Charles, the Olympus representative out of Dallas asked me if I wanted to review the Olympus E-P5. I jumped at the chance but I clearly stated that I’m giving my honest opinion. All of my previous in-depth reviews were of cameras that I bought myself. This would be the first time I received a review unit from a manufacturer but I wanted to remain as impartial as possible. Charles agreed and he sent me a two toned, black and silver E-P5 with a black 17mm f1.8 lens. I got the camera just a few days before my business trip to California so I got permission to bring it out there with me.
I’ve already done many posts about my experience with the E-P5 out in San Francisco. This review will go into depth and add my thoughts about how it stacks up against other cameras. I decided that street photography in a big city would be a great way to test the speed, handling and image quality of Olympus’ newest micro 4/3 camera. I shot in and around Market Street in San Francisco. After I got back home, I also shot down on 6th street in Austin. All told, I had the camera for about a week and half.
I currently own 4 Olympus micro 4/3 cameras, 2 E-PL1s, an E-P3 and an E-PM2. I also own 7 Olympus and Panasonic micro 4/3 lenses. I’ve shot at least 20,000 frames with my Olympus cameras, so I know these cameras well. I’m here to say that this is my favorite Olympus micro 4/3 camera, hands down. It’s certainly the most refined both from the design, fit and finish and performance perspective. While I don’t own an Olympus OM-D E-M5, I’ve used it enough to be very familiar with it. I strongly considered getting one until I ultimately decided to get the entry-level E-PM2. The E-P5 has better controls and fits better in hand than the OM-D.
Note: Micro 4/3 is a standard that is shared between Olympus and Panasonic. Lenses from both manufactures fit each other’s camera bodies. Micro 4/3 also referrers to the image sensor size. It’s a lot bigger than point and shoots and the 1 inch sensor on the Nikon 1 but it is not as big as the APS-C sensors used in DSLRs and the Sony and Fujifilm mirrorless cameras.
The E-P5 is the camera I was hoping for when I wanted to upgrade from my E-P3. I really like the form factor and I wanted the new Sony sensor. I seriously considered the OM-D but that camera never felt comfortable, at least without the optional grips. I like micro 4/3 for its compact size so I wasn’t keen on adding grips that would increase weight and bulk. The E-P5 feels great in-hand and is the perfect size — big enough to have comfortable controls and small enough to be the perfect travel partner. I own many cameras including the Canon 6D, but the micro 4/3 cameras are what I use the most.
Starting in 2012, Olympus began using the 16MP Sony sensor. This sensor finally put Olympus on par with Canon’s APS-C offerings. Previous to my Canon 6D, I owned the Canon 7D which has a APS-C sensor. I was surprised to find out that my E-PM2 exceeded the low light performance of the DSLR. And amazingly, Canon had not improved the performance of their APS-C offerings in more than 3 years. While I suspect the just announced Canon 70D might finally improve image performance, for the time being, Olympus micro 4/3 matches or at times exceeds the image quality of the APS-C Canon DSLRs. Now keep in mind that full frame DSLRs like the Canon 5DM3 and 6D are a different story. That’s one of the reasons I also own the Canon 6D. The full frame cameras offers a different class of low light performance.
The bottom line is the Olympus E-P5 is a fantastic camera and a blast to play with. It is surely the best Olympus micro 4/3 camera to date and it arguably is the fastest handling mirrorless camera from any manufacturer (with the possible exception of the Nikon 1). For fast action sports, DSLRs may still have the edge but for almost anything else, the E-P5 is plenty fast. The biggest issue for the E-P5 is it’s price. At $999 for body only and $1449 with the 17mm f1.8 lens and EVF, the camera is pricy. The mirrorless camera market is now very competitive and there are many worthy cameras out there. How does the Olympus E-P5 stack up against the competition? Read on to find out.
The Ergonomics
The E-P5 is basically the same size as the previous generation E-P3. The grip size and feel is remarkably similar but improved somewhat with the rubberized thumb rest. Olympus upgraded the controls with easier to adjust dials on the front and back of the top plate. The jog dial and the tall dial on the E-P3 can be fiddly to adjust. Not so with the improved E-P5 controls.
Unlike some of the OM-D buttons that can be small and mushy, the E-P5 buttons are all easy to access and solid. Olympus slimmed down the previously bulky flip up LCD, used on the OM-D and E-PL5. Now the LCD fits flush with the body and has a thinner border.
It seems like every detail of the previous micro 4/3 cameras have been rethought and fine tuned. The camera did feel a bit heavy compared to my light-weight E-PM2. But after using it on the streets of San Francisco, I found the weight to be a non-issue. The camera is certainly a lot smaller and lighter than any DSLR. If anything, the extra weight gives the E-P5 a very solid and high quality feel.
The menu system remains the same as the previous Olympus micro 4/3 cameras. For anyone familiar the Olympus interface, the camera will fit right in. Some say that the Olympus menu system is too complex with too many configurable options. I agree that there is a level of customizability beyond most camera brands. As a serious shooter, I like the control it gives me. For the novice, the menus might overwhelm.
The Design
While I generally like black cameras, the two toned silver and black E-P5 is certainly handsome. I prefer it over the pure black model. The shiny silvery top and bottom give just enough sparkle to add design interest. Coupled with the black 17mm lens, it makes for a very stylish and retro inspired camera. The all metal build, while adding a bit of heft, adds to the premium feel of this camera. In comparison to the E-P3, the E-P5 has a level of sophistication and build that is a notch or two above. My wife, who is not into cameras at all, remarked how nice the E-P5 looked. For anyone into design and familiar with previous Olympus cameras, the E-P5 is a noticeable step up in quality and sophistication. My friend Dan out in California owns an Olympus E-PL5. As soon as he saw the E-P5, he wanted one. It’s that much nicer in looks.
All of the dials, especially the ones at the top, have a crispness about them. They seem like they too are milled from metal and have that quality feel. All of the dials also had the right amount of resistance that gives a reassuring click as the settings are adjusted. I also noticed that there are no longer any visible screws except for the bottom plate. In comparison, the E-P3 has has a pair of screws on the left and right side of the camera.
As mentioned previously, the flip up LCD, folds flush with the body, This makes it visually attractive but also improves the camera ergonomically by not getting in the way of the rear grip area. The shutter click sound great like the OM-D’s though if memory serves, the E-P5’s might be a bit quieter. It’s not totally silent but should be quiet enough for most situations. The on and off switch is new, indicating its state by its lever position. The previous Olympus Pens had a annoyingly bright blue LED which attracted attention at night. I much prefer the new switch.
Like the E-P3, the E-P5 has a built in retractable flash. I rarely use flash but I like it built into the camera. On the OM-D, E-PM2 and E-PL5 for example, there is a separate clip on flash that inevitably gets left at home. I’ve been stuck before without the flash.
About the only thing I didn’t like design wise is the optional EVF that attaches to the hot shoe. The big plastic unit is built decently enough but it doesn’t match the finish or robustness of the all metal camera and lens. Aesthetically, the big chunky unit ruins the lines of the retro looking camera. Functionally, the EVF works great and it’s one of the newest, high quality units. However it’s an appendage that seems to get in the way. It changes the shape of the camera enough that it is awkward to put into a small camera bag. I found that while in a bag, I like to take the EVF off to make the camera fit in a tighter space. For people with large camera bags, this may not matter. I tend to use small bags for my small cameras.
Image Quality
Simply stated, the image quality on the newest Olympus is fantastic. It matches the quality of all current mirrorless and APS-C DSLR offerings at least up to ISO 3200. Olympus has always had great, vibrant color, which is what attracted me to them in the first place. The JPEG processing is better than most manufacturers and the RAW easily boosts the sharpness and low-light performance.
The in-body image stabilization also helps in low light shooting along with the f1.8 lens. With the 16MP Sony sensor and good high ISO performance, the camera will handle your daily photographic needs without hesitation. This includes interiors at night as well as night shots in the city.
Take a look at these 3 photos I shot inside the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco. This is a dark hotel but I was able to take high quality photos without using a flash. The lens was at f1.8 (wide open) and at about 1/20 per second shutter speed. The first two images are at ISO 1600, the last one at ISO 3200. This is what you can do with IS, f1.8 and high ISOs.
Waiting in front of Bourbon Steak – San Francisco, California
The long moody corridor, Westin St. Francis – San Francisco, California
Making Reservations, Westin St. Francis – San Francisco, California
At this point, the only way to tangibly increase image quality, especially at low light, is to use a full frame DSLR. Those cameras, however, are still more expensive and are a lot more bulky. As you can see, the small E-P5 is more than enough to capture life around you. I enjoy taking urban images in the evening or dark, moody, interior photographs. The sample photos in this review were shot with the Olympus E-P5 in San Francisco — real world results of its low light performance.
More photographs taken with the Olympus E-P5
Performance
The E-P5 is noticeably faster starting up and focusing than the previous generation E-P3. It seems to be on par with the OM-D and E-PM2. I found the camera to be fast enough for nearly any occasion. I would not hesitate recommending this camera for a parent trying to photograph their children. For most casual usage, I find the focus speed comparable to a DSLR in decent light. In darker conditions, the focus speed does slowdown somewhat but not enough to be annoying.
About the only thing I won’t recommend this camera for is fast action sports, like soccer, with unpredictable motion. Sports like baseball and tennis, where you can better anticipate player position, should work fine.
The E-P5 is more than fast enough for street photography. If fact, I had to slow down the multi-shot medium setting from 5 frames per second to 3. The high-speed shooting mode goes up to 9 frames per second. You don’t get continuous focusing at these speeds but it is impressive never the less.
Tourist Family – San Francisco, California
Checking status while shopping – San Francisco, California
Video
I expected video on the E-P5 to be better than any of my previous Olympus Cameras, mostly because of the 5 axis image stabilization. The IS is similar to the one used on th OM-D but with a slight improvement where it auto detects tripod usage.
What I didn’t expect, and was pleasantly surprised, was how much quieter the lenses were on the E-P5. On my E-PM2, I was disappointed with the video because I heard clicking sounds caused by the auto focus lenses. I expected the Olympus designated MSC (Movie Stills Compatible) lenses to be completely silent in auto focus mode, but there weren’t, at least on the E-PM2. Interestingly, the Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 is my quietest lens.
I’m happy to report that on the E-P5, most of the lenses I tried were dead quiet. That included the Olympus 17mm f1.8, Olympus 45mm f1.8, Panasonic 14mm f2.5 and Panasonic 25mm f1.4. Only the Olympus 14 – 42mm f3.5 – 5.6 II R kit lens, that came with the E-PM2, had some faint clicking sounds. Much quieter than on the E-PM2 and barely audible on the E-P5. The kit lens is probably usable in all but the most quiet settings. Regrettably, I didn’t try the Panasonic 20mm f1.7, but my guess is that slow focusing lens is not well suited for video.
The EP-5 is the closest yet to having that universal device that creates high quality stills and high quality auto focusing video. DSLRs, for example, produce great videos but they don’t auto focus well. My video needs are modest. I’m not looking to create cinematic movies. I just want to take effortless home videos, the kind that autofocuses and autoexposes without me fiddling with the controls. The E-P5 does this quite well, good enough that I can ditch the family camcorder. You still occasionally get that fast in and out refocusing that is prevelent in contrast detect focusing systems but for the most part the camera is well behaved.
Comparisons
So how does the E-P5 compare with the competition? Olympus along with Panasonic started the mirrorless interchangeable market but now every manufacturer has a mirrorless offering. The biggest competition comes from Sony and Fujifilm.
When Sony released the NEX 7 at the body only price of over $1000, I was a bit surprised. Price wise, it went over a psychological barrier for me. To be sure it was nicely equipped. A high-resolution 24MP APS-C sensor and the built-in EVF are its standout features. Now the E-P5 comes in with a similar or arguably higher price. For the $1000 base price on the Olympus, you get a smaller, lower resolution sensor and no EVF. But the two are better matched than the specs might indicate.
The Olympus has a smaller sensor but superior high ISO performance at a per pixel level. The camera is also faster and it has that wonderful 5 axis image stabilizer (IS) which works with every lens. Add to this the large selection of lenses for micro 4/3 and you still have a superior ecosystem.
Compared to the NEX 5R and NEX 6, the price difference becomes more startling. While not an exact comparison, pair a NEX 5R or NEX 6 body with the Sony 20mm f2.8 and you get a 30mm prime system from $850 to $950, some $500 to $650 less expensive. The sensor and image quality comparisons are close too. The Olympus still has a superior IS and a better lens selection but the price difference is significant.
I prefer the color on the Olympus and the fit and finish of the E-P5 is superior but Sony wins in the value proposition.
In a previous post I compared the E-P5 to the Fujifilm X100S. While the X100S does not have interchangeable lenses, there are many similarities to the E-P5 with the 17mm kit. They have the same focal length equivalent and both are well-built with a sharp retro look. The X100S has the superior, integrated with EVF, styling at $1299 which is $200 less. The Olympus adds the 5 axis IS, interchangeable lenses and a more solid build.
Image quality of the X sensors used by the X100S and the other X cameras are a mixed bag. While strides have been made by Adobe and others to come out with a better RAW processor, I don’t think the true power of the X sensors have been unlocked. RAW quality now looks on par or slightly better than JPEG but the images look soft with less detail. I think the Olympus is competitive up to ISO 3200 but above that the Fujifilm does better.
With the price decreases of the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and X-E1, they are also in the same ball park, price wise. Fuji does not currently have a 35mm equivalent X mount lens. But if you consider the 27mm f2.8 which is equivalent to 40mm in 35mm terms, you get a X-Pro and X-E1 package around $1249 to $1649.
Image quality of the interchangeable X cameras are in line with the X100S which bests Olympus at high ISOs. The Olympus counters with a much faster focus speed, better video, better IS and more lens options. The build quality on the E-P5 is better too. The Fuji X cameras (excluding the X-M1) have an all metal build but they feel more hollow compared to the Olympus.
The just announced Lumix GX7 has a feature set the resembles the Olympus. I only had a few minutes to play with this camera but have a feel for it. Price wise, it’s roughly $250 less than a comparably equipped E-P5. There is a high quality integrated (in body) EVF that also tilts up — I think a first — at least in the recent mirrorless camera market. The physical design, the button placements and the beefy grip are very comfortable. The onscreen user interface (UI) is attractive, which is a big change from previous Panasonics. Earlier micro 4/3 Panasonics had this horrendous 90s era blocky fonts and amateurish icons. I’m glad the GX7 is updated with a modern UI.
What’s disappointing about this camera is its budget plastic build. While the two toned, silver and black has as similar appearance to the E-P5, the GX7 is primarily plastic — at least the top and bottom silver parts are. The E-P5, by contrast is an all metal camera. This makes all the difference. The E-P5 feels and looks upscale. And the Panasonic? It looks okay but feels cheap. Comparable in build to my E-PM2, a $450 camera, about $650 less expensive than the GX7. Yes, the GX7 has a nicely integrated EVF but the value proposition is not there for me.
The E-P5 replaces the 2011 model E-P3. While the size and shape are about the same, every detail has been upgraded. The controls have been improved, the metal appears to be more substantial and there is an integrated tilt screen. The in-body image stabilization now works in 5 axises instead of 2. Most importantly, the E-P5 uses that same excellent 16MP Sony sensor first released with the OM-D E-M5.
Operational speed is another huge improvement. The camera starts almost instantaenously instead of waiting the second or 2 it takes for the E-P3. This makes a big difference when you want to capture that candid moment. The focusing speed of the E-P5 is class leading. I don’t know of any mirrorless camera that is faster except perhaps the Nikon 1. The Nikon 1, however with its small sensor, does not compete in terms of image quality.
On almost every measure the E-P5 is superior to the E-P3. The two are so different from each other in feel and capability, it might be almost foolish to compare them. About the only thing I prefer on the E-P3 is the slightly lighter weight. On paper, there is a 51g (1.8oz) difference, but it’s noticeable, at least for me.
The more likely competitor to the E-P5 is Olympus’ OM-D E-M5. The two cameras share almost all the same specifications but there are crucial differences. Simply put, if you want an integrated, in body EVF or want a water-resistant body, go with the OM-D. For everything else, I believe the E-P5 is superior. I already mentioned that the ergonomics are better on the E-P5, with a better grip and better placed controls. The E-P5 is better built and has a more premium feel. The E-P5 also has a 1/8000 per second top shutter speed and built in WiFi. It also has a built-in flash which, in a pinch, is useful to have. The E-P5 even has a dedicated HDR bracketing mode (it’s also on the E-PM2 and E-PL5) that the OM-D does not have.
The lens packaging for the E-P5 vs the OM-D may be the biggest factor, however. The OM-D comes in 3 less expensive configurations, body-only, with the 14 – 42 kit and the 12 – 50mm kit lens. The E-P5 comes either body-only or with the 17mm prime. Olympus is clearly aiming the E-P5 to a more experienced, premium market. The lack of a kit zoom option may turn off some potential buyers.
Miscellaneous
The E-P5 has built-in WiFi which will probably become a check off item for all future cameras. I tested this feature and it worked easily. When you turn on Wifi, you get a QR code on-screen. The Olympus OI.Share app reads that QR code and automatically makes a secure connection. The only thing that wasn’t clear from the documentation is that you then have to explicitly select the camera’s WiFi network from the iOS WiFi settings screen.
You can browse all the images taken on the E-P5 and then select them to be copied over to your phone or tablet. Once copied, you can optionally add image effects and add custom or preset watermarks. Below, I added the Olympus logo and applied the pinhole Art filter and then emailed it from the iPad. If you want to edit you photos extensively, you will need a separate image editing program like iPhoto on iOS devices.
You can also stream the live view feed directly to the iPad and take pictures on the E-P5 by tapping on the iPad’s screen. This can be handy when you want to remotely trigger photos while seeing what you are taking. The WiFi system is limited as a high volume professional work flow, but as a consumer oriented application, it works great for the casual photographer that wants to post photos to social media.
My Likes
1. Premium, almost luxury build
2. Attractive retro styling (without the EVF attached)
3. Well designed controls and placement
4. Excellent quality photographs to ISO 3200
5. That great Olympus color
6. Accurate Exposure
7. Class leading 5 axis in-body image stabilization
8. Fast focus
9. 1/8000 per second maximum shutter speed
10. Built-in flash
11. Extensive ability to tweak parameter settings
12. Great lens selection, best in the mirrorless market
My Dislikes
1. High price, at the upper end of the mirrorless market
2. Large external EVF not harmonious with overall design
3. Slightly heavier than previous E-P3.
Conclusion
Deep Dive: More posts about the E-P5
Olympus E-P5 and San Francisco Street Photography
The evening commute in San Francisco
A quiet night, a good steak and the Olympus E-P5
San Francisco Monochromes with the Olympus E-P5
My favorite building in San Francisco’s Chinatown
A N.Y. Ranger in San Francisco
While it’s always fun to play with a new camera, I initially didn’t expect too much from the Olympus E-P5. After all, I’ve been using the E-PM2 for over 7 months and that camera shares the same sensor and image processor. I also use the E-P3, the previous generation, for nearly a year and a half. I knew the E-P5 was better built and had some tweaks but I never expected the sum of those changes to add up to an absolutely enjoyable camera, far beyond any of my previous Olympus cameras.
Spend a few minutes with the E-P5 and you realize that Olympus has put together a beautiful looking camera. They took the existing 17mm f1.8 metal lens and mated it to the all new but familiar sized body with beefed up metal. This combination, especially with the optional lens hood makes for a surprisingly harmonious camera. I would venture to say it feels almost like a luxury item. It not only looks retro but feel old world in its heft and build quality. There are so much disposable plastic gadgets these days that a metal tool just seems like something from another era.
Getting Off, Market Street – San Francisco, California
The old world illusion, however, is easily broken if you attach a different, plastic lens. Even the very nice Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4, with its plastic build, diminishes the aesthetics of the camera (though the image quality will be spectacular). I now understand why Olympus chose to pair this camera with the 17mm f1.8 lens. Not only does it have an easy to frame and versatile 34mm equivalent point of view, the visual synergy of this combo can’t be beat. The only other lens that would look equally good, aesthetically speaking, is the 12mm Olympus, which also has an all metal build. As long as we are talking about aesthetics, I would also recommend adding the optional metal lens hood. The hood not only protects the lens element but completes that old world retro look.
But here’s the thing. That nice looking metal lens hood costs an eye-popping $59 (even higher for the silver version). That seems completely crazy until you get to see it in person. The $15 ebay metal lens hood are screw on models that don’t tighten with a chrome compression fitting. And even the all plastic Canon lens hoods can cost up to $40.
Ultimately, the lens hood pricing is a microcosm of the E-P5. To be sure, the E-P5 is a fine camera and from the review you can tell I like it a lot. But is it worth $1500? There are many worthy competitors, some with even better image quality at high ISOs. I think the build quality is superior to all other mirrorless competitors. It’s nearly Leica X Vario level but with more character lines.
The shooting experience is unmatched too. The speed of focusing and the versitility of controls and the flip-up LCD makes for a very fast camera. The street photography in San Francisco was telling. As much as I talk about the aesthetics, I truly became enamored with the camera once I started shooting it on the street.
So would I buy the camera? If I didn’t already have the E-PM2, yes. To be sure, it’s at or above the upper price range for my mirrorless budget. But I’ll gulp hard and plop down my credit card. But with the E-PM2 already in my arsenal, it’s a harder sell.
Palace Garage Neon – San Francisco, California
Here’s the best analogy I can come up with. A Toyota and a Lexus are both great cars. They’ll both get you reliably to where you want to go. But the Lexus is going to get you there in better style and comfort. The materials will be better and the cabin will be quieter. If you like or appreciate the good things in life, the E-P5 is the camera for you. It should handle all the stuff you need it to, day in and day out, in a small and elegant package.
Leading Lines at the W Hotel – San Francisco, California
As a Toyota owner, I tend to go for solid, no-nonsense devices. But when you get to experience that touch of luxury, you get spoiled. That’s how I feel about the E-P5. Is it absolutely necessary? No. But it sure is an enticing camera to own. If spending $1000 will get you the best of something, maybe that’s worth it to you. Certainly, the E-P5 is the best micro 4/3 Olympus camera and possibly the best micro 4/3 period. And depending on the type of photography, it may be the best mirrorless camera yet.
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Parked at the St. Regis – San Francisco, California
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atmtx photo blog 
Reblogged. Fantastic review!!
Thanks Marilyn. It took me a while to get it written up but I wanted to be comprehensive.
This is absolutely horrible news. Do I put off the dental work I’m overdue for or do I tell my wife she can’t snow bird in Las Vegas for the winter this year.
Tom, I’m definitely not going to get involved in a discussion between you and your wife. The questions is, does you teeth hurt right now? 😉
Hi guys, two things:
1) You CAN copy more than 1 photo via WiFi. Tap “edit” then tap the photos you want to transfer to the iPad, then tap save. Does the whole lot.
2) This review, and all your other E-P5 coverage, has gotten lots of play on my OLYMPUS E-P5 FANS page on Facebook. Please have a look — and give us a like — then if you gave us a shoutout in a post, it would be great. I’m sure we’ve been sending you some traffic.
http://Facebook.com/EP5Fans
Bob, thanks for the clarification. I will change that in my post. Thank you for the mentioned, I just liked the E-P5 Fan Page.
Wow, makes me want to sell my OMD and move up 😉 Nice review!
Keith, though I personally prefer the E-P5, the OM-D is a fine camera. No need to make changes.
Thanks for the review. To some extend, this is great news. We now have reached a sensor plateau, which means that cash strapped photographers (I consider myself one of those, although it is probably just a question of priority) can now have access to excellent cameras able (either 2-3 years old models, or new-entry level models) to produce the same fantastic images (or very close) than the latest high end models, mostly at the cost of great style and improved controls.
As of the comparison with the NEX. I think the NEX (possibly because of the lack of great lenses on the sony side) is used mostly by amateurs of legacy lenses (great focus peaking, integrated EVF), so there might actually aim at fairly different targets
Agreed. Technology improvements go in waves so you can certainly get slightly older cameras with the same image quality.
As for the NEX, there are a few high quality lenses and more coming. I would not characterize them for amateurs per say. The NEX 7 with the high res 24MP sensor will be great for serious landscaper photographers wanting a light setup.
Oh, I think you misunderstood my use of the word “amateur”. I meant “serious hobbyists who like to use legacy lenses”. Sorry to you and all the nex users, english is not my first language.
No problem. Yes, I agree that focus peeking on the NEX make it nice (and easier) to use legacy lenses.
Very nice “real world” review of the E-P5, Andy. (The photos also look great!) Since I already have the OM-D E-M5, even thought this E-P5 is “superior”, it just isn’t enough of an improvement to go plop down $1500 for it. It do find it great to see Olympus continually making improvements to the Micro Four-Thirds cameras, and within another year or so it will be enough to get me to pull our my credit card… again.
The OM-D is a fine camera. Agreed. No need to got out an buy an E-P5 if you already have a OM-D and it meets your needs.
Interesting, Andy – I had exactly the same thoughts when it was announced, and like you I compared the expected difference with our Toyota vs. a Lexus. “S-Class” was reserved to Leica and Mercedes-Benz already… 😉
Wolfgang, LOL, looks like we are of the same opinion with the E-P5. Thanks for linking to your post.
Nice real world review and impressive product photography. Interesting camera, especially compared to the OM-D. Aesthetically, I actually prefer the more utilitarian look of the OM-D. The EP-5 looks a little too…sterile for lack of a better description. $1k for body only and no built-in EVF keeps it off my wish list. I’ll keep slumming it with my soft shooting Fujis.
Thanks, Mike. I did a post on how I did the product photography. Worked out pretty good for a point and shoot.
I know you keep me honest and give a different point of view. I prefer the look of the E-P5 over the OM-D, The OM-D seems toy like to me because it looks like a full size (retro) DSLR but it is actually smaller.
And you know I actually like the Fujis too.
A very interesting brilliant review. Would love to have the Olympus compared with an in depth review of the Panasonic 7 by you. As an aged photographer I wonder why today photographers talk about looks. We didn’t say the quarter plate Sanderson was beautiful but that it took bloody good photographs if you were into landscapes. You mentioned the new EVF4 viewfinder, finding it large, but you do not mention it is considered one of the best EVF’s. The camera to me is outrageously over priced. But then camera manufacturing is going through a bad time, maybe forever, due to phones with cameras.
Thanks Alan. I did mention the looks quite a bit and I might talk about why I did so in a future post. Perhaps the older cameras had a innate sense of balance and a sensible design. The modern stuff these days just seems cheap so whenever I see something well built, I remark about it.
The EV4 is a beautiful EVF. I’m one of those rare exceptions who really don’t care much about EVFs. I tend to to shoot in the evening, night or indoors and the sun and glare is not an issue.
Thanks a lot. Desperate to know, over eighty so brain dead, how nowadays does one calculate depth of focus. My daughter who makes jewellery suggested I did some shots. I had two macro lenses lent me , a 35mm f3.5 and 50mm1.2. The 50mm has a distance scale , but in my day the lens had simple depth of focus scale one read off from aperture markings. Anyone out there with any suggestions. Camera makers give one nowadays every feature which no doubt cost a fortune, but a simple scale on the lens is neigh on impossible.
Hi Alan, when I want to calculate DOF or hyperfocal distance, I use an iPhone App that I can plug in my numbers. There are online web versions too, like this one:
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
See this, the Gx7 is all metal frame, despite your argument.
http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/gms/gx7/design_control.html
Tom, the frame might be magnesium but the outer shell is plastic and that is what I was referring to. Regardless of its subframe, the camera feels kinda cheap, in my opinion.
That doesn’t make it a bad camera, of course. It just doesn’t have the same premium feel as the E-P5.
Just wanted to echo your findings with my use of the EP5 with it’s premium feel, operability and output. When I had held and used it for the first time there was a definite “wooowww!” uttered! Would definitely recommend the viewfinder. In Vancouver where there’s an abundance of rain most of the year one does appreciate a viewfinder when the sun does shine.
Appreciate the thoroughness of your review (as well the the photos).
Cheers
Richard, thanks for your visit and comment. Glad you are enjoying the camera. When I started shooting on the street in San Francisco, I had the reaction too.
It was so fun.
Great review, and great pictures. The color of the pictures is excellent. I assume the lens has a lot to do with it?
Also, I have heard that that the EP5 is better than the OMD for C-AF. Did you try the continuous AF?
Hopefully, Panny will send you one of their new models for a nice long test drive. I would be interested to hear more of your thoughts about the difference between Oly and Panasonic
Thank you, futuredave5. I shot the photos in JPEG (because I don’t have a RAW converter yet) but I did do my standard minimal post processing tweaks.
I did not test C-AF, sorry. Continuous auto focus has never worked to my satisfaction even on a good focusing camera like my Canon 7D DSLR. Perhaps the Canon 1D (top end pro camera), has a good enough C-AF to satisfy me. Contrast detect focusing systems like the ones used in most mirrorless cameras are typically much worse. That’s why I don’t recommend these type of cameras for fast action sports.
It would be fun to test the new Panasonic, like the GX7. I will be more than happy to do a review if Panasonic sends me a test unit.
Andy. I appreciate the time and effort that went into your review – thank you. The real hands on shoot photos reviews are far more valuable to me and hopefully the rest of the photo community, not to dismiss the lab reviews, it’s just that at the level of today’s sensors, handling and in use operation separate the cameras more than anything else. As an aside I unfortunately still remain dismayed at the outrageous pricing of the prime lenses. Maybe more testers should comment of the relative pricing of equivalent equipment.
It doesn’t appear that you are a flash shooter but I was personally disappointed that Oly didn’t put a synch port on the P5 to allow radio triggers to be used along with the viewfinder for daylight flash work. The OM-D5 and the GX-7 offer that possibility with the built VF, leaving the hotshoe open for radio triggers. All in all great progress in the m4/3 field – if they would just lower the prices on the primes, the 25 f1.4 is over $600, the 17 f1.8 is $500, the 20 f1.7 is over $400, and the 12 f2 is still $800 – but complex zooms are under $250 – go figure!
Ed, thank you. I’m glad you found my hands on review useful.
My guess is that Olympus is targeting their OM-D line to the people that need/want built in EVFs. In that way, they have their hot shoe open. The Pen seems to be their compact line. While I do shoot radio triggers once and a while, as you correctly surmised, that is not my main type of photography.
The prices of lenses have increased quite a bit but with good timing, you should find better prices than you’ve quoted. But yes, they are not inexpensive. I think the camera manufactures are targeting primes to more experienced shooters that they figure will pay more. Zooms, especially inexpensive ones, are generally more mass market, consumer items. Panasonic’s “Pro” zoom 12-35mm f2.8 runs over $1,100.
Ed,
The cheap zooms are crap compared to the primes. The better four thirds zooms are expensive just like their 35mm full frame counterparts are.
The prices of Olympus primes are not that high when compared to the competition. Here are price comparisons of four thirds prime lenses against their closest 35mm full frame counterparts. The focal lengths and F-stops don’t always match perfectly but the comparisons are between similar grade products. Considering the image quality, I think the Leica 50 1.4 is a steal but not quite the deal it was when it was $499 earlier this year before going up to $549 and then to the current $628.
Olympus 12mm F2.0 $799 Zeiss 24mm F2.0 $1,398
Olympus 17mm F1.8 $499 Canon 35mm F1.4 $1,329 Nikon 35 1.4 $1,619 Zeiss 35 1.4 $1,843
Olympus 17mm F2.8 $299 Canon 35mm F2.0 $289 Nikon 35 2.0 $360
Lumix 20mm F1.7 $428 Pentax 43mm F1.9 $747 Voigtlander 40 2.0 $499
Leica 25mm F1.4 $628 Leica 50mm F1.4 $3,995 Canon 50 1.4 $399 Nikon 50 1.4 $469
Olympus 45mm F1.8 $399 Zeiss 85mm F1.4 $1,283 Nikon 85 1.4G $1,649
In my second paragraph above I mentioned the Lecia 50 1.4 but of course I was referring to the 25mm 1.4 Leica for four thirds at $628.
Tom, thanks for the detailed post and detailed comparison. Good lenses can be expensive, but they are more of an investment than camera bodies.
This morning I found the 25mm f1.4 on Amazon still priced at $529 so I jumped on it. Will be delivered Saturday. I figure with the price now up to $628 on other sites that if I want to sell it in six months I should be able to get my money back.
Very interesting review, thank you! I happily own an OM-D, but I understand the people that were put off by his ’70 srl style, and now can have high quality in a package that they find estetically pleasing!
The OM-D is a great camera. I’m glad you are enjoying it,
Great review and fantastic photos , much appreciated . I wonder if you have tried non m4/3 lenses by means of conversion devices. I ask this because I am about to jump from a Pentax DSLR system with plenty glasses to m4/3 system probably Olympus because the excellent image quality and the 5 axis IS. I do a lot of Street and Architecture work (amateur work) Greetings from Brazil !
Hi Oscar, Thank you. I unfortunately have not tried any manual or third party lenses on my Olympus.
I think would work great, especially because of all the adapters and the focus peaking.
Thanks for great review. Like you I preferred the handling of the P5 over the OMD especially the placement of the 2 control rings so I gritted my teeth and took the plunge!
Initial impressions: superb image quality & colour, excellent IS, excellent handling especially in street photography and taking pictures of my 2 year old where it leaves my Canon APS-C in the dust! Am considering selling my Canon.
The biggest issue with the P5 is the built in flash – far too easy to press the flash release when picking up the camera exposing the flimsy flash to damage. Indeed the top metal plate of the flash has started to lift off. I had to make a fix by sticking 2 pieces of plastic on either side of the flash release to recess the flash button. The flash itself is not very good and led to underexposed images at ISO 200. Thankfully I found my Canon 580EXII flash works with the P5 in manual mode with far better results.
Also found that I missed the viewfinder more than I thought I would, absolutely necessary on bright days – I have the VF4 and it’s excellent!
In summary, other than the flash issues, an absolutely fabulous camera. I would compare it with Apple products. Yes one can get the same functionality for less (Sony, Fuji, OMD) but you have that desirability factor with a great looking design and solid build quality.
Paired with the Olympus primes (12mm f2.0, 45mm f1.8 & 75mm f1.8) I have been more than pleased by the results!
Highly recommended!
greenowl, thank you for your perspective and the long and detailed comment/review
I had the flash release on me once perhaps twice i the bag so it may be an issue. Some to keep in mind. Thanks for mentioning it.
I’m happy that you are enjoying the camera. I was really sad to have to send it back to Olympus.
Great review and well worth the wait. Your wide experience with Olympus cameras puts the E-P5 in a very nuanced place within the product line; your familiarity with competitors cameras makes your conclusions even more valuable.
That may be why this review has been picked up by so many other sites. Here’s hoping the big reach brings in more steady readers.
My choice will still determined by superior image stabilization. At this point, everything I’ve read indicates this is it — for now. My need is unusual, brought about by a minor but frustrating medical condition. The E-PL1, for example, praised at the time for its in-body stabilization approach making all lenses ‘stabilized’, fails totally. But, then, my need is peculiar.
Fortunately, I’m too broke to make the jump to an E-P5 at the moment. The camera market is boiling over with new and improved products and seems to be nearing a point which will establish a new baseline for future comparisons.
Keep doing the comparing. Your approach means more than most.
Thank you, Michael. The good news is that cameras are continuing to improve and prices will drop over time. With a little patience, I might get to the price range that works for you.
“Cheap plastic build”? “Primarily plastic”? HAHA!!! Obviously, handling the GX7 for a just a “few minutes” made you assume the camera felt cheap, when in actuality, its a Magnesium body, with just the top and bottom plates, plastic. For a person that owns and handles numerous cameras, that’s a very foolish assumption.
The E-P5 is made of machined Aluminum, while the GX7 is Magnesium, so we all know the GX7 has a MUCH better Build. The top plate is for the wifi to escape, similar to the E-P5’s Plastic grip, whereas the GX7’s grip is rubber, so of course it handles much better than the EP-5.
You own 4 Olympus cameras, so it’s clearly Obvious you have a bias towards Olympus. No need to disrespect a better built, better camera from Panasonic. What us the dislike for? Because panasonic doesn’t have a rich camera history? Let it go.
Looking forward to your GX7 review and your apologies…
QBNY, yes, I heard the GX7 has a magnesium frame. But so what. If the top plate, which is one of the most seen and touched areas is made of plastic, that’s going to give a certain impression, which in my case, was not positive, at least compared to the E-P5. I’m not saying it is a bad camera by any means. But the feeling I got was not of the same heft and quality of the E-P5. On the positive side, I you like a lighter camera, it could be an advantage for you.
I don’t know what the frame on the E-P5 is made of but the outer skin is metal and that’s the difference. The outer skin of the GX7, to me, has a plasticy feel.
So a question for you. Have you actually touched and used the GX7? Have you actually compared it with the E-P5?
Hi, thanks for taking the time to write such excellent, detailed reviews and information. I just found your site while browsing around today. I was a Canon crop user who wanted something new and had to decide between their new 70D, or to go up to the 6D, or something else. After a lot of thought and research I chose to try m43, and the camera I picked was the E-P5. I have only had it for a few weeks and I like pretty much everything about it except of course the protruding VF4. I have got a nice kit of the 17mm 1.8, 45mm 1.8, 14-45 and the 40-150. That covers everything I need except macro (the 60mm looks lovely but too expensive) to give it a good try. It is very interesting reading articles about mirrorless on your site, particularly where you compared the 6D to Olympus m43.
I would like to hear your experience on a couple of questions. The main issues I’m having are colour rendition and pixel peeping quality. What colour profile do you use? I have been using Natural, but I have seen iEnhance do a better job some times. I don’t know anything about how iEnhance works. I am finding Olympus colours punchy, but just a little too inaccurate. In particular, caucasian skin tones seem a little too warm. Greens are sometimes great but sometimes kind of yellowish. What tips do you have for colour profiles? I have to say I do prefer Canon colours overall, particularly for skin tones. I find monotone much better on Olympus than Canon though.
Secondly, I can’t decide what to do about the noise filter setting. I currently have it Off, because I see that sometimes it just makes too much mushiness when removing the noise. But I am considering using Low. It seems when looking at 100%, particularly at higher ISO’s, and even with no noise filter on, that m43 has good sharpness, and not too much noise considering, but it somehow loses structure, so that the close-up image almost looks like a painting. I don’t know why this happens. Compared to my old 500D Canon, which when viewing at 100% at, say 1600 or 3200, it will have quite a lot of noise, but no loss of structure, it doesn’t have that painted look. What setting do you use for noise filter and why? (p.s. I shoot jpg + raw, and like to use jpg for the majority of photos, and only go to the raw for a special image that I want to look extra good, or that needs some correction.)
Thanks for your input and great blog showing how good m43 is.
Hi there! very nice article – I currently own an E-pl1 and I am looking to upgrade. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to get an e-p5. Would you say that the E-pm2 is the next best thing? thank you so much for your help.
Victoria, my first Olympus was a E-PL1 and now I have a E-PM2. The E-PM2 is a great camera. It’s image quality is the same as all the other modern Olympus cameras. What you lose is the additional physical control, the frames per second, the 5-axis IS and the build quality. If you look through my postings, it’s the E-PM2 I use for my urban landscape HDRs among other things.
A slightly less expensive camera than the E-P5, with the built in view finder is the new OM-D E-M10. That’s the camera I’m testing now.
I have the E-PL2, with the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 and the electronic viewfinder, and the in-body image stabilization certainly facilitates getting excellent images. I like what I read about the interface of the E-P5; it seems more like my old film rangefinder cameras, and if the E-P5 had a builit-in viewfinder, it would be a no-brainer decision for me. The external accessory approach to the viewfinder means I can’t use an external flash at the same time as the viewfinder, which seems kind of dumb. The E-M(1/5/10) cameras seem well thought out, but I prefer the look and handling of the EP-5. If only it had a built-in viewfinder…
It’s interesting reading this review 7 or 8 years after it was written. It’s articulate, thoughtful and intriguing – nearly 10 years later. The E-P5 is still a great little camera, too. Built like a tank and, in spite of some limitations, a fine smallish image-making tool.
I’m curious: are you still using yours? Or has it gone to camera-Heaven? (Confession: I recently bought my first, lightly-used, EP5, and am stunned by how good it still is. With a tiny pancake-like prime (my favorite is the Lumix 20mm), it is still a discrete and highly capable, not to say brilliant, little camera.)
HI Miguel,
I’m glad you enjoyed the review. The E-P5 I reviewed was on loan from Olympus. I considered getting one but ended up getting the PEN-F instead. Very similar but built even better. I still have the PEN-F and used it from time to time.
Here’s the PEN-F review:
https://blog.atmtxphoto.com/2016/01/27/the-olympus-pen-f-review/
It’s a very nice (and thorough, and articulate, and entertaining, too!) review. The Pen F is another modern Olympus masterpiece. I owned one for awhile and quite loved it. Weirdly, though, the E-P5 almost feels more solid to me than the Pen F did. The one area which the Pen F excels in, in my opinion, is and was the plethora of cool options for setting both color and black & white jpegs. That front dial is exceptionally useful. The truth is, the more I shoot lately (and my photography spans decades, going back to the dinosaur-like analog ages when I shot for years and years with small film Pentaxes), the more I appreciate and enjoy cameras which offer complex (and occasionally sophisticated) options for creating custom in-camera jpegs. The newer generations of Fujifilm cameras seem to do that better than most others, but the multiple color options of the Pen F are superb – and let’s not forget to give credit to the Panasonic engineers for coming up with the ‘l.monochrome.d’ black & white film simulation in their latest generations of Lumixes.
Moral of the story: these are fun times for digital photographers 🙂
I know what you mean. Both cameras are modern digital classics with a retro flair. The Control dial in the from the PEN-F is fun, functional, and works great as an extra grip.
Thanks for your visit and comments, Miguel!