Not only the features of a new camera but also the constantly changing prices can change the panorama of the mirrorless market. And that is exactly what happened yesterday. Both, Fuji and Sony dramatically dropped the prices of their mirrorless cameras:
Fuji:
What until some time ago was perceived as a nice but still expensive system now got an impressive pride drop. The Fuji X-E1 can be bought for $799 at Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto. And the X-PRO 1 for $1,199 at Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto. Both cameras got a $200 discount! And the offer is even more impressive if you consider that by adding a lens or more lenses you can save up to $1,300! Just try the different combinations rebates at BHphoto (Click here) and click on the “Click Here To Save $300 On Fujifilm XF 18-55mm Zoom Lens” link.
Sony:
The Sony NEX-6 is now priced at $748 at Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto.
Panasonic-Olympus: While the G6 still can hold up well ($749 with kit lens and shipment on June 21 at Amazon) the Olympus E-P5 ($999 for body only, June 28 shipment) will have a hard time fighting particularly against the Fuji X-E1 which is also perceived as a “high quality photographers camera” like the E-P5. Particularly Olympus has to re-think their product pricing strategy. The E-P5 is a nice camera, but probably $200 too expensive on the US market. And 100 Euro too expensive in Europe. The likely best bet for Olympus is the E-PL5. $200 cheaper than the mentioned cameras, same OMD sensor and tilting LCD. I hope Olympus is hearing us and they may launch a “Fuji style” rebate on body and kits!
103 Responses
won’t happen…
e-p5 is worth it I think!
E-P5 is a great camera but really too expensive for what it is…it even competes with E-M5 !
I’ll buy the E-P5 when it hits the $700 range
If you add the VF E-P5 the price looks even more rediculous.
A camera without an EVF should be 200$ cheaper than models with EVF. Ok,
add 100$ for the really great IBIS, still it should be cheaper by 100 bucks.
exactly what I was thinking when the E-P5 came out, competition is cheaper and offers a bigger package…
Don´t forget that the Ep5 is brand new, price will fall.
And beside the ibis, the best AF with the Lumix and is the only cam with 1/8000 shutterspeed. Beside some other things like the highlight/shadow warning.
So the starting price may be ok, if you buy the Kit with 17 1.8 and VF4.
Seriously. At B&H, EM-5 body $999. E-P5 body $999. The E-P5 has a few specs that are marginally better, but not deal makers and certainly do not supply enough oomph to make up for the lack of EVF.
I think if you buy the E-P5 rather than the EM-5 you’re a slave to either body style or must plain hype.
or you simply prefer the PEN form factor / can’t get over the hump.
That’d be “slave to style”.
“I think if you buy the E-P5 rather than the EM-5 you’re a slave to either body style or must plain hype.”
That’s pretty pathetic hyperbole.
For me the OM-D is out of the question because I just don’t like the handling. And with the eye piece and hump, it’s not very pocketable. The finder is not a big deal (I have a G5 and XE-1). The sealing is nice, but so is 1/8000 and peaking.
Now, anyone getting an OMD or a Pen probabaly also care about the styling. (For me, the E-P5 is the best looking camera on the market.)
So I’m considering an EP-5 vs the GX7, but the OMD is of no interest, after all handling is very important in choosing a camera.
Well, I purchased the E-M5 despite its design, not because of it. I’d rather had the package in a modern design such as the one of the NEX 7 – apart from the EVF in the corner that I dislike massively. But then, in the end it’s the performance that counts and in the meantime, I even accustomed to the retro style.
To each their own. If I am choosing between E-p5 and E-m5 for the same price now, I would still buy the e-m5. The in-build EVF and weather-proof is essential to me.
“For me, the E-P5 is the best looking camera on the market.”
For me too, but way over my budget.
I went for an E-PL5. Maybe next year…
EP5 with LVF 4 = $1279.00
Market will decide.
I am switching from m4/3 to Fuji x system, and it’s a clear difference …
Admin, do you know if all the United Airlines express jets will receive more leg space in the near future??
If it was an XE-2 with fast autofocus….I would sell all of my MFT gear and jump all over it…but as it stands I will just keep what I have. Slow AF is sooooo frustrating once you know better! 🙂
Adapt manual lenses and you kill two birds at once:
Poor native lens selection with the Fuji system and lousy auto-focus speed!
No can do…my eyes are just not what they used to be. The AF on my GX1 and OMD is fantastic even in low light…so I just could not go to the Fuji yet Too slow…….The Fuji lens selection is getting much better…and now Zeiss is gettig in he mix,too. Now, if they could just improve on the AF speed I would consider changing systems…Can’t complain tho, really, the camera world as a whole is very exciting right now!
Yeah, and Zeiss will give the X system THE lens we miss in m43: a 18 mm (FF eq.) f2.8 tack sharp prime ! (they already have a very good 21 mm f2.8) I feel like the X system lens lineup is developping in the good direction: no redundancy, just filling the gaps. Now the X system only miss constant fast zooms (24-70 and 70-200 FF eq.) and long tele, that’s all ! I don’t understand with all the m43 lenses manufacturers why is there still some holes and so much redundancy ?
Lousy lens selection ? M43 sill lack of a quality 28 and 35 mm (equiv), and that IS super lousy for a small an portable equipment.
The fuji lens roadmap will cover most of everybody needs till the end of 2013.I’m just waiting they implement X100s AF in XPRO/XE 2 for switching.
Olympus really went full ret@rd with the price:feature ratio of the E-P5. I mean, what do all those cameras have in common ? Built-in EVF! They should’ve really gone all the way by including an EVF, otherwise the E-P5 makes little sense both in features and price, It’s just that simple. The E-P5 is not competitive at all in its segement, and it’s not like Oly didn’t have time to read the market, EVFs have been present in the enthusiast market for a long long time…and then to have the audacity to charge that much for an EVF-less camera !? C’mon!
Not only this, but the fact that Fuji has improved their AF in the X100s can only mean the upcoming models will have very few disadvantages compared to MFT. The only hope right now is the rumored GX2, although I’m afraid Pany will somehow find a way to shoot themselves on the foot (not using GH3 sensor for instance).
the EP-X series has always been priced high. Wait 2 years and it will be on clearance for $350 or less.
you ‘re afraid but new GX will announce new 18mpx that may all new features ,
it’s not like GH3 sensor and not like GH2 sensor , then bet it’s will better or worse
but i think new thing almost better if not enough they (pany) will order from others factory 😉
The EP 5 would not be price competitive even if it had a built-in VF????
Nice to have the opportunity to compare the look of these 4 on tis post :
– Sony looks like a (cute) toy
– Pana looks like a (cute) SLR
– Oly looks like coming to left corner EVF but 1 or 2 generations later !
– Fuji looks like the camera, right in the middle
Nice to know that Panasonic has eventually understood
are vf1, vf2 and vf3 compatible with ep-5?
are vf1, vf2 and vf3 compatible with ep-5?
Vf-1 is just an optical finder so you dont even need a camera for it to work 🙂
But versions 2, 3, and 4 will all work on E-P5. And you can use the vf-4 on other olympus bodies with a firmware update.
Thanks for your reply.
VF2 is cheap and smaller than vf2, it should be enough for EP5 users right?
than vf4 sorry
VF3 is the cheapest and the smallest of EVFs, VF2 is almost as big as VF4.
Admin, i’m sorry for flood.
I’m sure the Fuji is an excellent camera, not sure where the point is to compare the street price of a 8 month old camera vs. the official launch price of a camera that is yet to be released
Dpreview said on the Fuji launch “The kit will sell for a recommended price of around $1,399.95, or $999.95 without a lens.”
The point of comparing an 8 month old camera to a new one is blindingly obvious – what is the price for a potential customer >today< for both cameras.
Comparing prices at launch for both cameras (as I imagine you are implying) serves what? Fanboy competition?
Then compare it to a <$300 PM2.
Why? Because the Fuji doesn’t have a cheaper model, so back to the fanboy competition?
No, because if you aim for the cheapest camera with very good sensor quality, the PM2 is the camera to buy.
Well, there is a NEX-F3, Pana GX1, etc. But he point here is that the E-P5 is too expensive.
Totally agree. There is the issue of lens heritage making things complicated but basically this is electronics. People today buy based on current prices. It’s not like early adopters are paid back price differences several months later (Sigma was a rare exception).
Exactly what Vlad says. Whether the X-E1 is older or not is irrelevant. It’s a compelling option in the market today at that price.
I agree in the point that the Fuji and Sony “price war” markdowns are recent, and they are on models that have been out, vs the PEN which is still new to the point of pre-order? Now the G6 price is relevant in that it’s also new … there is the concept that Olympus and Panasonic could get caught up in a pricing war, which BTW people is a good thing to us, the consuming public?
THere are distinct factors missing too, metal vs plastic body design, size of the bodies, (down thread there is a better visual of that aspect.) Personally, I think that Olympus and Panasonic as mFT still rates a better sensor and spec option. I don’t see the bonus of APS-C sensors, and both Sony and Fuji’s system’s functions.
IF the point of this thread is that the e-P5 at the highest price, and so that is too much? Well yeah, duh. I think the idea of a MIRRORLESS camera price war, is more interesting, let’s rumble.
Aren’t these prices temporary ?
Any price is temporary.
To me there is no battle.
I still do not like interface of NEX. Lens selection is getting better, but I gather NEX is stuck with the Micky-Mouse-UI forever.
Fuji… Well, never got the point of the system, honestly. They brought to the table nothing new. X-Trans is nice sensor (I’m no pixel-peeper), but the rest of it just “meh.” And overpriced.
Oly. The only (somewhat) interesting to me camera they have produced is the E-M5. But it is bit too expensive.
Panny. G3/G5/G6 tick lots of boxes. It is by far the most feature complete camera line out of all of them. Yet the line is always intentionally crippled by Panny. They haven’t yanked level gauge from the G6 what is already a nice improvement – but I’d wait for more G6 reviews. At the moment, there is only PhotographyBlog’s one, but it is bit too shallow for my tastes in IQ and handling departments.
All in all, if I were to jump and buy new camera, that would have been the Panny G6. E-M5 is still too expensive and since I plan to buy mostly Panny lenses, it makes more sense to have a Panny body. And, last but not least, the swivel-LCD.
Fuji with 18-55 2.8-4.0 and 55-200 3.5-4.8… why has Oly not such lenses? The longer the more I think about to change the system when the next generation of Fuji cameras will be available…
“why has Oly not such lenses?”
Because *Panny* has this lenses: 12-35/f2.8 and 35-100/f2.8. Which are perfectly usable on any Oly m43 body.
P.S. Unexpectedly, the 18-55 is only slightly smaller than the 12-35. Or rather, 12-35 is only slightly larger than the 18-55:
http://camerasize.com/compact/#371.359,375,455.336,459.336,ha,t
The size of Panny probably relates more with the wider FOV on wide end.
fuji zoom is only $400 with kit, panny f2.8 zoom costs $1100+! not many ppl would spend $1000+ for a small sensor lens.
define small sensor?
it’s several times bigger than compact camera’s sensors, and hardly smaller than APS, especially if you take the 4/3 ratio into account.
it’s indeed smaller than full frame, but so is APS.
are people buying >1k lenses for APS? sure they are.
I agree that pricing mft lenses over 1k is too expensive, but this has nothing to do with sensor size, and everything with the more compact system that allows for less complex lens designs – which should translate to less expensive or at least on par with competition.
“fuji zoom is only $400 with kit”
But is not a super lens really. Just OK, versatile and all. A totally OK kit zoom really.
“panny f2.8 zoom costs $1100+! not many ppl would spend $1000+”
Most 1st party f2.8 (or faster) zooms cost as much. And man, comparing price of kit vs. price of standalone product. C’mon.
N.B. In Germany Fuji 18-55 costs 650€, Panny 12-35 – 900€. Difference of 250€ which gives you wider angle and f/2.8 at 70mm eq.
“for a small sensor lens.”
Prejudiced, aren’t we?
I should probably start including in every Fiji-related comment: “X-Trans sucks because it is soft, disrupts textures and fakes details; waste of an APS-C sized sensor, really.”
photozone and Thom Hogan rate Fuji 18-55 better than Panasonic 12-35. Hogan is usually quite critical of Fuji products but this time even he has to admit the 18-55 is a great lens. The only ones who rate the Panasonic highly are its fanboys who love spending too much money on mediocre and outdated products. Nothing can ever be better than Panasonic. They are the best.
How about people who already have an extensive mft kit and want a faster zoom? I happen to know quite a number of them who are quite happy with the 12-35, me included.
Your comment is really just as silly as those Panasonic fanboys you are complaining about.
I don’t care for Photozone and Hogan, they should both get a real job and stop polluting the net. The X-trans artifacts are interesting tho: who has direct experience with them? Shooting in RAW that is?
And yes, all these cameras and lenses are way overpriced. Madly overpriced, even.
I am sorry but the Fuji zoom is “not just OK.” It’s actually a very good Zoom.
> I am sorry but the Fuji zoom is “not just OK.” It’s actually a very good Zoom.
I believe you. But as you might expect on the forum, I’m “spoiled” by Oly zooms. Anyway, “kit zoom” on Oly forums is not a curse word.
I also think that m43 might gain immensely from availability of an affordable and compact 2.8-4.0 zoom. Even if IQ is not up to the standards of the legendary 12-60 (and range is shorter) – who cares: f/2.8 on the wide end was saving me in poor lighting situations not once.
No, CA from Pana are not corrected with Olympus bodies, because of this, I would never buy a lens from Pana for use with my E-M5, even it’s possible to make correction with 1 click in photoshop or whatever. I’ve seen pics with really terrible CA made with the E-M5 and these Pana lenses. And the Pana lenses are to expensive, and the zoom range is to limited. So you can’t compare the Pana lenses with the lenses from Fuji.
Don’t forget the EM5’s atrocious ergonomics and the convoluted menu system. Usability counts for a lot and Olympus falls short in that regard. It’s a real shame, since there’s a LOT to like about the EM5.
Wonderful compact (NOT DSLR, different kind of hold) ergonomics (control dials where they should be and not under the base of the thumb) and pretty straightforward menu, without items disabled and disappearing in some illogical ways like on the NEX. And you don’t even have to use menu when shooting, pretty much everything is on the wonderful SCP.
Completely agree the ergonomics of the Fuji X-E1 completely outclass those of the EM-5.
The sizes are off in the title collage photo. The size comparison:
http://camerasize.com/compact/#371,375,455,459,ha,f
Thank you for posting that. I was going to raise that as well. 🙂
The EP5 only makes financial sense if you buy the package that includes the body, VF4, and 17mm. If you sell the 17mm, you end up with a $1000 kit and VF. And if you really don’t need the VF4, you can sell it off for 200 or so, and get the price of the EP5 body down to $800.
The EP5 only makes financial sense if you buy the package that includes the body, VF4, and 17mm. If you sell the 17mm, you end up with a $1000 kit and VF. And if you really don’t need the VF4, you can sell it off for 200 or so, and get the price of the EP5 body down to $800.
Yet it remains more expensive for a EVF-less camera, all the while the competition grows their market share by selling their cameras for less while actually having more features and or technological advantages.
Oly looses on too many battlefronts:
– Sensor size (always a fertile subject for salesman/fanboys/trolls to bash m4/3)
– Price (Way too close to the OMD, not competitive under any POV)
– No EVF (you actually have to pay extra for an already overpriced camera)
– No affordable fast kit zoom
– Video capabilities
What exclusive advantages does the E-P5 offer vs other cameras
vs OMD
– 1/8000 shutter speed
– built-in wifi
vs Sony/fuji
-5 axis
-lens catalog
Those are too many disadvantages and too few advantages for the price. It’s a nice camera all around, but Olympus did themselves a disservice by not including an EVF and pricing the camera so high, there’s no way around it.
Of course I’m always happy paying less, but I think $800 for body only or $1000 for body with VF4 would be pretty fair.
Sure, that would make it more expensive than a used x100 or a new XE1, but you have to take into account the operability, auto focus speed, and available lens collection. And there are no good cheap lens options (like the 40-150mm, the 14mm, the 20mm and the 45mm lenses for m43). From my experience, the IQ with the EM5 sensor is pretty close to what you get with an X-E1. You can get pretty good control over depth of field and excellent sharpness with the 25mm, 45mm, 60mm, or 35-100mm. The only thing you really lose is a little bit of low ISO dynamic range. Yes, the Fuji theoretically have better high ISO, but what use is it if you can’t focus? I was tempted by the X-E1 and tried it out for a few days (thanks to Lensrentals.com), but found it very difficult to use it in low light. I only marginally preferred the XE1 over the OMD when shooting landscapes.
You mentioned the max shutter speed, which is very useful if you shoot wide open outdoors. But beyond that, I think you’re underestimating the advantages of the EP5 in terms of operability. The 2×2 interface, the ability to assign mysets to the control dial, and the ability to assign an HDR or bracketing function to the function buttons would basically allow avoid ever having to use the menus. When I go travel shooting, I like to switch back and forth from bracketing to no bracketing and this is very cumbersome on the EM5. I avoid the menus by assigning bracketing to a myset and then assigning the myset to a function button, but it’s very awkward to hold the function button down while squeezing the shutter.
Presumably, these features will be available in the next OMD model. But given the price of the EP5, I hate to think how much that will cost… Ultimately, I think the best two options for upgraders are either the EP5 ($800 after you sell everything else) or the EM5 plus grip for $1200. If you use the built in finder all the time and frequently shoot the heavier lenses, and the shortcomings of the EM5 don’t bother you, then get the EM5 along with the battery grip. If you need an EVF less regularly, get the EP5 with the 17mm and VF4, and sell whatever you don’t need.
PS – I don’t think it makes much sense to buy the EM5 without the grip. The camera is much harder to fit in small camera bags due to the hump, so you don’t really gain a size advantage by leaving it out. And it’s plain uncomfortable to use without the landscape grip, which I keep on all the time. I’m keeping the EM5 despite its flaws because I shoot the 12-35 all the time, and it’s not a small lens. But if I predominantly shot primes, I would definitely go for the EP5.
—-¨¨Of course I’m always happy paying less, but I think $800 for body only or $1000 for body with VF4 would be pretty fair. ¨¨—–
Uh? This cameras are either sold by their price:feature ratio (more bang for the buck) or by actual salesmen. Both conditions put the E-P5 at a serious disadvantage. It’s not competitively priced for its features and to add injury salesmen can always point out that not only does it lack an EVF and is more expensive than Sony or Fuji’s cameras, but it has a smaller sensor (the everlasting Achilles heel in any mft-vs-apsc blind fanboysim debate).
So ask yourself, is it really fair when you can, right now, get an OMD WITH EVF for LESS ? And then consider than you can get Fuji’s and Sony larger sensor (I’m not defending APSC, I’m noting this comes up as an excuse in every other debate)for EVEN LESS?
—–¨Sure, that would make it more expensive than a used x100 or a new XE1, but you have to take into account the operability, auto focus speed, and available lens collection¨—— ¨You mentioned the max shutter speed, which is very useful if you shoot wide open outdoors. But beyond that, I think you’re underestimating the advantages of the EP5 in terms of operability¨—-
I explicitly did take into account all of those points, and yet the E-p5 still comes at an disadvantage. You forget that the Fuji has direct dials and buttons to much if not all the functions you mention, so that argument is null.
Just to make things clear, I don’t own a Fuji, I own an Olympus E-PL1, so I’m not taking sides with Fuji, I’m just highlighting the fact that Oly shoot themselves on the foot with the EVF-less E-P5.
—-¨ Ultimately, I think the best two options for upgraders are either the EP5 ($800 after you sell everything else) or the EM5 plus grip for $1200¨—-
What? I don’t mean to sound offensive but you’re imposing you own personal needs onto other people’s preferences. Why should anyone forcibly need the add-on grip ? that only serves to place the OMD further up in the price range and thus validating your opinion that the E-P5 is cheap at $800, but in reality it’s the other way around.
The only way the E-p5 could justify its (body only) price is by having a built-in EVF, and even then it’s still more expensive than currently available alternatives. So no, there’s no justifying the price nor the lack of EVF.
–“So ask yourself, is it really fair when you can, right now, get an OMD WITH EVF for LESS?”
Before calling me irrational making rude and obnoxious posts on the internet, consider reading what I actually wrote. I NEVER said that the EP5 body is a good deal at $999; I agree that the asking price for the body only is overpriced. I ONLY said that it would be a fair deal at $800, and pointed out that it’s quite easy to get it at that price if you buy the package that includes the EP5, VF4 and 17mm lens for $1449 and sell off the VF4 and 17mm lens. In fact, if you look at Amazon, you’ll notice that the EP5 package is selling very well in comparison with the EP5 body only, which is why it’s pretty silly to carry on about the price of the EP5 body only. Unless cash flow is a serious issue, I don’t see why any rational buyer would buy the body only instead of the package.
Anyhow, I seriously doubt that Olympus priced the EP5 at a whim. It doesn’t take much brain power to figure out that Olympus’s sales strategy is built around bundling. Whether this strategy is sound is another question, but thanks to the internet, it’s not very difficult to unbundle these products. Ebay and Craigslist are full of unbundled camera bodies and lenses that are being resold–I’ve done it myself several times). So it isn’t at all unreasonable to assume a price of $800.
–“What? I don’t mean to sound offensive but you’re imposing you own personal needs onto other people’s preferences.”
You’re actually the one imposing your own needs on other people’s preferences. You may have a hard time believing this, but many people, particularly younger photographers, simply don’t need or are not in the habit of using a VF. So if you compare the price of the UNBUNDLED EP5 at $800 (which was the whole premise of my post) with the EM5 at $950, and take into account the faster maximum shutter speed and interface improvements, it begins to look like a much better deal.
But then you buy a used 5D and you start taking REAL pictures… I know, I know.
By the way, I didn’t mean to bash the XE1 (or by implication the X Pro 1). If I were a landscape shooter and shot predominantly at shorter focal lengths, then I would probably prefer it to the EM5. But for the photographer with only one camera system (I sold my dSLR shortly after getting my EM5), I think m43 provide the best “all around” options.
I agree with this particular point, MFT is the way to go as it provides the most versatility BUT this is the very reason why the E-P5 is such a ridiculous proposition by Oly. IT IS a nice camera in itself BUT, it is not an good asset for the whole system. By comparison the OMD really positioned the system in a competitive manner, the E-P5 adds very little for a lot more $$$, instead of taking the market by storm by having an EVF and going for less than $1000, they did just the opposite and placed this new FLAGSHIP PEN at an disadvantage not only against Sony or Fuji but against the OMD itself.
The only way the E-P5 makes sense is for people who already have an add-on EVF and are willing to wait for the body only price to go down, and that’s only a good idea if you REALLY need some of Oly’s (few and steadily diminishing) exclusive features, otherwise, you’re better served by an OMD, a Fuji/Sony OR the upcoming GX2.
Ultimately, we’re comparing apples and oranges. It may not be entirely rational, but it’s obvious that some people like the rangefinder body type like the EP series, other people like the mini-DSLR feel of the G and GH series, and others still want something in between, which is arguably where the EM5 comes in. The fact of the matter is, people don’t just buy cameras based on the specs they can get for a particular price, we’d all be buying DSLRs instead of m43. And it’s perfectly rational for an EP3 user to prefer an unbundled EP5 at $800 over the EM5 at $950.
Frankly, I doubt the EP5 is being marketed at current OMD owners. It is basically for EP3 users who like the physical form of the EP series but want IBIS and the EM5 sensor. Based on the number of people on forums complaining about the “hump” on the EM5, I bet there are plenty of people buying up EP5s.
The e-p5 is selling at the same price as E-m5 at $999 and not at $800. Agree with admin that the e-p5 is $200 overprice. If the e-p5 is aimed at the pen series customers it should be selling at $700 to compete with NEX-3/5 and upgrade the firmware of the e-m5 to e-p5 user interface including HDR/bracketing assigning(except for wifi and 1/8000 shutter speed) to compete with NEX-6/XE-1 at $999. In this way Oly has two winners. At current price the e-p5 not only compete with NEX-6/7, XE-1, GH-3, but also their own E-m5.
I know the EP5 body only is selling for $999, but if you look at the Amazon rankings, you’ll notice that hardly anyone is buying the body only. They’re all buying the EP5, VF4 and 17mm lens package for $1449. That’s the whole point of my post. If you just want the body only, you can get it pretty easily for $800-850 by spending $1449 and reselling the VF4 and 17mm lens. And, in fact, you’d be irrational to do otherwise. Perhaps I’m naive, but do you think all those purchasers are really interested in keeping all three items? If I had to hazard a guess, I’d bet a good number of those purchasers will immediately sell off the 17mm lens, and a substantial but smaller number will sell off both the VF4 and the 17mm lens.
Olympus is clearly overpricing their EP5 body ON PURPOSE in order to encourage people to buy the package. This strategy is known as bundling, and is a common way for manufacturers to help get other products off the shelf or encourage widespread adoption. In the past, you had to take it or leave it, but the internet has really made it easy to “unbundle” products by reducing the transactions costs of reselling.
I’ve done this type of unbundling myself a number of occasions. For instance, several years ago, I bought the GF1 to get the 20mm lens and resold the GF1 body for just $40 off the retail price. That way, I saved $200 on the price of the 20mm. If you leave the lens in its original packaging (i.e., pristine condition) and take off $20-30 off the retail price, you can easily sell it. This is especially the case for a product that is good demand and is relatively new (as the black 17mm is, for instance). The VF4 will also be in high demand and easy to sell on ebay or craigslist.
didnt read attention span too short
I agree that the g6 looks like the best value and has the best features. Probably because it didnt have to try and look hi-tech or retro.
I admit that Fiji’s offerings are becoming enticing. Do they have a combination yet that would outperform my e-m5 sensor and 75mm f1.8 when it comes to IQ?
Slowly but surely olympus is being left behind
NEX are getting good lenses
Fuji X are getting better AF
Olympus, lose the hump
The price of the Oly is not surprising, after all, this is the same company that tried, for four years to sell silver lenses to people that wanted black ones and insisted that eighty percent of their customer base wasn’t important to them. Oly can pretty much make a success of their company, by choosing what they are going to do, then in real life, do exactly the opposite and it would be the right move as far as profit and customer satisfaction goes.
…I’m with all of you, how say 800$/€ would be the right price for the body only. I love the cameras from Olympus, but after every new price shock, I asked my self, if I’m right in the mFT. I have my big stuff from Canon and just wanted a small System, but 1000€ for just a simple camera like the E-P5? For a 1690€ you can have a 6D, so where is the value in the E-P5 body?!… .
“so where is the value in the E-P5 body?!…”
E-P5 is overpriced. No way around it.
On the other hand, I think they felt that they can overprice it, because there are already on the market rather excellent and affordable but almost forgotten E-PM2 and E-PL5 which boast literally the same IQ.
What I’m trying to say here, I’m not losing any sleep over Oly’s pricing. After all, it is not the first time they release a camera with a ridiculous MSRP – and allowed the street price sink within next few months to something palatable. Stupid practice they should retire IMO, because they are constantly losing points in reviews to the exaggerated MSRP.
Olympus engineers, some of the best in the world
Olympus managers, everything wrong with insular cultures
+1
Would I pay more for a E-P5 than a G6, X-E1, or OMD EM-5? Yes, all day every day … for the same reason that I fell in (gadget) love with the E-P2. I own three of them. I was enamored with the fit and finish as well as the high quality lenses and accessories such as the VF-2 that make the E-Px line a real system camera. Call it the “poor man’s Leica”. The E-P5 is a stellar follow on in the same tradition. I’ve been afraid of buying the EM-5 given the blog entries that cataloged cracked LCDs and plastic dials falling off. IQ aside, there is something to be said for how a camera feels in the hand. You get what you pay for.
Well, I honestly don’t understand all this whining about the oh so expensive E-P5.
In the automotive world, you often pay several thousands of Dollars/Euros more for a coupe than for a saloon, although it offers less space, less doors, poorer vision and leass comfort than the respective saloon – just because it’s beautiful. So why don’t you regard the E-P5 as the coupe and the E-M5 as the workhorse.
Nobody is forced to buy the E-P5 and I won’t either as I’m waiting for the OBS and/or the next E-System camera.
But I’d rather buy an E-P5 than the Fujis with their slow-motion AF, the old-fashioned operation system, the EVF in the corner and the stupid APS-C sensor, the NEXes with their slow-motion AF, their poor lens range, their weird interface, their EVFs in the corner and their stupid APS-C sensors or the Pannys that haven’t got any character at all.
Indeed, I’d rather buy a Nikon V2 than one of the aforementioned cameras.
Its a tough market.
I purchased an X100 almost exactly two years ago for 1200 and can now buy one off of Gumtree for 400.
Frankly, I feel that Olympus plans and prices their cameras for the Japanese market, and don’t intend to seriously compete outside of Japan.
The E-P5 was over priced upon its announcement, this is not news as just about everyone has pounced on it. $1000 for an EVF-less body in its class of camera (NEX-6 and XE-1) and having a brand-mate for the same price that includes not only an EVF but also a weathersealed alloy body, well, what were these Oly marketing guys drinking?
What Fuji and Sony have done is seized the opportunity to fully expose this mismatch by tilting it yet further with their sales. They’re out to grab market share, discounting older but very competitive bodies which have had their R&D costs paid down. Oly basically created their own pricing trap and Fuji/Sony said thank you very much and sprang it.
I love the free market, and market corrections which arise from it. Oly, your turn!!
With the E-P5 being the newest camera of course it’s price hasn’t been reduced yet. Personal preferences aside, it’s a hell of camera. The interface is the best yet on a m43s body and it’s got loads of customizability and features. If you don’t need/want them it’s one thing. Considering it was just released I think the $999 price is still very competitive for the package you get.
Charles, just curious, by “interface” do you mean the control layout, or the menu structure. The EP5 control layout looks very good, but I’ve heard running complaints that Olympus needs to revamp their menu structure – I don’t have personal experience but I’d like to understand your opinion.
When Panasonic announces GX7 and (hopefully) G7 with IBIS, Olympus will have a hard time selling both E-Px and E-Mx models at their current price points.
Sony has been pricing aggressively entry level NEXes for some time now. I hope someone at P&O has taken note of that.
the Panasonic “leak” of the GX2/GX7 is well timed
wonder how many people will wait for the price and actual product images of the new GX before making the final decision on purchasing the EP5 (count me as one, handled the EP5 and really liked it but I’d wait for adobe raw support so plenty of time to know more about the new Pan)
launch body price if the EP5 is £899!!!
make that £799 or even £749 and they get my money
+ 1
The EP5 had everything I wanted except built-in EVF. Then came the GX and now the new OMD leaks.
Fuji’s and Sony’s systems are very good, but plagued with annoying flaws. Fuji has not sorted focusing and Sony is seriously lackluster in the optical department.
Olympus? their system is mature and well balanced. They have no compelling reason to discount their offerings at this time, as long as they can get away with it.
… to the street photographer of old, who survived with manual focus and rolls of 36 exp film and either had two camera bodies for two different ISO or pretty much kept to just one ISO or maybe loaded some high speed film in the evenings (and accepted tmax 3200 ‘grain like golf balls’) – the Fuji system is lightening fast!
these PENs are replacing the street photographers kit but also catering to the family man who needs to shoot ‘birthday party action’
I think my PEN does 8fps but I shoot static things so don’t need it – each launch brings something to attempt to be different (is it Nikon 1 that does 20 or 60fps?)
frankly the current pens ep3/epl5/epm2/gx1/gf5 functionally do all we really need … are we JUST waiting for:
– new sensors
– built in EVF
do we actually need anything else?
I was on the verge of switching, visited SRS to either stay Oly (buy a 12/2) or go to Fuji (x-e1 18/35/60), the value of the rest of my m43 kit meant I could do either option (I could eBay my Oly/Pan stuff). I’m super impressed with the x-e1 and really want that EVF but I came home with an M.Zuiko 12 ;). that slight size advantage with the Pen, the rear dial, the touch to focus, the IBIS – the m43 has a LOT to offer even though I could survive without these features.
You would have been right when the Xpro1 came out, but not anymore. The AF of the Fuji is no longer the bad it was. And Fuji is upgrading it again with a firmware in July.
Well, recently I had the chance to shoot with the X-E1 and 18/2 for a day. Focusing was erratic and unpredictable in a street environment in full daylight. It’s not focus speed that makes it difficult to trust, it’s the questionable reliability. Shooting from the hip is near impossible because the shutter is released before focus is confirmed. Manual focus is useable, but I missed distance markings on the lens barrel. It’s certainly a nice camera, but it doesn’t support a dynamic shooting style very well.
oh and
– Oly prices could be better!
Pan prices are good with a couple of exceptions (8, 7-14, 12-35, 25, 45 macro!)
Stop bitching about E-P5 price again!
The kit price is really good!
If you don’t like the price, either wait or buy something else!
An ERROR I think to compare the E-P5, the E-M5 is still the true competitor to other brands. I got a demo body for EU 850, and that is where the price should be today.
The E-M5 and m4/3 are such treasures troves, they make other systems pale in comparison. E-P5 is a camera ‘for dentists’, or rather, call it a costly extravagance.
The General Purpose camera is still the E-M5.
I quite don’t understand comments about E-P5 handling superiority.
Did you try it ? I did. I was playing with it for more then 1 hour. Well I was disappointed !! Why ?
– body looks nice but body does not fill as nice in my hand as my Oly E-PL2.
– everything feels like a toy to me – aperture and exposure wheels are very loose and fiddly !! – you just have to handle it very carefully – this was my biggest disappointment.
– the biggest E-PL2 and E-P3 annoyence is that you can not set both small auto focus area and over/down exposure blinking monitoring enabled – WHY ??? It’s enabled only for a standard (big) AF area. This is same for E-P5 ! Really ugly as hell.
– tilting display feels well not very solid
For me sadly Sony NEX fits in my hands in a much better way then any of Olympus MFT camera. I own Pana GH2 too and do not like it. I’m thinking of selling it. The only camera I really love is an old Panasonic L10 4/3. It feels excellent in my hands. And yes Olympus E-PL2 feels nice too. That’s just it.
And which of these cameras allows your handheld video to look as if it was shot from a tripod?
Video on the Fuji is a joke.
E-P5 is the only camera of the bunch that has the 5 Axis stabilization.
I think I am going to switch to Fuji, it’s more camera for the money, I think Olympus is playing with fire, they need to drop their bodies to $500 to stay in the game otherwise their toast.
Bye.
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