The Japanese website DSLRcheck made a double focal length test comparing the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink], the Fuji X PRO 1 and Sony NEX-7. The image on top (Click on it to enlarge) compares he three cameras at 28mm. The image below compares the JPEG results from the E-M5 and NEX-7 at 300mm. As usual keep in mind that there are so many variables when doing such comparisons. You really don’t have to take them as gods truth! The only general (and pretty obvious) conclusion I can draw from these comparisons is that when it comes to talk about image quality the lens really matters almost more than the camera you chose!
The E-M5 will ship in USA within the next days and it will may be able to dethrone the current NEX-7 besteller (at Amazon). Let’ see if Olympus will get some cahs through the E-M5 sales. They really need (and deserve) it!
USA+Canada:
Black E-M5 body at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Silver E-M5 body at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Silver E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 14-45mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
54 Responses
What about us poor lot in the uk!
What about us poor lot in the uk?
Got mine from WEX photographic yesterday 🙂
wired…wex website stills says preorder option only
Lucky you, I’m still waiting for them to notify me (10th on list), although despatch cannot be far off, judging by an email from Olympus yesterday regarding the HDL-6 Promotion.
Same here mate, shipped on Fri, got it yesterday to Northern Ireland. Ordered 10 Feb 🙂
Jacobs just called. Picking it up at 6pm!
for me using a good lens makes the image much more better for Our Olympus Em5…
i have used the 4/3 50-200 SWD the image is way better.. cheers
Yes, +1 my 50-200 is much better than my 100-300 and much better than the 150 kit lense.
Nice tests at DSLRcheck (not just this one).
Just goes to show how there’s a big difference between the lenses.
Though, it’s worth mentioning that unlike Sony, Olympus doesn’t auto correct for CA in JPEG.
I’d love to see 50-200mm, 150mm f2 and 300mm f2.8 thrown in this comparison as well.
@ Admin – there’s also new high ISO real world test.
Xpro looks the best, but E-M5 looks better than GX1 or Nex7.
It’s also worth noting that E-M5 image is brighter than either camera in test which is interesting.
For me the Tamron with the Nex 7 looks best. Big surprise. Not that the NEX 7 is the best – but i am surprised about that Tamron quality!
I think u dont realize what r u saying , tamtom – sony quality?????????
Go to the dictor men ‘cuz there is something wrong with u sight !!!
And u words !!!
Troll
On the 28mm test the NEX 7 with tamron lens does look best (I’ve played around with that lens and didn’t really rate it, much prefer the Sony 18-200 even though it’s quite a bit bigger). Looks like the 55-210 is better than the tamron at 300mm though.
On the E-M5 at 300mm the mzd 40-150mm and Leica 40-150mm looks equally as good, but the colour doesn’t look as nice as the Sony, that said it could be to do with the air quality and temperature when the shots were taken.
Actually I’ve just seen a blown up version, the Leica 40-150mm isn’t that good, it has a fair amount of chromatic aberration. 40-150 mzd seems second to the 70-300 zd
This web site has some good comparisons. Though I have noted they seem to get pictures muddled and mislabelled.
About 2 weeks ago one was posted and I suggested people look down the page on this site as there is always more further down. I also commented at the time that it made the Tamron glass look good.
Come on Tamron give us some m43 stuff.
If this comparison is meant to show a sensor comparison, then they would all need to be shot with the same lens. Otherwise comparison is meaningless to show the differences in sensor tech. I would like to see a comparison like this shot with the same prime on all three cameras. I guess I can keep dreaming.
The point in this comparison is showing what is currently available with each system. Quite useful, except the differences in sharpness in the center of the frame at optimum apertures are rather minor.
yeah..I get that…comparing kit to kit. Kit zooms are so….yawn. LOL!
Zuiko 9-18mm rules! I’m glad to have it (in the 43 version)
How can I get the E-M5 in Australia? Olympus AUS hasn’t even announced the recommended retail price!!!
got my name down for one at camera electronic perth
rrp’s at $1200ish for body, $1499 for 12-50 kit
Hi bean5y, I work for Olympus Imaging Australia. We actually announced the local pricing a while back and have since had an update and added a bonus offer with the MMF-3 lens adaptor. You can find the details on our blog.
The E-M5 is starting to ship in Australia this week and we have plenty more stock coming throughout the coming month.
http://bit.ly/HaV30d
See Shane, the idea of putting all the info on the blog is NOT a good marketing idea. Give your marketing bods a prod (that is if there are any there) Yes, I am critical of Oly Aus marketing, very critical, they have done nothing for the E-m5 in Australia, nothing at all, they are just riding on the back of what will be a popular product, if one can find it.
They have to get up there and drive it, or it might roll off the road.
Sorry Shane, but I would have to agree with JimD, but I do concede that I have seen the magazine ads.
Yes they have its $1,499…
JB HiFi will have some stock at their Melbourne Elizabeth St Camera store, and I think one Sydney store too (would have to check with them) in the next couple of days for I think $1,418 with the 12-50mm.. I guess stock will be more widespread when more stock arrives in Australia in May???
DCW have it also for $1,425 on their website, not sure when they get in, I guess this or next week too?
I imagine stock will be limited for the first few weeks..
digiDirect in Sydney (3 stores) have it even cheaper.
Good one Ross. They have a really good price.
Outback cameras is only a few dollars more than digiDirect as well.
The m.zd 40-150 looks better then the 14-150.
Also the reviews favor the 40-150 over the 14-150 in a big way.
Anyway, this m.zd 40-150 is on my wishlist for the next vacation in Switzerland and south of France 🙂
It should be better, since it has a much smaller zoom range.
Wow! The ZD70-300 is clinically sharp at that that focal length! And it’s just $399, can reproduce at 1:2 and has 9 aperture blades.
Yup, it is an interesting lens. As long as you have enough light, it can give some fantastic results. I am really looking forward to high quality m4/3 telephoto. But until then, the ZD will do the job.
Did you have a chance to compare it against MZD 75-300? At 2x+ price that lens looks better by most accounts, including sharpness tests at SLR Gear, except that the images I see suggest the ZD is really hard to beat in terms of IQ…
Avds: I don’t think the mZD price reflects better image quality. See Photography Blog who tested both the mZD and Panasonic 100-300. They give them the same quality score but point out that the Oly is slower, has no OIS and is twice the price. I bought the Panny on this basis and have been very pleased- much better than the Panny 45-200. It’s not as good as the top 4/3 lenses, but it is in a different price/size/weight bracket. If you get one just make sure you have the latest firmware and don’t use UV filters.
Thanks Brod1er, I’m indeed looking for a tele zoom to go with my m43 rig. At the moment I’m mostly leaning towards the relatively inexpensive but very decent MZD 40-150 lens, and then I’ll see if I need a longer zoom (more expensive and hefty…)
That was my dilemma for quite a while but I finally decided that the 75-300mm was not a worthwhile upgrade from the ZD. I am very much looking forward to when Olympus releases a higher-quality lens (maybe a 300m f4??)
I don’t know how to upload full-quality photos but here are a few examples I have taken with the ZD at the full 300mm. They have not been sharpened:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e91/honda919/110525388.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e91/honda919/110525764.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e91/honda919/110525772.jpg
Here is one from when I was playing around with the macro capabilities of the lens:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e91/honda919/110427013.jpg
(these were taken using with my E-PL2 via adapter)
Thanks Fish, these photos really show the immense potential of that lens.
Yeah, the ZD70-300 is actually a pretty good lens below 200mm.
Just got my confirmation email from Amazon.com for my EM-5 pre-order!
Estimated arrival date: April 20, 2012 – April 23, 2012
I pre-ordered on Feb 8 with Amazon… no word yet for me 🙁
Same here. Ordered US Amazon on Feb. 9. Check email multiple time a day for a notice. Ah well I need patience.
the Panasonic X-lens seems to do a nice job over there
Look at the edges of the building. They’re warped by thermal refraction.
You can’t tell whether your glass is good or not if you’re shooting through a bunch of air which is warping the image…
Well, you can tell something about chromatic aberration, which is that the three ED elements in the ZD70-300 do their job pretty well.
I was suprised that majority of readers are still waiting for their em5. I think on asia, esp on my country, you can get it for $1,050 w/ 18mos warranty & free sandisk 8gb, bag & om keychain. It is even available on some of the malls as early as last month. But still I haven’t bought mine cause I still got my self an ep3. I’m wondering if I should sell my ep3 for a low price, cause their selling ep3s here as low as $600 complete w/ lens, box, case, sd & even oem battery, all buying into this em5 🙁
Total waste of time this test.
I’m amazed by the 14-150’s performance at the short end.
And my E-M5 kit was delivered today. Picked it up at 19:00hrs CEST, battery is loaded and waiting for action tomorrow.
I looked at some of the full size shots at 14mm. I initially thought the Fuji was the better, then on looking more closely, I realised that the Oly 12-50 and the 9-18 (the oly 14-150 is weak at 14mm, I know I have one) were showing some detail that the fuji was not clear on.
The concrete column between the vending machines has plugged screw/fastner holes down the edges near the corners, from top to bottom. The oly lens pick them up the fuji only gets 1 or2. The Tamron also picks them up, but I do think the fuji looks good, however not good enough to swap from m43.
I don’t use much in the way of tele lenses and the tele shots are hopeless with air distortion so Ill give them a miss.
Tamron we want some m43 glass from you.
Interesting that neither the Zeiss nor the 50mm lens are ever used on the NEX-7 tests. Just saying.
How exactly would those focal lengths fit in with this test?
I think what he is trying to say is that the best lens for the body has not been used. However the Tamrons are better than the original supplied by Sony.
All the dpreview tests were done with the 50mm I think so it can’t really be said the nex7 is never tested with it. Does he want every random blogger to buy those lenses to test with in the event sony doesn’t supply them with the test camera? Or maybe the oddball test of seeing how the various mirrorless cameras preform at 36mm and 75mm effective focal lengths?
Calxn- ditto re Oly 45/1.8, panaleica 25/1.4, Panny 20/1.7, Panaleica 45/2.8, oly 12/2, Panny 7-14/4. All great lenses. The new 12-35/2? and 35-100/2? will be handy too although the test would be a monster!
I know this out of topic, but has anyone heard of this?
http://shashinki.com/shop/yasuhara-nanoha-macro-lens-micro-mount-cameras-p-10126.html
It was discussed here some time ago. There were even image samples…