tally lamp on the front that glows when the camera is recording, and shows a tally lamp around the border of the LCD too.

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OM faces an uphill struggle selling its cameras to videographers for one simple reason: Lumix. Panasonic has a huge leg up on video in general, and Micro Four Thirds system owners who care most about movies are better served with a Lumix G9 II or GH7, as both support higher frame rates and better codecs for footage that appears crisper and handles color edits with ease. The OM-5 Mark II is a competent video camera for casual clips, social videos, and home movies, but it's underpowered for vlogs, indie cinema, or similar projects.