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Olympus OM-D EM-5 review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £1149
inc VAT

One of the best compact system cameras to date, but there are some weaker areas that we'd struggle to accept at this price

Specifications

17.3x13mm 16.0-megapixel sensor, 4.2x zoom (24-100mm equivalent), 636g

http://www.jessops.com
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The E-M5 sailed through our image quality tests. There’s something subtly brilliant about the colour processing in Olympus’s PEN cameras, and the E-M5 was no different, giving JPEGs a rich, almost radiant glow. Details were extremely crisp but we did spot some evidence of noise reduction smoothing over subtle textures, even in brightly lit shots. The lack of in-camera chromatic aberration removal is disappointing, especially as Panasonic’s Micro Four Thirds cameras routinely employ it, but there was rarely any sign of chromatic aberrations from the kit lens anyhow.

Olympus OM-D EM-5 sample shots
Details are razor sharp, and we love Olympus’s ability to capture lush, vibrant colours without making skin tones look overcooked – click to enlarge

Olympus OM-D EM-5 sample shots
This photo is reasonably detailed but it looks to us like noise reduction has glossed over the foliage a little – click to enlarge

Noise levels at fast ISO speeds weren’t as low as from the Sony NEX-7, which uses a bigger APS-C sensor, but they were significantly lower than from the Olympus Pen E-PL3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1. This is without doubt the best Micro Four Thirds camera to date for image quality.

Olympus OM-D EM-5 sample shots
It doesn’t break records for noise levels, but reasonably clean skin tones from a Micro Four Thirds sensor at ISO 1600 is a fine achievement – click to enlarge

We can’t remember the last time a camera has been so eagerly anticipated, so we feel like killjoys for reporting that we’re a little disappointed by the E-M5. There’s a lot that we love about it, but we found it a little awkward to use. Not everyone is as picky, and we can see why it’s picking up awards left, right and centre. The Sony NEX-7 has its own strengths and weaknesses but it remains our favourite premium CSC.

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Basic Specifications

Rating ****
CCD effective megapixels 16.0 megapixels
CCD size 17.3x13mm
Viewfinder electronic (1,440,000 pixels)
Viewfinder magnification, coverage 1.15x, 100%
LCD screen size 3.0in
LCD screen resolution 610,000 pixels
Articulated screen Yes
Live view Yes
Optical zoom 4.2x
Zoom 35mm equivalent 24-100mm
Image stabilisation optical, sensor shift
Maximum image resolution 4,608×3,456
File formats JPEG, RAW; QuickTime (AVC), AVI (M-JPEG)

Physical

Memory slot SDXC
Mermory supplied none
Battery type Li-ion
Battery Life (tested) 330 shots
Connectivity USB, AV, micro HDMI
Body material magnesium alloy
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds
Focal length multiplier 2.0x
Kit lens model name M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm 1:3.5-6.3 EZ
Accessories USB and AV cables
Weight 636g
Size 90x122x131mm

Buying Information

Warranty one year RTB
Price £1,149
Supplier http://www.jessops.com
Details www.olympus.co.uk

Camera Controls

Exposure modes program, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual
Shutter speed 60 to 1/4,000 seconds
Aperture range f/3.5-22 (wide), f/6.3-22 (tele)
ISO range (at full resolution) 200 to 25600
Exposure compensation +/-3 EV
White balance auto, 7 presets with fine tuning, 2 manual, Kelvin
Additional image controls contrast, saturation, sharpness, graduation, noise reduction, colour space, shading compensation
Manual focus Yes
Closest macro focus 20cm
Auto-focus modes multi, flexible spot, face detect
Metering modes multi, centre-weighted, centre, face detect
Flash auto, forced, suppressed, slow synchro, rear curtain, red-eye reduction
Drive modes single, continuous, self-timer, AE bracket, WB bracket, ISO bracket, multiple exposure

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Reviews | DSLRs