Lori Grunin from Cnet US (Click here) is testing the E-M5 and says that it is “Olympus’ best shot yet“. The final review will be posted soon.
The German website Digitalkamera tested the E-M5 (Click here for the not so good automatic google translation). In short they say that if you buy the E-M5 you will hardly regret it 🙂
An E-M5 review at DC.view (Click here for the translation). Another review at Itmedia (Click here for the translation). A model shooting at Photogenicweekend (Click here for the translation).
Damian Mc Gillicuddy (CLick here) is testing the E-M5: “I know the nay sayers will say “Oh micro 4/3’s – not enough guts”, “tiny sensor”, “quality not good enough”… blah, blah, blah!!! There will even be people who will say, “It just doesn’t look like a professional camera”, “its too small”… I say RUBBISH!!! ”
An E-M5 report by Phototravelasia (Click here): “It will be interesting to see how the image quality reviews but I have to say that for my purposes as a travel cam this thing looks perfect and its rugged build and out and out usability have me itching to get it on the road for a more thorough workout.”
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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).
Europe:
Black E-M5 body at Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Jessops (Click here) and Warehouseexpress (Click here).
Silver E-M5 body at Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Jessops (Click here) and Warehouseexpress (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Jessops (Click here), [shoplink 30334 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and Warehouseexpress (Click here).
Silver E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Jessops (Click here), [shoplink 30333 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and Warehouseexpress (Click here).
Asia:
Black E-M5 body at Digitalrev (Click here).
Silver E-M5 body at Amazon JP (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Digitalrev (Click here) and Amazon JP (Click here).
Silver E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon JP (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 14-45mm lens at Digitalrev (Click here) and Amazon JP (Click here).
62 Responses
And one more review at:
http://www.optyczne.pl/index.php?test=aparat&test_ap=178
In summary, the E-M5 gets 60 points, while the G3 and NEX-5n get 51 each (also 51 points gets the Samsung NX200, and 52 points the E-P3). So it’s more in the league of DSLRs, like the Canon 60D (59.5 points), the Sony A77 (61), The Pentax K-5 (61.5), the Olympus E-5 (63) or the Nikon D7000 (63.5).
I’ve never heard of optyczne.
And in terms of “points”, what are differences between optyczne and dxomark?
EM5 was voted “Best m4/3rds for Porn”
They’re the original Polish version of lenstip.com
DxO mark tests just the sensor’s raw performance, while Optyczne tests all aspects of the camera. The points are the sum of all the categories they test, from build quality to image quality (noise, DR, JPEG engine), menus, flash, autofocus, features, white balance, resolution, operational performance, etc…
These points are absolutely useless to me. If I have to consider points, dxomark seems to be more convincing.
+1
if you are interested only in sensor performance.
Bla Bla Bla – Its the Oly best shot – but its not at all a good enough shot, Sorry Oly try again.
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Damn, thats a nikon rangefinder lens on there, those are amazing lenses. A pity for the crop factor, oly when do we finally get a fullframe OM which is worthy of the name?
Ps: gillicuddy is payed by olympus, does he have a choice to say anything different?
I have one (a more recent “black ring” model that is multi coated and somewhat better) and it is sharp when closed down a bit but still a low contrast lens that is sometimes more useful than not.
The amazing thing about this lens is the build quality, not the absolute optical quality.
E-M5, the sure shot.
C|NET = ROFLMMFAO!
though this is true…. i must say, i have a lot more respect for lori Grunin and take her reviews/opinions much more seriously than Kai from digitalrev.
SERIOUSLY.. people need to stop looking at Kai as some Camera God! he is simply a camera enthusiast and an above average photographer at best! THATS IT!
The CNET review is not much more informative than Kai’s review. But perhaps CNET (and Kai) will come back with more discussion of the camera.
And all the reviews done by Kai are carelessly BIASED
I don’t think he is carelessly biased but certainly is not very subjective in his reviews, if we can call them that…?
He just looks at a camera says whether he likes it or not. Rarely says anything about image quality.
@ Ken
“SERIOUSLY.. people (like you) need to stop” being so discourteous.
Kai has the courage to stick himself out there and do someone different. It is authentic and entertaining and does not pretend to be anything it is not.
Perhaps (and I don’t know) his strategy is not to produce authoritative reviews, but to put a human face on the brand he represents. I think he does a very good job of that and I am sure it will help to garner trust in the vendor.
well, if you are saying that his videos are ‘not’ reviews…. than i wont argue. if we all are agreeing that they are just 10 minutes of him walking around taking pictures and telling dumb jokes, then im down.
no complaints.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_l-CKoF32Y&feature=plcp&context=C441641bVDvjVQa1PpcFMMrybQFZiCkRNLHYjSJ1PtSztqFOPWzw8%3D
and honestly, i myself am biased after watching this video he did. if you wanna call that authentic and entertaining… than more power to you.
Kai was on another post not this one.
Go there.
I actually enjoy the reviews. They are pretty short, but they have a standard and cover everything important. And they are written in human language. And if there is a problem, one can be sure that it would be mentioned. And in case of a serious problem, review and score are updated.
They are actually useful, unlike the lion share of wannabe reviewers out there: “oh look it’s a RF-like camera!!! – 150% score” or “wow look at the high isos!!! – 1000% score” what is neither really informative nor helpful.
But then it is not review linked, here, but an opinion piece – by a photographer. Here is excerpt on the E-M5 AF:
“There are no surprises in the autofocus system; that is, the center-spot AF works well, the face-detection AF is frequently helpful and occasionally gets in the way (there needs to be an instantaneous override when you don’t want to focus on the people), the full-time AF is easily confused and pulses too often when shooting video, and the tracking autofocus seems like it’s working at the time but in actuality lags the subject. All of this is pretty much par for the course in today’s AF systems, however.”
Or shortly: “it sucks – precisely like the rest.”
Lazy, hurried, superficial. That wasn’t a review, it was a collection of words spat out for a deadline I suspect. A sub-par laptop screen and she’s giving an opinion?
Stick to cats Lori.
Agreed.
Just wish Amazon would go ahead and ship mine. Woulda gone somewhere else if I hadn’t had a good gift card balance
That camera makes a LTM 50mm look big. Small cameras are nice, but sometimes small is too small.
For people who don’t like small cameras there are lots of bigger (and very good) cameras available on the market…
Thank you, sick of hearing people complain, “it’s too small! It doesn’t have good video, it doesn’t have this, that and everything else.” If you want a bigger camera, you want good video, etc, do as Gabi suggests, go buy a bigger/better one. You’re buying mirrorless SPECIFICALLY for the size and weight. And though some say m43 prices are at a premium, they’re not even in the same league as Canon & Nikon’s [DSLR] prices. And as a ‘budget photog’ I appreciate the IQ vs $$$ ratio…
Though, I suppose we can’t be happy without first complaining.
…It’s not Oly or Panny’s fault, they’re designing cameras to fit our shallow wallets and filling the gap between DSLRs and point & shoots. Bigger+better=stupid amounts of money.
Can those bigger (and very good) cameras work with 4/3 lenses?
Why would you want them to if you have the arsenal that DSLRs have? You buy m43 for what m43 is, light and compact with good IQ. My point is, if you’re going to complain about m43 being too small, go back to DSLR, carry that around all day…do it!
I said 4/3, not m4/3.
Surprisingly enough, there are people out there whose lenses each cost as much as every m4/3 camera and lens ever released.
I agree wit casaubon. I think the GH2 is too small. I love it but I’d love it more if it were a bit bigger. I’m expecting the GH3 to blow the E-M5 out of the water.
If you want a bigger camera than GH2 why would you even want to use m43 in the future? Those who jumps into mirrorless are those who are hoping for a smaller camera to use as a back-up beside their larger camera, or to some degree replace them. Buy a full size dslr and forget about m43, or mirrorless systems if you think they are too small.
@ Jesper.
Your personal point of view isn’t necessarily a fact.
Tell me which full sized DSLR has a fully articulated screen and continuous Live View and I’ll consider it . . .
Mirrorless systems aren’t just about size – some of us have other considerations.
Talking about optical perfection I had the opportunity to compare the back of my E5 to the back of a D800 having shot the same image a delegate at one of my workshops shot on the aforementioned Nikon… I knew the Olympus is first rate in the studio… sadly Andy, my delegate, was a little surprised (as I was in truth) at just how greater the sharpness, crispness and more depth of detail captured on the Oly was. Not a definitive lab test but an observation from the real world… Olympus needs far more credit… its results in the real world simply ROCK for what I do. If I’m honest the new stuff I’m playing with is even better than the E5… yep once more, “watch this space”.
Wow this is really good news,…
Can’ t wait for my E-M5
Does this mean don’t buy the e-m5, there is more coming? or go ahead and get the e-m5, the new news is just better than the e-m5 good news?
No it means that there is an E-5 successor coming, with the same sensor as in the EM-5. At least that is what he has hinted earlier.
There’s always more coming. That’s the problem with buying into a [relatively] new technology as is the m43. Cameras in general are getting better every month. You’ll buy the E-m5 and kick yourself in 6 months when something else comes out that’s way better. But what would you do for the next 6 months…wait? Fuck that, lets take pictures!
Nice. Besides E-5 successor, it’s time for something a bit smaller and a lot cheaper than E-M5, but with the same sensor ( and IS if possible ), a 5n killer :).
How much smaller do you want it to be? The E-M5 is tiny. It fits on the palm of a small woman’s hand.
A bit, say G3 – E-PL1 – E-PL3 size, depending on whether EVF and/or flash are integrated.
There is a stated requirement among those that post here for a pro m43 camera. To be effective as such it would need to be BIGGER than the em5. Maybe between the e-m5 and the e5 (nearer the em5). Such a camera would need to be bigger to allow use of discreet function buttons (programmable or not). I would welcome a camera sized between the em5 and the e5 maybe one that can take 43 and M43 glass, and use legacy glass easily (focus peaking as well as 10x) also built in hdr or zero noise (maybe a software option one or the other)
But to make a pro version it must be bigger.
Make the pen cameras smaller by all means. But the pro m43 must be bigger to function properly.
I like more the modularity way, started on E-P3 and continued with E-M5. I’d like a camera that starts as E-PL3, with addon flash/EVF combo such as in http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com/new-canon-mirrorless-renderings-from-david-riesenberg/ and various grips that can make it the size of E-620 for example. E-M5 grips seem to me a bit clunky, but combined with the way E-P3 grip is attached ( good old fashioned screw 🙂 ) and a bit more thought of their styling the camera can look and feel much more solid…
As for bigger m4/3 cameras, someone here said that there are already many big top quality cameras from other manufacturers and that there is no urgent need for m4/3 bodies to grow more… I hope that we’ll see E-7 with E-M5 sensor at Photokina, so 4/3 lens owners won’t be left without newest technology either.
Wrong.
Do you see that word ‘Micro’ in the name? It is there for a reason. You would have a better argument saying the the E-5 should shrink.
A ‘Pro’ M4/3 isn’t going to be bigger, because that misses the whole point of going Micro in the first place.
The only real point to a Pro micro is for Pro’s who need the reduced weight and portability. For everything else, bigger will be better.
The E-5 (and the E-3) are *only* big enough if you add the battery grip. If you don’t, your pinky finger isn’t on the grip and has to uncomfortable curve below the camera.
If Olympus shrinks the E-7, they’re idiots.
M43 enables the manufacture of smaller quality cameras. It does not mean they must be small or have to be small.
Just because there is a speed limit of 60kph on a road does not mean it is compulsory to do 60, in fact sometimes 60 would be dangerous.
If you want a Pro m43, the functional control a Pro might need will not fit on a pen or e-m5 size body. Ok, go buy something bigger you say. Sorry you will never be a marketer, Olympus is not going to send blocks of people to its competition.
Ok, buy a E5. Now, I ask, at this time, would you? Many 4/3 users have bought into m43. I think if you asked them they would be happy to use a Pro m43 body that can fully utilise their 4/3 glass and give them E5 + (E7 or whatever) functionality, but the pro m43 must be bigger to achieve its intent.
Fine, continue with the e-m5 e-m6 and so on, continue with the pens in current size and smaller.
The E-M5 looks a lot better in silver than it does in black.
> In short they say that if you buy the E-M5 you will hardly regret it 🙂
OK. Now that we have a decent camera from Olympus, what about some fitting it zoom lenses?
The best photo portal in Poland – Optyczne.pl (Lenstip.com – english version) publised test of OM-D (as I suppose, english version of the test will be soon).
Summary – very good camera, and the most important – sensor quality is similar to NEX-5N.
1. Haven’t we all known for quite a while that the EM5 is a great camera?!
2. IQ relative other cameras? First of all and the most important thing is if it suites your photography. Secondly it will be really interesting in the DPR review to see their analyse of dynamic range, resolution etc.
FYI: How to see if there is high DR in a photo: You se lots detail in both dark and highlight areas. This means at first look the image looks a bit low contrast and lacking “punch” at first sight. Looking at photos from MF cameras is the safest way to lear what a high DR image looks like.
Typically a shot from a compact camera may look crisp and punchy out of camera and on screen. For printing and viewing on large screen you see all that is missing. Main factor (not the only) is light capturing area. This has been true from camera was invented 160 years ago – still valid with digital sensors replacing film. Larger = better.
And with medium format *film based* cameras, you get a DR of — 18-19 or so?
Figures are difficult to rely on: Take Phase One IQ180. At Luminous Landscape they said it had the best DR they seen on any camera and estimated it to be 14 steps.
Using measuring tools, there are different ones. Then we have the methodology used – or in worst case lack of consistent methodology….
Personally I like the analyse mda by DPR over the measurements by DXO. In both cases they work with a strict methodology.
Looking at figures makes me sometimes blind about the underlying discussion/evaluation.
Above all cameras never made photos – it is us photographers! If you have a machine you like to use and you get the results you want/need – that is the best camera.
Totally agree!
1. No doubt that this is a great camera!
2. Relative to other camera? I look forward to DPR test with analyze of IQ, aspects on dynamic range, resolution etc.
Sorry, but Lori Grunin has the most annoying whiney voice … like fingernails on a chalkboard.
At least she’s concerned about how she looks & what she wears.
That lack of enthusiasm and the constipated rat face are meant to suck all trace of joy out of your gear addiction. Mrs. sneye will be happy to allow me watch Lori׳s reviews all day. The chances of me buying a new camera based on them are quite slim.
Well, without a doubt the most good-looking camera on the consumer market right now.. I pray that someone will challenge it.
A side note…
Aki Asahi is on the job.
http://aki-asahi.blogspot.jp/search?updated-max=2012-04-04T14:57:00%2B09:00&max-results=7
Great link.
This is what I want. I have one of their cases on my ep2 make it feel great. I want a brown leather cover set for the e-m5 to match my Barton plaid strap.
I must email them brown, brown, brown.
Leather is a great way to introduce fungus to a camera lens. Synthetics for me.
Any idea about the availability of the E-M5 in France ???