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Olympus E-5 reviews
You can find here the most interesting reviews / ratings from the well-known expert sites about the Olympus E-5 Camera. Here are the reviewers:
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- 03 February 2011 - |
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- 4 |
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- 31 January 2011 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 25 January 2011 - |
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- 4 |
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- 18 January 2011 - |
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- 0 |
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- 12 January 2011 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 22 December 2010 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 20 December 2010 - |
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- 4 |
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- 11 October 2010 - |
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- 0 |
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- 14 September 2010 - |
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- 0 |
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- 14 September 2010 - |
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- 0 |
DPReview 's conclusion / rating - 03 February 2011 |
“ One of the initial promises of the Four Thirds system was that it would make camera bodies and lenses smaller. This has come true to an extent, but mainly for lenses. There is no denying, for example, that the super compact 9-18mm f/4-5.6 is much smaller and much lighter than an 18-36mm lens of the same nominal aperture range would be for a full-frame system, and the same goes for lenses such as the excellent 12-60mm f/2.8-4. Depth of field is a separate issue, but purely in terms of coverage, Olympus's Four Thirds lenses are generally smaller and more compact than equivalents designed for APS-C or full-frame systems. However, despite their smaller sensors, the top-end Four Thirds DSLRs - the E-1, E-30, E-3 and E-5 - have all been big, heavy, and comparatively expensive for their specification.
In terms of bulk, the E-5 is comparable with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, which sports a sensor four times as large. Obviously the 5D II costs a lot more, but for the extra money you get more pixels, better high ISO image quality, better dynamic range, and a considerably better video mode. Yet the E-5 isn't a 'budget' camera - it is closer in cost to the Nikon D7000, Pentax K-5 and Canon EOS 7D (albeit more expensive than than all of them). Like the 5D II, the D7000, K-5 and 7D offer more versatile sensors, as well as plenty of customization and a degree of weatherproofing.
So what is the E-5? Ultimately, as we said in the introduction to this review, it is a camera aimed squarely at the Four Thirds faithful - those photographers with a solid investment in the system that can't, or simply don't want to abandon it. We suspect that this narrow band of consumers will be extremely happy with the E-5, and they should be. The E-5 is a tough and capable camera that is fun to shoot with, and makes a very agreeable companion for Olympus's excellent range of lenses. However almost a decade after the inception of the Four Thirds system, the E-5 isn't the game-changer that we always hoped Olympus might come up with. Arguably, that was the PEN series... ”
Complete review here
LetsGoDigital 's conclusion / rating - 31 January 2011 |
“ Olympus photographers that have invested in the Four Thirds system will be able to keep shooting at the highest level. Pure reliability and stability are the key words to use for the E-5. Photographers with videographer tendencies might look at the competition or focus on a second Micro Four Thirds system camera. Shooting video with a DSLR or system camera is making great headway, but the E-5 will not get to experience that. Olympus is focused on pure photography with the E-5 and that will surely be received warmly by the photographers’ legion... ”
LetsGoDigital's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
TrustedReviews 's conclusion / rating - 25 January 2011 |
“ It seems something of a shame that Olympus' hand may be forced to quit the DSLR market in the near future and concentrate on the burgeoning compact system camera market instead. But, with such great success with its Pen range, including the E-PL2 which we hope to be able to bring you a review of in due course, and massive competition at the high-end of the market from Canon, Nikon and Sony, it's certainly a sensible business decision.
Ultimately, though, if this is the company's last DSLR outing, at least it has saved the best until last. It's well built, easy to use and can produce some great results. Unfortunately, that's the bare minimum for a high-end DSLR and while there are still plenty of lenses and attachments for the Four Thirds system, we couldn't in all conscience recommend the E-5 as a system camera you might want to get into from scratch - at least not at its £1,500 launch price. There are simply better options for around £1,000, the Canon 60D and Nikon D7000 both being obvious examples.
If, however, you're already furnished with a host of compatible lenses and accessories, the E-5 will undoubtedly be a welcome upgrade just as soon as the price drops a bit... ”
TrustedReviews's rating: |
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- 4 |
Complete review here
Pdnonline 's conclusion / rating - 18 January 2011 |
“ There’s a lot to like on the 12.3MP Olympus E-5, much of it carried over from its predecessor, including a tough but comfortable weatherized build, blazing fast autofocus speed when paired with Olympus’ Zuiko lenses, and some of the best image quality I’ve seen when shooting in good light. At the same time, this long-awaited camera is a surprisingly cautious follow-up to the E-3, with the addition of a 720p HD movie feature and a slight increase in resolution as the two main new features. And while Olympus has improved the low-light shooting capabilities of the E-5, the quality of the camera’s high ISO images lag behind the competition... ”
Complete review here
PhotoReview 's conclusion / rating - 12 January 2011 |
“ The market position of the E-5 puts it squarely into the serious enthusiast/pro-sumer category, making it unlikely this camera would be a first choice of a newcomer to DSLR photography. However, it will have some real appeal to owners of Olympus mid-level DSLRs who are looking to upgrade because it offers visibly superior performance... ”
PhotoReview's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
PhotographyBLOG 's conclusion / rating - 22 December 2010 |
“ The Olympus E-5 is an exceptionally well-built and rugged digital SLR camera that is a joy to use and produces remarkably crisp images with great colours, and resolution that defies its pixel count. The tank-like build, chunky hand-grip, ultra-fast AF system and excellent viewfinder - all inherited from its predecessor, the Olympus E-3 - made for a great shooting experience, while the large, high-res articulated LCD screen proved to be a godsend when working on a tripod or shooting hand-held above the head or near the ground. Some of the innovations first introduced with the E-30 - and thus absent from the older E-3 -, such as AF fine tuning and a dual-axis electronic level gauge, are among the most welcome improvements, too.
Having said that, Olympus did miss a golden opportunity to get rid of a few ergonomic glitches and usability handicaps that plagued the E-3: the multi-purpose buttons will still drive new users crazy in the first weeks, the dual-card concept is still poorly implemented with no instant back-up or automatic overflow options, and there is still no electronic focus confirmation available when using legacy lenses, unless you buy a "chipped" third-party adapter. Plus, the otherwise welcome increase in the size of the rear LCD monitor has led to a poorer placement of some buttons and the loss of a memory card door lock and physical IS button.
In terms of image quality, there is a marked improvement over the E-3 thanks to a somewhat higher-resolution sensor and a weaker anti-aliasing filter. From ISO 100 through ISO 800, IQ is arguably superior to some of the APS-C competition, owing to an unusually crisp rendering of fine micro-detail that reaches nearly Foveon-esque levels with the Noise Filter turned off. Above ISO 1600, the situation is reversed as the Olympus E-5 cannot keep up with the likes of the Nikon D7000 and the Pentax K-5, which remain perfectly usable up to ISO 6400 and beyond, where the E-5 simply can’t follow them. Thus, from an IQ point of view, the choice boils down to where the bulk of your shooting takes place.
As far as video goes, well, it is a mixed bag. We liked the manual exposure option and the quasi-dedicated movie shutter button, as well as the clean, high-quality footage produced. On the other hand the limitations imposed on video resolution, frame rate and recording time are all pretty incomprehensible given the pro status of the camera, and the "rolling shutter" effects are more pronounced on the E-5 than some competing models. The ability to apply Art Filters to video is great, though.
Overall, the Olympus E-5 is an excellent camera and clearly the best Four Thirds DSLR to date. Its weakest point is the eye-watering price tag of £1499/$1699 for the body only, which is higher than that of any of the main competitors (and not much lower than that of the 24-megapixel, full-frame Sony A850). Granted, the E-5’s feature set as a whole is somewhat unique but it would be surprising to see masses of Canon, Nikon or Pentax users switch systems at that price, especially given that there are some highly capable cameras in their own systems available for considerably less money. If you are already a Four Thirds user though, we can highly recommend the Olympus E-5 to you - it’s simply the best companion for your Zuiko Digital lenses... ”
PhotographyBLOG's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
Pocket-lint 's conclusion / rating - 20 December 2010 |
“ In truth and partly because of the set-up cost from scratch, we can’t envisage new adopters flocking to the Olympus E-5 in significant numbers and, particularly as it is not being offered bundled with any kit lens, it will best suit those upgrading from the E-1 or E-3.
That said, as the E-5 appears to be more an evolution of its existing E-3 owners might also want to consider the likes of an E-PL1 if they want an Olympus feel, less bulk, and a camera that feels a little more in line with current thinking and future development. We do like the E-5, but in a tough present climate we’re just wondering who else will... ”
Pocket-lint's rating: |
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- 4 |
Complete review here
Steves Digicams 's conclusion / rating - 11 October 2010 |
“ Overall, we truly enjoyed using the E-5. This is a very capable camera that is sure to please those who demand the performance and versatility that we expect from mid to high-end dSLR models. The added dust and water resistance offered by the E-5 only sweetens the deal. My only real grips with the E-5 were the slower transition from one exposure mode to another right after an image is captured, some of the annoying background noise that was picked up by the built-in microphone, and the pretty much unusable ISO 6400 setting. That said, with a MSRP of $1699.99 US, the E-5 is competitively priced for a camera in this category. Be sure to check out our unedited sample photos to judge the E-5's image quality for yourself... ”
Steves Digicams's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
Imaging Resource 's conclusion / rating - 14 September 2010 |
“ Even a short time spent with the Olympus E-5 is enough to remind me that Olympus pro cameras are serious photographic tools. It's the little things that matter a lot. Mirror blackout time with the E-5, for example, is brief, which I find an essential factor, especially when shooting portraits. When what you're capturing are mere moments, and when expressions change in each moment, keeping contact with your subject is very important, and the Olympus E-5's rapid return mirror allows that.
Shooting with the 12-60mm f/2.8-4 zoom lens is indeed a dream. I can't be sure if it's actually the fastest lens I've used, but I use plenty of pro lenses on most major camera systems, and this lens surprised me sometimes by how quickly it found sharp focus. It's about as quiet as Canon's ultrasonic motor lenses, only making a sound at the start and stop of the motor's motion.
I also found myself doing a double-take at the Olympus E-5's gorgeous screen. It wasn't just the Live View and Playback images that impressed, but seeing Olympus' menu displayed with such fine precision after so many years of their lower-resolution displays was refreshing. The rear LCD is also very usable outdoors or in, and though I find the light sensor dims the sensor too much for proper judging of images indoors, outdoor contrast and quality is excellent
... ”
Imaging Resource's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
DCResource 's conclusion / rating - 14 September 2010 |
“ Like all of the D-SLRs above, the E-5's proprietary battery has a few issues worth mentioning. For one, they're expensive, with an extra BLM-5 probably priced at around $50. Second, should the BLM-5 run out of juice, you can't use an off-the-shelf battery to get you through the day, as you could with a camera that uses AA batteries. But here's one piece of good news: if you pick up the optional battery grip (shown below), you can use AA's if you wish... ”
Complete review here
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