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Questions & Answers

Shopper : Is it possible to get the Olympus 12-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens for the silver body instead of the 12-50mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ Zoom Lens?RICHARD N : I believe it is...but suggest you call Adorama or Olympus America (800 260 1625) for an authoritative answer. I can tell you I have both micro lenses, 14-42 and 12-50 EZ. In my judgement, the 12-50 is vastly the better lens. Since getting the 12-50, I don't use the 14-42. For me, the 12-50 is the perfect lens. JOHN C : I believe you can, however, I have both lenses and would recommend the 12-50JOHNNY Z : yes you may buy seperately however i don't think it comes with the package deal .JAMES H : If you buy them separately. I bought the 12-150 zoom.MORRIS T : Yes, there is em5 with 14-42mm (not 12-42mm) package sell for $1099, sometimes $1049.
MICHAEL L : Is the lens mount for the OM-D the same as for the Pen series or something new? Thanks. MikeJANICE M : Hello Michael, I wish I could answer your question right away, but I am still getting acquainted with my new OM-D E-M5. I am not a pro, just an enthusiastic amateur for 34 years. My experience has been limited to the Olympus OM single digit film cameras (1 thru 4). I have no knowledge of the Olympus Pen cameras and their lens mounts. Shame on me. As often as I come across references to the Pen series I should look into them. I have a feeling that I might be missing something, The folks at Adorama would be most likely to answer your question. Good luck.ANDREW B : Yes.TODD R : Yes, same mount.SANJOY M : It is the same mount (MIcro-four-third).
Shopper : Is the included lens black or silver?LOU D : The 12-50mm lens is black, but has a 1/2" silver band on the front.BART S : The lens is blackKAREN K : The lens in this kit is black, but it still looks really good with the silver camera body. This is a really good looking camera, on top of fantastic function!PAUL D : The included lens 12mm-50mm zoom is black. This is an awesome camera. A pleasure to carry around.RICHARD N : The 12-50mm lens accompanying my OM-D E-M5 is black...and it is a magnificent lens! I have been enjoyiing photography as a hobby for 44 years and have never been more impressed with this lens-body combination! Great pictures, good quality build and easy operation. That's my OM-D EM-5!CHRISTOPHER P : My silver OM-D EM5 came with a black 12-50mm lenses.JOHN C : Mine was blackReba B : It is Black.NEIL D : The included 12-50 zoom is black but it looks fine on the silver OMD.JOHNNY Z : it is blackSTEVEN B : Black,,,,,tell the client I will sell him mine for $900 as I recently bought a blackmoneJOE B : The 12-50mm lens that came with mine was black. And it matches the body quite well.ANDREW C : The lens is black.

Reviews about this item

Review Summary

2014-12-01T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Great Looks, and Smart Too!

I am a previous Olympus PEN user. I once owned an E-PL1 and later an E-PL2. I missed having a built-in viewfinder and didn't really care for the Olympus EVF that plugged into the hot shoe. So, I sold off the Micro 4/3 equipment and went with one of the Big Two brands. That camera ("The world's smallest DSLR") was actually pretty nice, but heavy lenses on a small body kind of defeated the purpose of a small scale camera. After a year or so, I looked at Olympus again. When I saw the OMD-EM5 at a great price, I just had to have it. I added the 12-50mm EZ lens, and the 40-150mm zoom lens. I have been pleasantly surprised at the quality of pictures coming from the EM5. I set up some informal comparison tests between the EM5 and my other camera. The Olympus, with either lens, was sharper and produced truer colors than my other camera. This was the case with both tripod-mounted and handheld shots. The 12-50mm lens is handy, and can do some macro work too. When used on the EM5, I don't have to worry much about taking pictures in less than ideal weather. But what I like the most, especially compared to the other camera, is the green frame you see in the viewfinder that indicates the area of focus. It is really frustrating on other systems to find that little red dot for a focus point. With the EM5, not only can I determine where the camera will focus, but it is especially easy to change the focus point, or even set a focus zone. This is a much better setup for me, and in combination with the EM5's quick focus, I am experiencing fewer out-of-focus shots. I know that many people are somewhat bewildered by the Olympus user interface, but it is easily learned. Many features are simply on/off options. The super control panel allows easy change of settings, as do the main/sub dials. When you combine this with the touch screen, you can really get comfortable with a particular way to set and use the camera. Overall, I am very happy to be back with Olympus. The OMD-EM5 is a great camera, with a solid feel, classic good looks, and excellent picture quality. The only reason I gave four stars is that, at this price point, Wi-Fi should be included. That is not a deal breaker though, with all of the other features and product quality. I would feel comfortable recommending this camera.

Daniel C.

2014-03-03T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellent Micro 4/3

Lighweight, perfect for travel photography, great quality of photos, fast AF. Buttons are a little small.

Jose A.

2014-01-07T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

complicated but excellent!

I just got this camera but I am in a group with several people who own it and who their work; I am very excited about learning to use it. The menu system is quite complicated so it will take awhile to master, esp. since it's too cold to go out and do much shooting.

MARGUERITE B.

2013-09-04T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Simply superb...

I'm a landscape photographer from Vermont. I rarely shoot any kind of sporting event so I can't comment on that. I think this camera is simply amazing. For the money I don't think it gets any better. I also have a Canon T4i and the OM-D blows the T4i out of the water. It's very fast autofocus makes capturing hummingbirds a breeze and it's large variety of color modes and filters can lend themselves favorably to any scene. I have been shooting a lot at night and the OM-D is incredible in low light. My big complaint; the lenses I have do not offer the ability to manually focus easily, ie; there's no focusing ring that you can set to infinity. But that's a complaint about lenses, not the camera body. I really love the kit lens's built in macro feature, I use it way more than I ever thought I would. My other complaint is that sometimes the white balance can be a little off, not a deal breaker, it's just a quick fix in editing. I really have no real complaints, it's small, comfortable and takes stunning photographs. And while it may have a smaller sensor than a DSLR, I honestly think it has a higher resolution than most. I love it, and if I lost it today I would order another without giving it a second thought!

Aron M.

2013-08-25T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

A Lot of Fun in a Compact but Solid Body

I take this camera everywhere, which speaks for its compactness and ruggedness - its built to withstand abuse, and various weather. Its simply fun to use with a reasonable amount of controls accessible. It is great not having to worry about getting it wet(with a weatherproof lens) The 5axis stabilizer is a great innovation, and has allowed me to take handheld night shots at iso 200- I am now more encouraged to casually shoot at night instead of lugging around a tripod. The silent shutter is wonderful for unobtrusive street shooting. It performs well in high ISO, but I rarely need to crank up the ISO because of the 5axis The focus is incredibly fast with contemporary lenses, and the image out of the camera already looks great and requires minimum tweaking. If anything, the battery life is relatively short probably because of the 5axis- but nothing unreasonable. Because its such a fun camera that I want to take with me, my photo activities increased dramatically since acquiring this camera.

kentique

2013-08-04T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Great camera

I use this camera mostly for street/casual photography. Pros: The small size is great for those days I don't want to lug a DSLR around. The OM-D and 5 lenses (17mm, 19mm, 30mm, 45mm, 45-150mm) all fit easily in a small shoulder bag. The image quality is stunning, the "oly colors" are beautiful. It focuses lightening fast and accurately, even in low light. It also has one of the best EVF's I've even seen. It's also just a beautiful little camera to look at. Cons: I hate, hate, hate the location of the on/off switch. It really belongs on top of the camera. I really would not have much issue with the location of the switch if I didn't have to turn the camera on and off so often, becuase this thing eats batteries like there is no tomorrow. Don't even think about shooting all day without at least one or two spare batteries. Some people don't like the cramped ergonomics and so have to spend an extra the way overpriced optional handgrip accessory. I actually like the feel of the camera without the handgrip better (once I remove the annoying neckstrap holder).

MICHAEL W.

2013-07-22T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great camera

I have been shooting an Olympus E-500 but the E-M5 is now my camera of choice. I like the many features, some found only on more expensive models. Not much to dislike other than the first one I ordered had an issue with the Electronic View Finder. Adorma quickly replaced it, with no problems. There are a lot of setting, which can be a good thing as well as making a fair learning curve, although that's probably true of any of the new digital cameras. Using and being familiar with other Olympus cameras is a help

WENDELL H.

2013-07-09T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great exchange service

I haven't been able to take many photos yet but am looking forward to doing so. The first one I ordered had a defect in the EVF so I had to return it to Adorama. Just received the replacement today. No hassles, great service.

WENDELL H.

2013-07-08T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellent camera

I love this camera! I had grown tired of my DSLR (Canon 40D) because it felt too big and bulky -- I wasn't getting out and taking pictures because it was a pain to lug around. But I didn't want the limitations of a point and shoot. The OM-D E-M5 is a perfect solution. Image quality is at least as good as and probably better than my DSLR. The size and weight are perfect -- small and easy to carry but not so small that its awkward to hold or adjust settings. The range of lenses available is wonderful, definitely a plus compared to other mirror less camera lines, and the lenses are so compact compared to DSLR lenses. I thought it might feel like a compromise to go mirror less but there is absolutely nothing I miss after after making the switch.

JOHN G.

2013-07-01T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Awesome camera!

A five star so far. I've been using Olympus micro 4/3 equipment for a couple of years and have been very happy with it. I needed something with a built in viewfinder so I could use it with my studio equipment. Have been very happy with this one. Image quality, built, ergonomics all excellent. You won't go wrong here!

PhotoDan

2013-05-16T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Camera for Techies

If you are a techie like me, this is the camera you need to get. This one offers so many little things you can configure and play around, it's so fun. oh and it also takes photos but that's not the point of this review. It takes a good photos but it's not anywhere APS-C or Full Frame quality. But as a techie, I do appreciate that the camera do produce nice looking pictures, just keep in mind that these are nice digitally looking photos, not exactly gives off that genuine film photos look and feel. but hey, it is what it is and as long as it looks good, that's all it matters, right? But like I said, this camera really shines when it comes to "using" the camera. It's just like a gadget toy that you can play around with setups and lens so much. If you are into playing around with cameras and taking photos is secondary, this is the camera for you! I love it!

Leica M.

2013-05-13T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

I am Impressed

Very pleased with everything about the camera

WILLIAM V.

2013-05-08T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Pro level camera in a small package

Solid, well thought out camera. I travel extensively and this will be at my side.

SCOTT B.

2013-04-30T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Olympus OM-D camera

This is a small nimble camera with many options. The image quality is superb, as is the image stabilization.

Redcld

2013-04-23T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

OM-D E-M5 Camera

This is a small nimble platform with a plethora of setting and modes.... I love this camera

Redcld

2013-04-20T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

What a powerful Camera!!!

I purchased this camera to capture great shots of my new grands. because I'm new to photography, I wanted something g that would be easy to use yet it would capture great moments. I got more than I bargained for with this camera! My friends and family are amazed with the quality of photos this camera produces! I'm very happy with my purchase and I couldn't have chosen a better place to purchase the camera than Adorama!

MsBuddaCup

2013-03-25T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

excellent for its size, but no DSLR

After a couple weeks with this camera I have noticed horrible banding at ISO 1600 and above. Extensive LR corrections can be made to alleviate this but at night in certain situations(i.e. sky, shadows, dark areas). I would recommend this camera for still photography and the likes, but not for anything with alot of movement.

SEAN H.

2013-03-19T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Solid but small body. Great displays

Easily removable straps would be nice.

AFY

2013-03-14T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

"downgraded" to the OMD

I have some health issues that made using my old DSRL problematic, making me not want to shoot much any more due to the weight. I have been keeping an eye on the Micro 4/3's for a while and last year I bought the then new OMD. I got the 12-50 kit lens and the panny 25 1.4, and the 40-150 (due to weight or I would have bought the 100-300) I sold my old system to fund this and have NEVER regretted it! I shoot outside in good light, indoors with poor light. I've shot bands in very dark bars using ISO6400 and can print 11x14 without issue! The stabilization is awesome! The high ISO is great, very clean, and if it's a little noisy at 12600 make it black and white and you're set! Many don't like the 12-50 kit lens, but I find it to be sharp and a great walk around length. I've used in in rain and snow storms and the weatherproofing seems great. My only complaint is the battery life. Get backups! I highly recommend this system!

KRISTIN H.

2013-03-11T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Wonderful small camera

Highly recommended. The camera is smaller than you would imagine and evokes the classic design of many older film cameras. You can carry the camera and multiple m43 lenses for the weight of one DSLR. Construction is good and sturdy. The display and viewfinder are both excellent. The features and picture quality exceeds some of the lower and mid end APS-C DSLRs. JPEGs out of camera are wonderful as-is in most cases and sometimes better than what you could easily obtain by shooting RAW and post-processing. A lot more detail can be recovered from RAW due to the wonderful Sony sensor. ISO 1600 is excellent with very little noise. I have a mental block going to ISO 3200 due to earlier cameras, but that is also very usable. I have done 16x20" prints with this camera. The built-in image stabilization is truly remarkable. A few reviews have mentioned the humming noise it makes. It hasn't been an issue for me and its not a distraction in a quiet room. The latest 1.6 firmware also reduced it to some extent. I consider this a non-issue, especially since I have been able to consistently get sharp, hand held shots at 1/10 to 1/5 secs. This also makes working with manual legacy lenses very easy. You do need to set up the focus assist to help and have to dial in the focal length of the legacy lens for the stabilization to work. Its nice to be able to work with fast legacy primes. Video output is very capable, but this is primarily a stills camera. You won't get the manual video controls available in the panasonic GH2 or GH3. A word about the lenses. Get a good prime to go with it. The 14-42 and 12-50 kit lenses are good, but not exceptional and won't bring out the capabilities of this camera. Heck, you can get some wonderful results with a legacy $50 prime. Okay, so now the bad news. The olympus menu system gives you a large number of controls with which to customize the camera behavior. Some default choices are bewildering, so if you are unfamiliar with this menu system, you will need to spend some time upfront setting up things the way you like. Like for example, enabling the super control panel that gives you a one button access to commonly used controls. Its disabled by default in favor of a dumbed down menu and you need to go menu diving to enable it. And then you can have both options enabled at the same time, in different ways for the viewfinder and the LCD, which can make things truly confusing. If you are a noob, get someone to set it up for you, so you can get more out of the camera. If you are an enthusiast geek, you will drool over the options and still go crazy. The camera has a touch screen OLED display and you can control some things by touch. Touch to focus and click are fun and useful in some situations. But I also get the feeling that the user interface has not been optimized for touch. You still have to revert back to the physical dials for some things. Many more controls could be optimized for touch than currently available. I truly love this camera, so I also have no hesitation is also writing my gripes about it in the hope that someone at Olympus will read them and help improve it with a firmware upgrade. - The menu system needs to be rationalized without loss of features. - Enable HDR shooting like in the newer E-PL5. - Tethered shooting like its possible with Canon or Nikon. Please, this is a capable camera, don't castrate it in firmware. This is essential for studio shoots or advanced photography. - Focus peaking for use with manual lenses a la Sony. And one final word to Olympus - Please release some good mid range zooms to support this baby. There are some wonderful primes but the midrange zoom choices are currently very limited in comparison to Canikon or expensive. This is an ideal enthusiast / semi-pro / pro level camera, but the discerning masses buy zooms not primes. This camera gets a lot of things right and so I am going to rate this camera 5* even though I see areas for improvement. Every camera has compromises and its no different for comparable offerings from Canon/Nikon/Sony/etc.

NIRANJAN V.

2013-02-10T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

OM-D E-M5

If your looking for a great camera that's compact, lightweight and take beautiful shots this is a good one. My other camera's are now collecting dust.

Dennis

2013-02-04T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Oly em5

Olympus quality overall is a higher than the panasonic gh3. Image quality is arguably better than the gh3 despite having the same sensor.

SERGIO A.

2013-02-04T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Lightweight little gem

I love the size of this camera, it reminds me of my old NON digital SLR. Have only had it less than a month but so far I love it. Was able to get great shots of the moon next to Jupiter and candid shots are so easy. Love the ease of use for the "art" and "scene" functions.

ML R.

2013-02-04T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Amazing Camera

Have had the camer for about 3 months now. Easy to use when set to auto. It took me a while to figure out how to customize the camera for more control. Manual wasn't really hepful.

JA

2013-01-19T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

OM-D makes the switch to m4/3 a pleasure

I shoot some weddings, sporting events for a local newspaper, do studio portraits and some macro work. I used to use a C**** system that gave me fits with auto-focus problems, and coupled with wanting to reduce overall equipment weight, led me to this fantastic OM-D. I initially bought the kit (for a great price) but have sold the 12-50mm lens and replaced it with the Panasonic 12-35 f2.8 and the Panasonic 35-100 f2.8, both of which are Leica-designed, MUCH sharper, contrtasty, and nano-coated. Along with some OLY primes and the Pana-Leica 25mm f1.4 I have a system that produces images every bit as good, and in many cases better than, my old C**** system. The number of wasted or spoiled shots is far less. The touch-screen auto-focus/ shutter is phenomenal, especially for candids. The weather sealing is excellent. The system's lenses are among the best available, and for macro/ portrait work simply can't be beat. I've taken enlargements up to 20x30 consistently with no falloff (every bit as good or better than my old C****system). Ergonomics took a little getting used to, and I highly recommend the HLD-6 battery grip for heft and for extended battery life due to the second battery in the grip. Battery life is short, only about 300-350 shots. With the battery grip I've gotten upwards of 800. I used to consistently exceed 1000 with the C**** camera, but too many were wasted due either to autofocus issues or auto-exposure issues. The art filters are very cool, and a nice touch because they are high quality, not cheesy. The camera is configurable to your specific needs in any way imaginable. This is a sophisticated camera body definitely worthy of the best glass you can afford to put on it. The reward is phenomenal jpegs, right out of the camera! I shoot Large-superfine (the highest res choice) and the pics often look 3-D! The overall system weight has dropped for me, by about two-thirds, with no decrease in flexibility. As a matter of fact, my flexibility, creativity and overall results have increased and improved significantly. I couldn't be happier about making the switch, but the glass does matter, and if you get the best available then you'll be thrilled with the results.

OLY-lover

2013-01-10T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

The Camera I've been waiting for.

Ahh.. i guess i'll go into background of myself... Got into photography using a canon xsi, the t1i, wanted something more rugged and "professional" after a few years.. moved to the canon 60D.. liked the quality, love the size.. liked the look.. didnt like the weight. after a while it really got to u.. and then the big size you loved of it, (w/ grip) got to you, so I stopped using the grip.. and the camera got annoying to lug around... decided to make a full switch to m4/3.. got a epl-1 .. liked it alot. but after using a dslr.. its hard to admit it was a big downgrade. then i started to buy 4/3 (dslr) lenses for the epl-1 to improve the picture quality.. that worked well.. then missed a viewfinder.. bought a vf2.. liked it but hated how it was $$$ and it didnt lock on.. then the OMD comes out.. solved my problems. loved the size, the look , you can NOT deny looks awesome. the construction is very good, and feels like a small brick. the built in EVF is great too, and the screen on the back is nice and big. I use my olympus 4/3 14-54 mkii lens w/ the olympus mmf-3 to completely weather seal the camera and combo. this is the camera i've been waiting for and im glad i finally got it. picture quality is great. using my 14-54, or even the m4/3 14-42. i recently started experiementing w/ a 28mm 3.5 OM lens. and i love that combo and look. Image stablization on this camera is great, and u really notice it in shooting videos. its a great camera, alittle pricy, but you are really only going to get this if you know what you want and like the style.

wyluncustoms

2012-10-07T21:00:00

Rated 1 out of 5

Great while it lasted.

My EM-5 died after three and a half months of use. It developed horizontal purple bands in the EVF and LCD that were also present on photographs (?bad sensor). Hopefully this will be resolved by Olympus, but I had to use a backup camera on a recent vacation when this camera failed. Doubly sad because I have purchased multiple lenses for the camera, most recently the excellent 75 mm 1.8.

JOEL C.

2012-05-30T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Sneaky Little Low-Light Ferrari

Once I'd fully charged its battery and switched my E-M5 on for the first time, yes, I did notice the slight whirring noise it makes. With my face pressed up against the camera and my eye in the viewfinder, it sounds a bit like the hum of a filter pump in a fish tank -- right away, it reminded me of some Nikon lenses I've used with image stabilization built into the lens that sounded very similar. And I grinned. I figured Olympus put more serious image stabilization into the sensor (although that's not to knock the IS systems they've put into the PEN series cameras, which work very well). I was right. The image stabilization in the E-M5 is excellent, and in use seems to be about a stop or sometimes even two stops more effective than the IS in my E-P2. I'm not worried about the low humming/whirring noise the camera makes when switched on; it's just part of how the camera functions and doesn't get in the way. No one notices it, and neither will you after a short time. It's really only audible when you're right up next to it, and you can't hear it even a foot or more away hanging around your neck. I have now shot two professional gigs with the camera that had moments of absolute silence, and that sound was completely unnoticeable. More significantly, I'll move on to a sound the camera makes that I find quite perfect: its shutter. The shutter noise is a tidy little "plunk" sound that's very quiet and sounds muffled and refined, not at all like many cameras I've used or shot next to that have a metallic, cacophonous clacking noise that can be extremely disruptive. The shutter is also extremely fast and smooth -- its high-speed burst, if that's your thing, is impressive and lightning-fast at about 10 frames per second with the right memory card, far more than you'll need for about 99% of real-world shooting. Since the shutter noise is so low and understated, even a burst of shots is minimally obtrusive. Let me say this: This little camera takes the Micro 4/3 package to professional grade, and in only a short few weeks of use it's grown on me quite a bit and become my preference. I was a very early adopter of the E-P2 when it came out two and a half years ago, and I was amazed with what that little unit could do in the right hands. Yet, when the E-P3 came out, I hesitated and stayed on the fence. It seemed like an upgrade, but not enough of one to warrant rushing out to purchase. Now, along comes the E-M5, which Olympus billed as "The beginning of the new." And it might just be worth that very lofty introduction -- I feel like nearly every complaint I had with the E-P2 has been addressed, though there really weren't all that many. You have good weather sealing, making the camera more "pro" and protected against rain, the occasional splashes that can happen in various situations, dust, etc. You have the option of an excellent battery grip, which for me greatly improves the handling and ergonomics of the camera while providing a second battery that will let you shoot all day long for an extended engagement. You have a great viewfinder that doesn't occupy the use of the hotshoe/accessory port, so you're free to pop on a flash, the stereo microphone (great for shooting movies, by the way), and other accessories. Among the most useful additions are the multiple dials on the top right portion of the camera, which among other things can allow you to spin exposure compensation up or down three stops easily and quickly to adjust for various situations (heavy backlight with no fill flash is one example). And since it's an electronic viewfinder, you can see the final exposure before you even snap the shot, which is a major advantage over a mirror-and-prism optical viewfinder on a DSLR. The flip-up LCD screen can be very handy for overhead or waist-level shooting. But I think the one most noticeable change from my E-P2 to the E-M5 is high ISO performance. People often test different ISO settings in good light, but the true test for high ISOs is in rendering dark areas and shadows in low or next-to-no light. That was the limit of my venerable little E-P2: I can shoot it with very fast lenses and no flash in pubs and bar rooms, poorly-lit indoor situations, and so on, but I can really only push it to about ISO 800 before the shadow and dark areas start getting too noisy. With a fast enough lens, that will get you pretty far, but if there's much motion/fast movement, you still won't have enough shutter speed to stop it without blur unless you use a flash (not an option in many situations, and not my preference if possible). One quick note: I purchased the E-M5 with the 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 EZ lens, simply because of its splash-proof design to match the camera and I expected the equivalent of a 24-100mm lens in 35mm format would be a handy lens. The lens is nearly completely silent in zooming/focusing and sports a handy additional button you can assign a function to, and yes, it looks to be extremely sharp -- but then it had better be sharp by apertures as slow as f6.3 on the long end. It's a useful lens for movie shooting and situations like when it's drizzling out or you're shooting people splashing around in a pool in daylight, for example, or shooting with a flash, but for me it's really too slow to use in many situations and will only be used occasionally. I just shot the E-M5 hand-held well after sunset at ISO 6400 with a very fast lens -- there was almost no light at all, since it was in a wooded and already shaded area. And the photos I got out of it straight up blew me away. This thing's results at ISO 3200 and 6400 shot hand-held in near-total darkness look like it's not nightfall at all but afternoon; I was even able to shoot people blur-free and actually BETTER than the E-P2 can do at ISO 800 in terms of noise visible in shadow and dark/black areas. Yes indeed, this sweet little unit is a keeper. So that's my experience, having thrown myself like an idiot into a few very high-pressure, must-do situations with minimal time to adapt to using the camera. It has performed admirably. I'm finding a lot of smart customizable functions, too, digging through the menus and assigning functions I use most to the additional buttons. I haven't yet gotten the FL-600r flash, which is smaller and made to balance better on the E-M5, and the FL-50r feels a bit too heavy and large to mount on the hotshoe. But I did use the FL-50r on a bracket with the camera, and the results from that setup were stunning. I've noticed a few things that could use improvement. First, the battery life is very good so far in my experience, but there are only three indicator bars displayed: Full (3 bars), two-thirds (2 bars), and one-third (flashing red at you). That could benefit from, say, four or five indicator bars to provide a finer, more accurate readout. Also, I'm one of the people who will probably always use this camera with the full HLD-6 battery grip for improved handling (especially with larger lenses) and extended shooting capability, but the padded, soft rubber areas on the grip mark and scuff up easily. No big deal, but at some point I could see having to (i.e., wanting to) replace them. I also don't like the rubber "bend away" cover for the HDMI/USB ports on the left of the camera -- it feels like it could get loose after a lot of use, so I prefer the hard plastic cover over the SD card and almost always just remove the card to transfer files. It's also something of a nuisance that the E-M5 battery is larger and different than that of the PEN series cameras, just because I had to buy a new round of batteries (gripe, moan. I'll live). That's about all I can say for now! I've grown accustomed to this camera much faster than it usually takes to get used to a completely new unit, and I'm very impressed with what it can do, even after just a short time. While I still love the feel and overall simplicity of my E-P2 and prefer it for certain situations, the E-M5 in many ways is a substantial leap in performance and has very quickly become my new standard, go-to camera. (I'm already pressing some wrong buttons on the E-P2 when switching between the two cameras because of some more intuitive control placements on the E-M5.) I'm only surprised the E-M5 price point is really as affordable as it is -- I think it offers extraordinary "bang for the buck" when you see what it can do. It's the first time in quite a while where I actually feel like a new camera alone has added substantially to my creative "firepower." Is this little thing truly "the beginning of the new?" Well, for this user, yep... it sure feels that way.

AARON M.

2012-05-14T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Quality and features.

I find it very easy and fast to use with out being overly complicated. Just like the EP 1 and 2 it is very intuitive. To me at least I find the cintrols well laid out dispite what I've read in other online reviews. The auto focus seems quick and low light performance has been very good even for hand held shots. The image stabilization impresses me because it allow me to shoot with slower shutters speeds even with a 3.5~5.6 Zoom lense. It's like my canon with an IS lense attached only the IS is built in. So far in my short time of owning this camera (silver one) I have been very impressed with the performance, feature set and build. I must say the same for my EP's as well. I love the styling and so far I have had nothing but good luck with the brand so Kudos! Olympus and thanks for being one of my beloved cameras to the digital age the OM line!

ShutterBug19

2012-05-03T21:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

Alert: has an odd constant fan noise

This is not a review. I am only commenting here to alert potential buyers of this odd mechanical trait which Olympus has confirmed: "Thank you for contacting Olympus Technical Support. You are hearing the new 5 axis Image Stabilization system. It uses a type of Magnetic field to keep the sensor assembly suspended so you will even hear it if the IS system is disabled." In addition to reading many other users report of same issue, I spoke to Olympus and they say that at this time they have no plans to correct this. I'm going to keep the camera as the noise doesn't bother me, but I imagine that it could bother some people and that Olympus may correct it in a future production run.

stormrider

About Olympus E-M5

FEATURED REVIEWS

Sneaky Little Low-Light Ferrari

By AARON M.

Once I'd fully charged its battery and switched my E-M5 on for the first time, yes, I did notice the slight whirring noise it makes. With my face pressed up against the camera and my eye in the viewfinder, it sounds a bit like the hum of a filter pump in a fish tank -- right away, it reminded me of some Nikon lenses I've used with image stabilization built into the lens that sounded very similar. And I grinned. I figured Olympus put more serious image stabilization into the sensor (although...

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Great Quality and features.

By ShutterBug19

I find it very easy and fast to use with out being overly complicated. Just like the EP 1 and 2 it is very intuitive. To me at least I find the cintrols well laid out dispite what I've read in other online reviews. The auto focus seems quick and low light performance has been very good even for hand held shots. The image stabilization impresses me because it allow me to shoot with slower shutters speeds even with a 3.5~5.6 Zoom lense. It's like my canon with an IS lense attached only the IS i...

View full Review

Olympus E-M5 Mirrorless Digital Camera
For photographers with memories that stretch back to the film era, the new Olympus OMD-EM5 bears a striking resemblance to the classic film OM series, a long-lived line of SLRs that broke new ground in compact and light camera design.

Desipite its remarkable resemblance to classic Olympus SLRs such as the OM-1, the OMD-EM5 is not an SLR. It is a mirrorless camera with a high-resolution (1.44 million dot) electronic viewfinder and a plethora of new technology and features.

The OM-D is a groundbreaking, new digital interchangeable lens camera perfect for people who want to "take part", "create", and "share".

ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER
The OM-D's new electronic viewfinder (EVF) features a high-resolution 1.44-million dot LCD, 100% field-of-view coverage, and 1.15x maximum magnification that let you totally immerse yourself in your subject, and actively control image creation. The EVF also enables you to enlarge the focus point for precision focusing in virtually any shooting situation, and can show you the effect of Highlight & Shadow Control, White Balance, Exposure Compensation, Aspect Ratio, and a host of other settings and advanced digital image processing functions right in the viewfinder. With improved precision and responsiveness that make it as easy to use as an optical viewfinder, the OM-D's advanced EVF gives you virtually unlimited creative control.

HIGH IMAGE QUALITY
Three key factors contribute to the OM-D's unprecedented image quality: a wide lineup of M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses for sharp, clear subject capture, a new 16-megapixel Live MOS image sensor for rich tonal expression, and an advanced TruePic VI image processor for superb color fidelity. The optimal balance of these factors ensures the high resolution, sensitivity, and color accuracy you need tobrilliantly capture the world around you.

FAST AF
The world's fastest* AF system, FAST AF, has been made even faster and more accurate on the OM-D. Improved new 3D Tracking AF assures you won't miss the moment even when subjects move toward or away from you, and the new high-sensitivity image sensor ensuressuperior AF performance even in dim light.

* Among digital cameras with interchangeable lenses available as of February 8, 2012, when using the OLYMPUS M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ lens with the E-M5, based on Olympus in-house measurement conditions.

9.2 FPS HIGH-SPEED SEQUENTIAL SHOOTING
Thanks to the new 16-megapixel Live MOS image sensor's high-speed read-out performance, the OM-D offers maximum sequential shooting at 9.2 fps, making it easy to capture sports action or fast-moving subjects such as pets and wildlife. In addition, a compact new hi gh-speed shutter mechanism enables the OM-D to offer this performance without compromising the handling advantages of a light and compact body.

5-AxIS IMAGE STABILIZAT ION
The OM-D is equipped with the world's first 5-axis image stabilization system, and can compensate for vertical, horizontal, and rotational camera shake that conventional 2-axis systems of the past have been unable to handle. Built into the camera body to ensure effective stabilization with all lenses, its unique 5-axis design makes it particularly effective when taking high-magnification telephoto shots, macro close-ups, and long exposures. In addition, it can be activated by pressing the shutter button halfway, so you can also use it to stabilize the viewfinder image and obtain a crisp, clear view of your subject that makes it easy to frame and compose your shots.

Sensor unit with new 5-AxIS IS
The new 5-AxIS IS can compensate for five different types of movement: 1) pitching, 2) yawing, 3) horizontal movement, 4) vertical movement, and 5) rotational movement around the optical axis. As a result, it can compensate for types of camera shake that conventional 2-axis systems cannot, such as horizontal/vertical shake during macro shooting, rotational shake during long exposure shooting, and the low-frequency shake caused by walking or breathing during movie recording.

DUST-PROOF & SPLASH-PROOF CONSTRUCTION
Trouble-free shooting in all environments is assured by our proven dust-proof and splash-proof technology. Multiple ring-shaped seals protect the camera from sand, dust, rain, and water spray, making it ideal for all kinds of outdoor shooting. What's more, theOM-D extends this protection to the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ lens, the bundled detachable flash unit, and the optionalgrip and power battery holder.

TILTING 3-INCH OLED TOUCHSCREEN
In addition to offering dial and button controls, the OM-D is the first Olympus camera to feature a tilting touch screen monitor forintuitive fingertip operation. The 3-inch OLED touch screen delivers high-resolution images of your subject with rich color reproduction. It also responds instantly to your touch with fast operation that makes it easy to focus on subjects, play back images, and adjust settings such as exposure and white balance.

LENSES AND ACCESSORIES
In addition to its new electronic motorized M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ lens with quiet, linear drive AF, the OM-D is supported by an ever-expanding range of wide-angle, macro, portrait, and telephoto Micro Four Thirds M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses. System accessories include cases, straps, filters, external flash units, and mount adapters for Four Thirds System lenses and OM System lenses.

What's in the box:

  • Olympus E-M5 Mirrorless Digital Camera
  • M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ Lens
  • Flash FL-LM2
  • Li-ion Battery BLN-1
  • Li-ion Battery Charger BCN-1
  • USB Cable
  • AV Cable
  • Shoulder Strap
  • Olympus Viewer 2 (CD-ROM)
  • Instruction Manual
  • Olympus 1 Year Warranty