{"id":725,"date":"2012-05-13T08:50:04","date_gmt":"2012-05-13T13:50:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/?p=725"},"modified":"2024-09-05T21:47:58","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T02:47:58","slug":"olympus-om-d-e-m5-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/olympus-om-d-e-m5-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Olympus OM-D E-M5"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A New Flagship?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Olympus OM-D E-M5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When Olympus announced their latest camera, the OM-D E-M5, there was more buzz among the photographic community for this release than there had been for probably any other Micro 4\/3 camera since the original E-P1.   Olympus resurrected their legendary ‘OM’ system name for this camera, creating a new line of Olympus Micro 4\/3 cameras to sit above the popular Pen series which it has dubbed ‘OM-D’.  Olympus has seemingly tried to do it all with this camera.  A great blend of retro and modern styling, a high resolution tilting capacitive touch screen, blazing fast autofocus, 9fps burst shooting, full weather sealing and an improved 16 megapixel sensor.  It’s positioned as the ultimate in the Micro 4\/3 system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, we’ve all heard these types of promises before.  Sometimes cameras live up to the hype, most of the time they don’t.  It can be difficult to read between the lines of the marketing speak, but that’s what I’ll attempt to do here.  If you’ve read my reviews before, you know I don’t do resolution tests or charts or graphs depicting every exact timing.  There are plenty of quality sites out there for you to get that information if you like.  I discuss all the major aspects of the camera as it relates to shooting in the field, from a photographer’s perspective.  So, does the E-M5 live up to the hype?   Let’s find out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Body and Ergonomics<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Olympus OM-D E-M5, Rear<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Olympus went back to its roots with the E-M5.  The camera has a retro styling evocative of the old OM series SLRs.  In fact, from the front, the E-M5 looks very similar to the OM-4.  However, Olympus did throw in some modern refinements to the styling.  The front grip isn’t flat like those 80s SLRs, but has a nice contoured surface.  The camera is available in both Silver and Black, with the Silver version having a more retro leatherette grip and accents, while the black has a more modern grip that looks almost like a textile carbon fiber.  In both cases, the camera strikes just the right balance in my opinion, and I think it’s one of the most attractive cameras to come out in the past 10 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The back of the camera is all modern, however.  The most prominent feature is the 3″ OLED semi-articulated capacitive touch display.   The rear has a host of buttons, most of which are programmable.  The right and down arrows and the Fn1 button can all be programmed to a variety of functions, as can both the record button and the Fn2 button on the top of the camera.  The buttons are a bit squishy and soft, presumably from the weathersealing.  They aren’t quite as pleasant to use as many other cameras I’ve used, and the tactile feedback isn’t as sure, but I have had no difficulty operating the buttons, and I feel the layout of them is quite nice.  Some people have reported difficulty pressing the Play and Fn1 buttons due to their slightly recessed nature, but I have not had any issue.  There is a lovely sculpted rubber thumb rest that really aids in a secure grip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Olympus OM-D E-M5 in the hand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

About that grip.  There has been a fair bit of debate about Olympus’ choice of location for the neckstrap lugs.  They are positioned much the way they were on their old OM SLRs, and depending on how you grip the camera, the right lug may prove to get in the way.  Since I shoot with a wrist strap instead of a neck strap, I removed the triangular lug piece and secured my wrist strap directly to the post.  This has helped a fair bit.  I also hold the camera in a way that is comfortable, allows a sure grip and easy access to controls, while completely avoiding the strap lug.   You can see how I hold the camera at the right.  This also gives you a good idea of the size of the camera.  Due to the retro SLR styling, I feel the E-M5 looks bigger than it really is in pictures.  In actuality, it’s almost the exact same size as the Olympus E-P3 and the Panasonic GX1, just with a protruding viewfinder hump on top.  It’s quite a small camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top, the camera has a mode dial on the left and dual, programmable function dials on the right side along with the two programmable buttons and the shutter release.  I generally use the ‘rear’ dial with my thumb and the one surrounding the shutter button with my index finger, though they are positioned in a way that the rear dial can easily be operated with your index finger as well.  These dials can be customized to operate a variety of parameters.  I changed the default settings when I got the camera to make the front dial control aperture or shutter speed in their respective priority modes, with the rear dial set to exposure compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Overall, the camera construction is very solid and feels good in the hand.  The shutter release has a nice feel and a sure half and full press.  As I mentioned earlier, this camera is the first Micro 4\/3 body to feature weathersealing, though at the moment the only weathersealed lens to go along with it is the 12-50mm lens that is one of the kit options.  I haven’t had a chance to thoroughly test the weathersealing, but from all reports, it does its job quite well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grip<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The E-M5 has an optional grip available, the HLD-6, which is unique in that it’s a two piece grip.  The first piece is a horizontal grip that attaches to the bottom, making the camera slightly taller, but adding a prominent hand grip with extra shutter button and front dial.  This is great for keeping the size of the camera small but adding a bit more purchase for your hand while shooting with larger lenses, or any lens if you’re so inclined.  The downside to the horizontal grip is that you have to remove it to replace the battery.  You also can then add the portrait grip to the horizontal grip, giving you the option to add an additional battery of capacity and providing a deep portrait grip with front and rear dials and two new programmable function buttons as well.  The addition of both pieces of the grip can transform the very tiny E-M5 into a still small, but chunkier and more ergonomic machine. Since the publication of this review, I have had a chance to fully evaluate the HLD-6 battery grip.  Click here to read that review.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Next: Operation and Menus<\/a>
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Operation and Menus<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When I first received the E-M5 I was first struck by how nice it looked and how solid it felt in hand.  The next thing I noticed was how horrible it was to find ANYTHING in the menu.  If you are used to Olympus menus, you may be OK, but I formerly owned an Olympus E-P1, and the menus there weren’t great either, but the E-M5 brings it to a new level.  Part of the problem is that there are simply SO many options.  Nearly everything on the camera can be customized.  There are 5 main levels to the menus, and the “Gears” menu has 11 levels of its own.  The problem is that while most of the bigger items are located in the first two pages of menus, some notable functions are absolutely buried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Menu to enable Super Control Panel in Live View<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For instance, to activate the Super Control Panel (which brings up a touch sensitive grid of major camera settings) in live view, you need to go to the Gears menu, to item D (display), to Live Control, to the mode section of your choice (P, A, S, M, etc), then change the setting to enable the Super Control Panel.  That’s just insane.  After a few days with the camera, you start to figure out where most things are and you set up the camera to how you operate, but the initial impression is very negative and leaves you feeling overwhelmed.  And, well, I’m an experienced photographer and a registered electrical engineer….if it’s confusing me, it’s probably confusing most people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is once you program the programmable buttons to your liking, change the dial operation to your preference and get familiar with the camera, you can get a very responsive, well laid out camera that works the way you want it to.  For instance, I have programmed Fn1 to switch to manual focus, Fn2 to magnify, which comes in very handy when using legacy glass, such as Olympus OM, Canon FD, Contax Zeiss or any of the other dozens of mounts that can be easily adapted to Micro 4\/3.  My record button is set for AEL\/FEL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Konica Hexanon 57mm f\/1.2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Despite the customization options, there are still a few annoying things.  For instance, you can program the arrow buttons to most functions, the Fn2 button to a lot of functions, but the Fn1 button is limited in what you can set to it.  Also, you don’t have a choice for all major camera functions to be mapped to a button.  For instance, Autoexposure Bracketing can not be assigned to a button, nor is it in the Super Control Panel.  The only way to access it is via a menu item.  Compare this with the Panasonic GH2’s AEB selection as part of the shooting mode lever and it’s not a contest.  Also, infuriatingly, you can’t assign Flash Exposure Compensation to any button.  Luckily, FEC is available in the Super Control Panel, so is easily accessed once that feature is enabled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So now that you’ve read my ranting, you may be thinking that this camera must be a nightmare to handle!  Luckily, that is not the case. The endgame is that the camera can be set up (mostly) to your liking, with lots of direct controls and dials.  Once you’ve set these things up, it’s really a pleasurable camera to shoot with, and I’ve adapted to it quite well. Hopefully Olympus will allow for some greater flexibility with button assignments with a firmware update in the future. Plan on spending a few days monkeying around with the camera setup, but know that once you’ve done that, you’ll have a very easy to handle machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The OM-D E-M5’s included accessory flash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Flash Performance<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The E-M5 does not have a built in pop-up flash, but it comes with a small hotshoe flash that only faces forward.  It’s nice that they included the flash for those ‘must have’ flash shots, and it even comes with a small little case for it.  It’s a low-power unit and isn’t particularly useful for more than the odd snapshot, though its low profile actually lets it work relatively well for macro shooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When used with an external flash gun, the exposure is very consistent.  The interesting thing to note is that it is consistently underexposed.  I’m not quite sure why, but when bouncing hotshoe mounted flash, the camera consistently is about a full stop under any other camera I’ve ever owned.  When shooting portraits of lighter skinned subjects, I typically need +1 2\/3 to +2 of Flash Exposure Compensation to get a proper exposure.  Luckily, the exposure is pretty consistent and FEC is adjustable from -3 to +3 stops, so it’s a minor issue…just take note that you’ll need a lot more positive FEC than on other cameras when bouncing flash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cool Feature Alert:<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One great operational feature that was added to the E-M5 is the addition of a Live Bulb mode.  This can be used in both Live Bulb or Live Time mode.   These modes are the exact same except that bulb mode works like every bulb mode you know, while time mode opens the shutter on the first shutter press, and closes it when you press the shutter again.  This is a great mode that eliminates the need for a cable release for most long exposure shooting (the vibration from the shutter presses will be irrelevant in a very long exposure.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In these long exposure modes, the rear display will update during the exposure to show you the scene as it develops.  This is invaluable for multiple minute exposures.  There is nothing more annoying than taking a 5 minute exposure and then realizing you underexposed (or overexposed it) by a few stops and need to shoot the whole thing over again.  The live bulb mode will display up to 24 preview images at ISO 200 as the file is exposed.  To make sure you don’t run out of images before your exposure is done, you can set the update rate for the images.  Set it to 0.5 seconds, and it’ll update for up to a 12 second exposure.  Set it to update every 60 seconds and it’ll give you updates for a 24 minute exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Display and Viewfinder<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Olympus OM-D E-M5, Articulated Screen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The E-M5 features a 920k dot OLED rear display that is sharp and contrasty.  Images reviewed on the screen are clear and crisp and the color is excellent.  Unfortunately, due to its OLED makeup, while the viewing angle to see the contrast and detail on the display is good, the color accuracy drops significantly once you start viewing off axis.  When viewed from above, the screen gains a green shift to the colors.  At first I was worried the white balance on my camera was way off until I looked again straight on.  In operational terms, it’s a non-issue as you can still easily compose shots off axis, but it is something to be aware of.  The screen is semi-articulated and allows you to lay it down flat to look down onto it for waist level shooting, or it can pivot out at a 45 degree angle to shoot above you.  While not as versatile as the fully articulated screens on Panasonic’s G and GH series bodies, this method of articulation makes top down shooting easier and more natural. The screen uses capacitive touch, which enables quick, precise and responsive touch controls.  The touch controls aren’t quite as polished as on the latest Panasonic bodies, but they work well and allow for touch shutter release, focus  point selection and settings changes.  Overall, I’m very pleased with the display and am grateful for the high resolution screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The electronic viewfinder in the E-M5 sits right above the lens axis and has a 1.15x magnification and 100% view.  The 1.15x magnification (equivalent in physical size to a .58x full frame viewfinder) is smaller than that on Panasonic’s EVFs (which are 1.4x), but in practice I don’t notice that much of a difference.  In fact the slightly smaller size makes it a little easier to see the whole view while wearing glasses.  The 1.44million dot finder is crisper and clearer than the Pansonic EVFs as it is a true 1.44 million dot finder, rather than the sequential field display used by Panasonic.  This is another reason the smaller size doesn’t bother me, since there’s a sharper image that’s just as detailed (if not slightly more).  The viewfinder works well even in dim light with minimal lag.  One great feature that can be enabled by a menu item is the ability to have clipped highlight areas and shadow areas show up as red and blue live in your viewfinder.  This makes setting exposure for a scene so easy, and is a wonderful addition to the capabilities of a good EVF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Above the viewfinder behind a plastic cover is the E-M5’s accessory port.  You can use this port for accessories such as the LED macro light, external audio connector for video or the PenPal which is a bluetooth transmitter for dropping pictures off to your phone, tablet or computer.  You can even add the VF-2 external viewfinder, which would allow you to pivot it and use it from the top down, though I can’t see too many people doing this since the VF-2 and the built in EVF are essentially identical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next: Performance<\/a>
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Performance<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It’s been a long time since my last Olympus body, and performance and responsiveness were really the big letdowns for me with the E-P1 (though I ultimately enjoyed the camera).  Thankfully, the E-M5 does not fall into this category.  The E-M5 starts up a little more slowly than some other cameras, with about a 1.5 second delay from flipping the switch to being able to begin taking a shot.  During this time, the IS unit stabilizes the sensor, activates the dust cleaning mechanism and readies the camera for use.   It’s not as quick as most modern DSLRs or even the recent Panasonic bodies in this respect, but in real world it’s short enough that it doesn’t cause a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The E-M5 sets a new bar for Micro 4\/3 cameras in its high speed burst mode.  The E-M5 can rattle off at 9 frames per second for about 16 frames before slowing to between 2-3 frames per second.  While continuous autofocus isn’t available during the 9 fps burst, you can shoot at a more modest 4 frames per second and maintain autofocus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The burst mode and shot to shot timing is impressive on this camera, and it clears the buffer rapidly as well.  One of the biggest hurdles I’ve faced with my Panasonic GH2 or GX1 is that when you fill the buffer you can sometimes have to wait for a second or two until you can take another shot.  This has never happened to me with the E-M5, even when rattling off shot after shot.  While you can’t maintain 9 fps forever (not that you’d want to), the fact that you can do a big burst  and not cripple the camera immediately after is very nice.  As a result, the camera always feels responsive and it’s a really nice feeling to have when you’re taking multiple successive shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Autofocus<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The OM-D E-M5’s 35 autofocus points<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Olympus claims the E-M5 has the fastest autofocus in the world when used with the faster AF lenses in the Micro 4\/3 system.  The E-M5 has 35 focus points to select from, that can be chosen by using the arrow keys or by touch, which makes for fast selection.  You can also tap and size focus points most any where on the screen, though it appears that the accuracy is still limited by the standard 35 autofocus points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Olympus’ speed claim may certainly be correct in good light, it’s not so cut and dry in less than ideal situations.  Indeed, in bright light, single shot autofocus is blazingly fast and very accurate.  With a fast focusing lens like the Olympus 45mm f\/1.8 or 12mm f\/2, the autofocus feels instantaneous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In lower light, the E-M5’s autofocus falters slightly, though it’s still quite good.  While quick, it can occasionally hunt for the focus a little longer than I’m used to from the GX1.  It just feels a little less sure.  That’s not to say that it’s slow or bad in low light. Indeed, it is still faster in dim light than most SLRs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focus is generally very accurate, though even with the smallest focus point size setting, it’s not quite as precise with regards to exact placement as something like the Panasonic GX1, which even has a ‘pinpoint’ mode to enable absolutely precise AF.  The E-M5 as a result will occasionally focus on the background if your focus point is half on your subject and half on the background, depending on the distance between the subject and the background and their relative contrast levels.  It doesn’t miss often, but it does happen from time to time.  Overall, though, I’ve been very pleased with the autofocus performance of the E-M5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are some great tools like face detection priority, which will use your set focus point as its primary means of focus selection, but if a face is detected, it will switch to that.  In situations where you may be doing quick shooting of people in motion, it works very well at finding and focusing on the face.  The only downside I noticed is that when shooting with a large aperture close up, the face detection mode had a tendency to focus on the rear eye rather than the closest one, even when the face detection mode was set to ‘near eye’ mode.  You can also choose ‘right’ or ‘left’ eye priority.  Hopefully this will improve in accuracy in future firmware updates.  It is worth noting, however, that even when the face priority did focus on the wrong eye, it was usually in situations where the focus point selected made for the maximum amount of the whole face to be in focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continuous autofocus, unfortunately, is just like continuous autofocus on any other Olympus body (or any other contrast-detect autofocus camera).  It can keep track of a subject and does OK on lateral movement, but as soon as the motion starts coming towards or away from the camera, the accuracy falls into ‘dumb luck’ territory.  Single shot AF is great, but if you’re an action sports shooter, it’s best to stick to a DSLR at this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Body Image Stabilization<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Ohio Statehouse – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Leica 25mm f\/1.4, ISO 400, f\/1.8, 1\/8s, Handheld<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest features that Olympus cameras have that no one else in the mirrorless space has, save for the hideously ugly Pentax K-01, is in-body image stabilization (IBIS).  The feature basically will turn every lens you mount, including legacy manual focus lenses, into stabilized lenses.  Now, IBIS has been around for a long time, and there have been good and not so good implementations.  However, even with ‘good’ IBIS systems, it has generally been concluded that lens-based IS systems were superior to an in-body stabilizer.  Olympus has changed the game in that regard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The E-M5 features a brand new IBIS system that works in 5 axes: vertical shift, horizontal shift, rotation around the lens axis, pitch and yaw.  It is the first stabilization system to work in 5 axes, and let me tell you, it works VERY well.  In addition to the functional quality of the IBIS, the E-M5 also stabilizes the viewfinder during IBIS operations.  In order to see this you need to enable the “IS on half shutter press” function in the menu, but when you do, the effect in the viewfinder is just like that of using an optical IS lens.  You get a stable view and stable shots.  It’s fantastic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Olympus claims 5 stops of extra handholdability, and while it is not surprising that this claim really doesn’t hold up, I can tell you that 4 stops wouldn’t be exaggerating.  I was able to consistently achieve sharp pictures with shutter speeds 3-4 stops slower than the 1\/effective focal length rule (in this case, 1\/(2xFL)) with lenses from 7mm all the way to 150mm.  Even with my manual focus FD 50-300mm f\/4.5L, I was able to get a solid 2.5 stops out of the IBIS system at 300mm.  That is crazy good.  I can handhold my Panasonic Leica 25mm f\/1.4 at speeds of 1\/3-1\/5 second, the Olympus 45mm f\/1.8 at speeds of 1\/5 second and the Olympus 40-150mm at speeds of 1\/20 second at 150mm.  I was even able to handhold my 12mm f\/2 at 0.4 seconds and get a tack sharp photo.  The IBIS system is superior to the OIS system on the Panasonic 14-45mm and Leica 45mm f\/2.8 macro, and is better with my 40-150 than the Panasonic 45-200mm OIS was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, the shot at the beginning of this section was taken with the E-M5 at night with the Leica 25mm f\/1.4 at 1\/8 second and ISO 400.  The shot below was taken with the Olympus 45mm f\/1.8 handheld at 1\/6 second!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scioto Bridges – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Olympus 45mm f\/1.8 – ISO 640, f\/1.8, 1\/6s, Handheld<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The quality of the OIS means that it is very rare that you even need to go into the really high ISOs unless you are shooting something that moves.  The IS on the E-M5 is a game changer in the Micro 4\/3 realm, and it is really what sets this camera apart from every other camera in the system at the moment.  The good news is that I think we can expect this system to make its way into the Pen line in the future to replace the far less effective IBIS system in the current Pen cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I am primarily a stills shooter, it is worth noting that the IBIS works extremely well for video shooting as well. Videos with IBIS on are smooth and steady, to a point where even with moderate telephotos, the resulting video looks like it was shot on a steady cam.  It’s very smooth and stable.  One odd quirk is that legacy lenses are not stabilized in video mode.  I’m hoping this is an oversight on Olympus’ part, and not something that can’t be addressed with a firmware update.  I can see no real reason for the IS system to not work with manual focus lenses in video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only downside to the IBIS is that it creates a whirring sound whenever the camera is on, even when the IBIS is turned off.  It is only audible when in a quiet room, and you forget about it quickly, but it is there.  The sound gets quieter when shooting video.  Much has been made of this, but ultimately it’s a non-issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: Since this review was first published, Olympus has released a firmware update that ccmpletely eliminates the whirring sound when the IS is not active (shutter button half pressed).  This is a very welcome change.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next: Image Quality<\/a>
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Image Quality – Dynamic Range and Color<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Purple Flowers – OlympusOM-D E-M5 with Leica 45mm f\/2.8 Macro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Olympus has claimed improved dynamic range for the E-M5.  This is a claim we’ve seen before, but on the E-M5, Olympus has delivered.  You can take a look at a comparison test I did with the Panasonic GH2 here.<\/a>  The expanded dynamic range is also quite evident in day to day shooting.  With previous Micro 4\/3 cameras, you really had to be careful about the highlights.  They would clip easily, and there was very little RAW headroom.  With the E-M5 I am finding it very difficult to clip highlights.  The highlight headroom in a RAW file is close to two full stops.  Luckily, this highlight headroom is not at the expense of shadow detail, as that too is better than in previous Micro 4\/3 cameras.  While I don’t do scientific measuring of the dynamic range, I can tell you that in practice, it seems the E-M5 has about two extra stops of dynamic range compared to the previous best Micro 4\/3 cameras, which puts in on par with most APS-C DSLRs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The color response on the E-M5 is typical Olympus.  That is, it’s outstanding.  Colors are rich, vibrant and accurate.  Combined with the deeper dynamic range, the E-M5 has a richer file with better tonality than I’ve experienced on other Micro 4\/3 cameras. It’s the first Micro 4\/3 camera I’ve used that truly feels like a modern DSLR when looking at the images.  They have that depth to them that was basically the only thing missing in the previous best cameras in the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The E-M5 does a very good job with Auto White Balance. It’s not always perfect, but it’s better than most cameras I’ve owned.  Even under fluorescent, it is often more correct than not, and only minor tweaking in RAW development is generally needed, if at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Old Barn – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Olympus 40-150mm f\/4-5.6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Image Quality – Noise<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The E-M5 has an expanded ISO range of 200-25,600.  It’s the first Micro 4\/3 camera to have an ISO this high.  It leads you to believe that the E-M5 has improved noise control over previous Micro 4\/3 cameras, and indeed, I have found it to be best in class, besting the Panasonic GX1 at the highest ISOs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Flying Fox – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Canon FD 50-300mm f\/4.5L, ISO 3200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At low ISO, the noise profile is very similar to Panasonic’s 16MP cameras.  There is a fine grain noise at base ISO, though it won’t show in any size print.  The E-M5 noise at base ISO appears to be a little finer grained than the GX1 or GH2, but it’s not a lot different.  The differences first start to be visible at about ISO 800, where the E-M5 shows less and finer grained noise. The E-M5 takes a bigger lead at every higher ISO until ISO 12,800 where the improvement is about a full stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shots up to ISO 800 are very low in noise, while 1600 and even 3200 are quite usable most print sizes.  In my opinion, ISO 6400 is easily fine for prints up to 8×10 while ISO 12,800 is OK for small prints and web use.  In fact, I’ve noticed that a properly exposed ISO 12,800 shot with a little noise reduction makes a very clean 4×6 print, and might even be able to be used at 8×10 with not a whole lot of grain showing.  While ISO 25,600 is a little noisy for most things, it’s still good enough for smaller prints and web use, especially if converted to black and white.  The E-M5 maintains color accuracy all the way to ISO 16,000.  Above that, a magenta color shift becomes visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All in all, the E-M5 isn’t going to match the best full frame cameras in noise control, but it is competitive with most APS-C offerings and, when combined with the E-M5’s outstanding in body IS, will allow you to capture usable images in the dimmest of light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ghostly Smoke – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Leica 25mm f\/1.4, ISO 10,000<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overall, the E-M5 sets a new benchmark in image quality for the Micro 4\/3 format, and delivers images with the clarity, color, dynamic range and noise control typical of the larger APS-C format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JPEG Quality and Art Filters<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I am a RAW shooter.  I have been since shortly after I started shooting with my first DSLR.  You get better noise performance, wider dynamic range, better color depth and more flexibility in processing.  I shoot 99.9% of my photos in RAW, usually switching to JPEG only if I’m shooting a lot of fast action.  However, since the E-M5 doesn’t lag in RAW mode when shooting a bunch of shots simultaneously, I likely won’t ever find myself shooting JPEG unless I want to take advantage of one of the camera’s built in art filters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Huntington Building – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Olympus 12mm f\/2, Soft Focus Art Filter – JPEG straight out of camera<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I shot a few test JPEG images in my time with the camera thus far, and in typical Olympus fashion they are quite good.  As I mentioned, Olympus’ Auto White Balance is quite good so that makes shooting JPEG less risky.  There are multiple tone curves that can be used, and I recommend shooting with the “Auto” curve, which provides the widest dynamic range and will give the most flexibility in post processing.  Colors are vibrant and contrast is punchy, providing a high quality JPEG output.  At high ISO, noise is well controlled, but like most JPEG engines it can look a little too ‘digital’ for my tastes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The E-M5 features a variety of art filters, and they are actually quite good.  They provide some dramatic changes to the output processing, but it’s done in a way that it can really enhance the photo in the right circumstances.  The Soft Focus effect is intended to give that dreamy look, which originally was popular with portrait work, though it’s out of style nowadays.  Still, the way the effect is done, it’s quite nice when used sparingly.  The shot on the left is right out of camera, handheld at night with the Soft Focus art filter.  The Dramatic Tone filter and the grainy black and white give some neat effect as well, though they are both rather drastic tonal adjustments, and I’d prefer to keep them from permanently affecting the image.  You can shoot a shot with the art filters on while in RAW mode, though the effect will only transfer to the RAW file when developed in Olympus’ RAW software.  When using something like Lightroom 4, it ignores the metadata for the art filter and treats it like a normal image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Movie Mode<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This section will be a little less detailed than the others as I am primarily a stills photographer.  I have shot the occasional movie here and there, though almost all of it is for simple recording of life events.  Therefore, I’m not the best authority on dissecting every little detail in the movie mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The E-M5 does offer a fair degree of control over the video mode, offering P, A, S and M modes, shooting in 1080i\/60 at 30 fps off the sensor.  It uses a 20Mbps bit rate for the high quality movie recording.  You can also shoot in 720p or lower resolutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Video quality is quite good with the typical Olympus color and JPEG engine on display.  While good, it’s not quite up to the level of the video quality that comes out of the Panasonic GH2.  It also lacks the GH2’s 24p mode. Still, it’s a capable video machine that puts out sharp detailed video, though occasionally there will be visible compression artifacts in out of focus areas of solid color.   As I mentioned in the IS section, the camera’s in-body stabilization system is excellent for video work and keeps the video looking smooth and steady.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next: Conclusion and Final Thoughts<\/a>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pros:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

– Much improved dynamic range over previous Micro 4\/3 cameras – on par with most APS-C cameras
– Extremely effective In Body Image Stabilization makes for sharp shots at vastly slower shutter speeds
– Very good high ISO capability for a camera with this sensor size
– Rugged, weathersealed body that’s attractive to boot
– 9 fps burst mode with a quick clearing buffer keeps the camera very responsive
– Very quiet shutter
– Excellent Electronic Viewfinder
– Fast and generally accurate single shot autofocus
– High resolution and responsive capacitive touchscreen that tilts for waist level or above the head shooting
– High quality JPEG engine
– Good quality video
– Good ergonomics with excellent feel on the dials
– Interface is massively customizable<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cons:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

– Menu system is poorly laid out and confusing
– Continuous autofocus is a letdown
– Autofocus, while good, is not quite up to the level of the latest Panasonic bodies in low light
– Rear buttons are a bit squishy and don’t have any tactile feedback to let you know they’ve been pressed
– Some common functions like bracketing are buried in menus
– OLED screen exhibits color shift when viewed off-axis
– Flash exposure underexposes by default, though can be corrected with an extra stop of FEC.
– Video lacks 24p mode<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Olympus OM-D E-M5 is not quite up to the level of the Panasonic GH2 in the video arena, as a still photography machine it’s really brought Micro 4\/3 to a new level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The E-M5 is not perfect by any means, and there is room for Olympus to make some improvments.  It’s a little bit of a quirky body and there is definitely a learning curve when setting up the camera.  Luckily, you CAN set up the body to your liking, as huge portions of the interface can be customized. The autofocus precision also isn’t quite up to the crazy good standard the the latest Panasonic bodies can achieve (though still as good or better than most SLRs in single shot mode).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that despite these flaws, the camera is still extremely enjoyable to use.   The negatives don’t ultimately detract from all the things the camera gets right.  The IBIS is phenomenal and has enabled shots I just simply couldn’t get with other cameras.  The image quality is easily best of the Micro 4\/3 cameras, with a much expanded dynamic range and lower noise at higher ISOs bringing overall image quality in line with APS-C mirrorless cameras and DSLRs.  The camera feels good in hand and is just a FUN camera to shoot. With quick autofocus, great shot to shot response and a wonderful 9 fps burst mode, the E-M5 has risen to take the crown as the new King of the Micro 4\/3 system.  My GH2 is off to a new home as the E-M5 takes its place in my bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional Image Samples<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Click on any image below to see it large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Blue-breasted Roller – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Canon FD 50-300mm f\/4.5L<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Flamingo – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Canon FD 50-300mm f\/4.5L<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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McKinley Statue – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Leica 25mm f\/1.4, ISO 800, f\/1.4, 1\/6s handheld<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Wildflowers – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Leica 45mm f\/2.8 Macro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Supermoon – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Canon FD 50-300mm f\/4.5L<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Bunny – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Canon FD 200mm f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Smell the Flowers – Olympus OM-D E-M5 with Olympus 45mm f\/1.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A New Flagship? When Olympus announced their latest camera, the OM-D E-M5, there was more buzz among the photographic community for this release than there had been for probably any other Micro 4\/3 camera since the original E-P1.   Olympus resurrected their legendary ‘OM’ system name for this camera, creating a new line of Olympus Micro […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[13,46,106,107,11,10,12,29,45,105,8],"class_list":["post-725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","tag-csc","tag-e-m5","tag-em5","tag-in-depth","tag-m43","tag-micro-43","tag-mu43","tag-olympus","tag-om-d","tag-omd","tag-review"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p28RGq-bH","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=725"}],"version-history":[{"count":62,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12738,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725\/revisions\/12738"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}