Olympus Japan announced the release of the E-M5 with 12-40mm “Elite” kit. It will ship from August 29. The only difference with the “normal” E-M5 is the texture of the body as you can see on that image on top.
Source: Olympus Japan.
Olympus Japan announced the release of the E-M5 with 12-40mm “Elite” kit. It will ship from August 29. The only difference with the “normal” E-M5 is the texture of the body as you can see on that image on top.
Source: Olympus Japan.
*Please also check your spam folder if you don't get the confirmation mail. And mark the mail as "non-spam" to see the future newsletter.
73 Responses
No doubt the EM5 is a great success in m4/3 history , the fans & communities definitely will remenber that golden turning point moment .
This camera deserve my salute even though I’m not holding any Olympus cameras .
The EM5 success if for the M4/3 and mirrorless history what was the D90 success for Nikon and the reflex camera in general: the democratization of a technology (digital reflex camera).
Since they insist on pushing this as a current model, I wish they’d support it by adding proper focus peaking to the firmware, instead of fixing problems it doesn’t have(cosmetics).
Depends whether you consider focus peaking as a problem or not, I for one don’t use or need it, can focus my old OM’s with no problem.
But it would be a nice Give-away … If you need it or not ^^
Nevertheless, all current Olympus mid-to-top-range cameras (E-M10, E-P5, E-M1) support focus peaking – except the E-M5.
E-M5 has focus peaking – it’s a tweak, Google and you’ll find it. I have it on my E-PM2.
Yeah it’s a work around but it’s not as comfortable as direct Focus Peaking. (I don’t need it personally)
Although I think magnified view is still king for critical focus, a combination of the two, as a choice, would even be better.
I would guess that it’s just not possible with the old processor. Sure, there was this art filter workaround that kinda was like a focus peaking, but that stuttered a lot.
I like that texture much better –
This is getting kind of disturbing. No new breakthroughs, three year old sensors, high priced bodies, but plenty of color and cosmetic and fashion changes across the Olympus line. They haven’t lost the plot, it must be around here somewhere.
Seems like a move to get rid of old, spare parts 🙂
there are no breakthrough sensor or new senzors on the market yet ..even Canon or Nikon/Sony dont have totaly new senzors on the market and they recycle the “old” ones
Is there any breakthrough with other manufactures?
All 3 OMD cameras had awards from specialized press, a continuously growing system (how many lenses?)… You may think they have lost the plot sure…
Too many “elite” E-M5s produced?
Olympus is not Leica. They don’t have this kind of discerning clientele. Better stick to functionality rather than fashion.
Not discerning, but flush with oodles of disposable cash.
The new Leica MF costs something like $8000! WTF!
Hey, but as long as it fits into the glove box of that middle-aged crisis two-seater sports car,… no problemo compadre! 😉
You forgot to mention this middle-aged crisis two-seater sports car is red.
You made my day, sir.
Damn. And I left out the dumb blonde, too. 😉
The Olympus management clearly thinks the reason they don’t sell enough cameras is because they don’t release enough models. What kind of twisted logic is that. No, they won’t innovate in ergonomics, UI flow, connectivity. They’d rather change textures and flood the market with useless models.
User Interface and Ergonomics are Oly’s biggest weak points.
I guess it’s easier to use different paint, faux leather wraps or add silly features rather than to do the hard stuff like rethink and rework the UI from the ground up. OR approach the physical design from a usability standpoint rather than from misty-eyed nostalgia.
Agree on the UI, it doesn’t have a unified look and can be quite confusing to use. Disagree on the ergonomics as I find the EM-1 to have the best ergonomics for my hands, and the button/dials all feel right to me on my em-10 (still needs a grip though with the 12-40).
I don’t find E-M10’s UI so awful. Once you master the “info”/live view switches, it’s really fun to use.
They’re primarily hardware / electronics manufacturer, therefore the user interface / software part seems almost like an afterthought. Which is a shame although as you pointed out, it isn’t easy – but if Samsung and Leica can try even Olympus can (and should). It shouldn’t be that hard or expensive to hire a couple of guys that design smartphone apps for instance.
“Ergonomics are Oly’s biggest weak points”
Try the Olympus E-1 and say that again. They nailed it, and then along the way they lost it. It’s so odd.
*just in case: not talking about the EM1. The E-1 was the first 43 DSLR from Olympus.
How many years ago was that discontinued?
E-M1 UI/Ergonomics are pretty darn good I would say. Considerable improvement over the E-M5 for sure.
But…it matches my wallet.
But the Elite Pro E-M5 has been out for months?
http://www.olympus.com.au/Learn-Explore/Latest-News/Olympus-Announces-New-OM-D-E-M5-PRO-Kit
http://www.cambuy.com.au/olympus-om-d-e-m5-pro-kit-with-12-40mm-lens-black/
I guess they didn’t have the 12-50 Elite edition available though.
There’s absolutely NOTHING “elite” about the 12-50mm.
Lipstick on a pig doesn’t really help.
12-50 is a cheap weathersealed kit lens with a very good macro function. It focuses very fast, acurate and silent. It has internal zoom and focus. IQ is not great, and its slow on the long end. But it’s the most versatile lens I’ve ever had. Elite in versatility I would say.
Useless kit, but if Olympus can squeeze more sales/profits out of this classic model, more power to them.
looks to me Olympus stop innovation post EM-1 and start being fashion accessorizing.
A strategy that doesn’t seem to be doing Apple any harm. They release a new iPhone and then completely stop innovating for the next 12 months.
Actually designing, building and testing the new iPhone doesn’t count towards innovation? Unless of course you assume that once a new model is due, it just falls from the sky.
Nothing at all innovative in the last iPhone iterations. Doubt there’s going to be anything in this one, either.
No, just a 64bit SOC that blew every other mobile processor into the weeds.
Uh, no. iPhone 5 doesn’t out-benchmark the latest Android phones.
And I own both a current Sharp Android based phone and an iPhone 5 so don’t accuse me of bias.
I was talking about when the 5S with A7 was first released.
64bit soc is sitting on your hands?
It isn’t really a new edition. It is the same as the limited-run E-M5 with the 12-40mm, just with a different (cheaper) lens. Same texture as the silver E-M5.
Looks to me more like they want sell old stock first and tags such as “Limited”, “Elite” usually sell.
Wow! Impressive.
That’s real innovation!
😛
yes i am fookin overwhelmed too hehe
Shame the micro sensor is not so elite. Is there any surprise why tiny four thirds (not so tiny prices) has failed to take off. I’d give it a maximum of 5 years. Then all the 4 thirds uses can move onto a Nikon 1 as they always state that sensor size doesn’t matter.
no we will move to cellphones then lol
Nikon will be in trouble by that point. Sony might take over but it probably won’t be with FE mount – it’s got its share of problems with resolution at short focal lengths. But kudos to them for trying.
They have already started doing that. Curved sensor tech is coming to FF they are promising. Guess who wont make any lenses to take advantage of it…
By the time m43 disappears, Sony will have introduced 6 new, ill-supported camera mounts.
Flagged as a troll.
Odd. I have the Nikon V1 and I love it for different reasons but I haven’t sold off my EM5. I guess for humans — unlike trolls — there is always a place for different formats.
Troll. If you can’t take compelling pictures with m 4/3 gear then the problem is you. Plenty of us can do so just fine.
Really innovative.
I gues the have some surplus of Silver E-M5 faux leather grips laying around.
where is the promised Akiho Yoshizawa free photoshoot coupon?
So they put the texture from the silver EM-5 on the black one and call it “new”….
Someone messed up the parts orders, now they are getting rid of the leftovers.
A great excuse to release a groundbreaking firmware update that will make people forget this actually isn’t really a new camera body.
Where is the elite firmware to match.
Wait & see. Who knows, we might be surprised yet, but the ‘Elite’ Pro kit came with an update earlier this year so that might be all we will get for that (E-M5) model perhaps. If anything happens it might be this week or maybe later, but…….. I guess we will find out.
Um, this has been in the shops for months.
With the 12-40 pro lens it has, but not with 12-50 lens.
http://www.digidirect.com.au/slr_cameras/olympus/olympus_om-d_e-m5_elite_with_m_zuiko_digital_ed_12-40mm_f28_pro_lens
Why would any sane person want the 12-50?! 🙂
Well… It’s cheap, doesn’t extend for focus or zoom, has a good macrofunction and is weathersealed.
Reasons enough me thinks.
Cheap, does many things, decent macro function. It’s not a bad lens at all at its price point.
“only difference with the “normal” E-M5 is the texture of the body”
A real breakthrough in material science, you will be charged less than five hundred for it.
At least it means Olympus doesn’t discontinue the model and they probably may issue other firmwares for it…
Poor little sensor… Little, overpriced and old. Geeks are going to suffer. Photogs won’t bother because they use other formats.
Citation needed.
Admin. I think you meant that it comes with the pro 12-40 f/1.8. http://asia.olympus-imaging.com/products/dslr/em5/feature/06/
That would make more sense, and I’m sure you meant 2.8.
LOL. I did indeed.
Sorry guys (I suggest women are not really interessted in the content here), but it´s one of the funniest forums I´ve ever seen. People are complaining about ‘no innovation’ or ‘still no successor’ for a two year old!!! camera – which is by the way still one of the best mirrorless system cameras on the market. Maybe it’s all about humor and I don’t get it?
Is anyone a photographer here?
Cheers…
I’ve only had mine for about a year and half. Personally, I don’t mind if I wait longer for the successor. I want to make sure I get my money’s worth out of the current version. And I won’t buy the new one right away either.
I 100% agree.