Olympus OM-D E-M5 Silver

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The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera sports the popular mirrorless technology that allows for a light and compact body. More than that, however, the OM-D E-M5 is an outstanding camera that provides you with tools like an electronic eye-level viewfinder, a 120 fps refresh rate, a tilting 3.0" OLED touchscreen monitor, 16Mp of resolution, and - of course - an ever-expanding array of compatible lens options. All these factors boil down to a camera that's easier to transport than the average DSLR, yet puts multiple creative choices, and numerous other high-end features and functions, at your disposal.

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• High Resolution 1.4million dot EVF, with a 120 fps refresh rate, is a 100% accurate
• 16 megapixel live-mos sensor & truepic vi image processor
• World's fastest autofocus
• In-body image stabilization
• 3" 610,000 dot tilt/touch oled
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• #345,684 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• #345,684 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• #1,040 in Mirrorless Cameras
• #1,040 in Mirrorless Cameras
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• if(window.ue) { ue.count("DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount", 0) } <img src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default.png"/>Robbster5.0 out of 5 stars Yep, OMD makes micro Four Thirds a legit replacement for DSLR Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2012Style: Body OnlyColor: SilverSet: US VersionVerified Purchase (function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } **************Update 2014-05-02 OMD EM5 with the Oly 12-40 f2.8 zoom************The Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 zoom is a fabulous complement to the OMD EM5! Outstanding build quality, sharp as a tack across the zoom range, elegant to operate, extends the UI of your camera with another Fn button. Olympus M Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro Interchangeable LensAdding 1-2 stops of speed across this zoom range vs. options like the 12-50 kit lens makes a night and day difference for my everyday shooting, while the convenience to frame via zoom vs. primes has always been a strong preference of mine going back to film days, and now I can do so without compromise as function of focal length. Cool! Indoors, I get way more flexibility in shutter speed (isolate action, avoid blur) and/or ISO (reduce noise). Outdoors, I can play with DOF more without resorting to primes, and can shoot at really low ISO for lowest possible noise. While I knew intellectually that this would be the case, the *degree* to which this lens opens the operating window of my OMD under a wide range of shooting conditions is just remarkable. It's like I was sitting on the head of a pin with some of the other lenses I own, without much room to move before making a big compromise in image quality (e.g., too slow shutter, too high ISO). I'm using my OMD more a result, and having more fun to boot!Regarding lenses I'll now sell as a result of this purchase, here is the low down: Selling my Sigma 19mm f2.8, Sigma 30mm f2.8 (both very nice primes), the Oly 12-50 kit lens, and my Oly 9-18mm wide angle zoom. Will keep my long zooms, the Oly 14-150 and 75-300 for those occasions when long zoom is needed, and my Pany 14mm f2.5 as my most compact option for those times when total size of camera+lens matters. The one other purchase I am still considering is Oly's new compact zoom, for street shooting and vacation photos in bright light.But if I could only have one lens to use with the OMD, this would be it for me!*********************** Original Review ******************************First, I'm old enough to remember the original film OMD's and I truly love the retro styling and look of the Silver OMD EM5. A huge bonus for me in the coolness department was that all my son's 16 year old friends raved about how it looked as well. As I say, bonus points!So, what makes this a legit replacement for a (much larger) DSLR?The biggest one is this: for a similar learning investment in the OMD, you can get image quality quite comparable to a DSLR in many circumstances, with a much easier to carry and use kit that also wins you style points.Specifically:*Image Quality - incredibly close to APS-C sensors in DSLRs in resolution and low light performance. The bigger difference now is what lenses you use, and how well do you know how to shoot photos vs. sensor size for IQ.*AF Speed - equal in good light, and once you learn the tricks to a contrast detection AF system, you can make it work well just about anywhere.*Size - a big win! The best camera is the one you have with you, as the saying goes, and for most folks, the OMD is going to go more places, and be more socially acceptable to use, than a DSLR.*Lens Selection - Fast primes, fast zooms, super zooms, wide zooms, just about every niche is now filled, AND the rapid growth of micro four thirds camera sales is attracting even more lens development, meaning selection will grow even more rapidly.Additional OMD delighters*Best Micro Four Thirds camera for stills*Build quality and feel*Great manual controls combined with touch screen*Battery life*Micro Four Thirds ecosystem of lenses, backup bodies and accessoriesLimitations*Learning to shoot really fast moving subjects with CD AF. Can be done, but you have to learn a few tricks.*Menu complexity - you have to master the menus a bit to get the most out of the OMD, as it is not really a P&S replacement unless you are really ready to step up and learn the basics of photography including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and Depth of Field relationships plus some translations of these into the digital world and the Olympus menus. Worth the effort, but there is a learning curve.*Very good video, but NOT the top m43 choice if video is your TOP priority, that would go to Panasonic GH2/GX1 and their lens ecosystem.Recommended lenses*The kit lens is only so so. OK for the price difference in kit vs. body only, but in general if you want this camera, you'll also want one or more additional lenses to get the most out of it depending on what kinds of shooting you do:Some lens perspective from another post of mine, below, so you can see what I've chosen and why...I'd like to present an alternative trinity of prime lenses below, with costs new on Amazon US as point of reference and a bit about why I chose them. I own two of these three.Pany 14mm f2.5 ($280 vs. $799 for 12mm f2) - own it - my fast wide prime for indoor groupsPanasonic Lumix 14mm f/2.5 G Aspherical Lens for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens CamerasSigma 19mm f2.8 ($199 vs. $799 for 25mm f1.4) - own it - my street/night/candid prime and most used lens overallSigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN -Micro 4/3 400963Sigma 30 mm f2.8 ($199 vs. $399 for 45mm f1.8) - my choice for a candid portrait/more tightly framed street shotsSigma 30mm F2.8 EX DN- Micro 4/3 330963Total cost $678 vs. $1997.I especially like the Sigma's, they are sharp, very fast to AF on the OMD, high quality and generally underrated, at least by some folks.Not to say that Jim's original trinity might not be better for your needs, rather, just sharing another option for your consideration, one with high IQ, bit different focal lengths, perhaps less panache' but much lower costs.Zooms:My keepers:Oly 9-18mm - wide landscape/day/crowded street shootingOlympus M ED 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 micro Four Thirds Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Third Interchangeable Lens Digital CameraOly 14-150mm - my casual/travel/daylight walk around zoom, my copy just a bit soft wide open, good from about 20mm on, mounted on my OMD most often other than the Sigma 19mm. Got this as part of an EPL1 kit for less than the cost of the lens alone, which provided me with both the lens I wanted, and a "free" backup camera emoticon - grin.Olympus ED 14-150mm f/4.0-5.6 micro Four Thirds Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Third Interchangeable Lens Digital CameraOly 75-300mm - long/super zoom. What a great FUN lens to have in my kit. 600mm equivalent in good light rocks!Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8 Lens for Olympus Pen Cameras, Micro Four-Thirds Mount CamerasKit Zooms:Oly 12-50mm - first shots with this were unimpressive, but plan to use it more now that I'm more fluent with the OMD and see what the actual quality is. Potential replacement: Pany X 12-35mm f2.8Oly 14-42mm compact zoom - everyday lens for the EPL1. Potential replacement (to create an even more compact backup kit): Pany X 14-42 pancake zoom, but ONLY when blurriness issues are fully resolved!Bought and SoldPany 20mm f1.7 - great on my original m4/3 kit (Pany GF1 and GH1), but AF speed and reliability in low light were too frustrating on the OMD. Like the Sigma 19mm MUCH better.Oly 40-150mm - very nice IQ, excellent value for the price, but not flexible enough for me compared to the 14-150.Oly 14-54 FT + Adapter - great, fairly fast short zoom lens, again, just too slow to AF, and too big and heavy on m4/3 body.If you get an OMD, have fun selecting your glass, you can create a very high quality, flexible, and portable digital camera kit that is customized to your needs and shooting style. Read more 48 people found this helpful Helpful Report
• Robbster
• 5.0 out of 5 stars
• Yep, OMD makes micro Four Thirds a legit replacement for DSLR
• Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2012
• Style: Body OnlyColor: SilverSet: US Version
• Verified Purchase
• **************Update 2014-05-02 OMD EM5 with the Oly 12-40 f2.8 zoom************The Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 zoom is a fabulous complement to the OMD EM5! Outstanding build quality, sharp as a tack across the zoom range, elegant to operate, extends the UI of your camera with another Fn button. Olympus M Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro Interchangeable LensAdding 1-2 stops of speed across this zoom range vs. options like the 12-50 kit lens makes a night and day difference for my everyday shooting, while the convenience to frame via zoom vs. primes has always been a strong preference of mine going back to film days, and now I can do so without compromise as function of focal length. Cool! Indoors, I get way more flexibility in shutter speed (isolate action, avoid blur) and/or ISO (reduce noise). Outdoors, I can play with DOF more without resorting to primes, and can shoot at really low ISO for lowest possible noise. While I knew intellectually that this would be the case, the *degree* to which this lens opens the operating window of my OMD under a wide range of shooting conditions is just remarkable. It's like I was sitting on the head of a pin with some of the other lenses I own, without much room to move before making a big compromise in image quality (e.g., too slow shutter, too high ISO). I'm using my OMD more a result, and having more fun to boot!Regarding lenses I'll now sell as a result of this purchase, here is the low down: Selling my Sigma 19mm f2.8, Sigma 30mm f2.8 (both very nice primes), the Oly 12-50 kit lens, and my Oly 9-18mm wide angle zoom. Will keep my long zooms, the Oly 14-150 and 75-300 for those occasions when long zoom is needed, and my Pany 14mm f2.5 as my most compact option for those times when total size of camera+lens matters. The one other purchase I am still considering is Oly's new compact zoom, for street shooting and vacation photos in bright light.But if I could only have one lens to use with the OMD, this would be it for me!*********************** Original Review ******************************First, I'm old enough to remember the original film OMD's and I truly love the retro styling and look of the Silver OMD EM5. A huge bonus for me in the coolness department was that all my son's 16 year old friends raved about how it looked as well. As I say, bonus points!So, what makes this a legit replacement for a (much larger) DSLR?The biggest one is this: for a similar learning investment in the OMD, you can get image quality quite comparable to a DSLR in many circumstances, with a much easier to carry and use kit that also wins you style points.Specifically:*Image Quality - incredibly close to APS-C sensors in DSLRs in resolution and low light performance. The bigger difference now is what lenses you use, and how well do you know how to shoot photos vs. sensor size for IQ.*AF Speed - equal in good light, and once you learn the tricks to a contrast detection AF system, you can make it work well just about anywhere.*Size - a big win! The best camera is the one you have with you, as the saying goes, and for most folks, the OMD is going to go more places, and be more socially acceptable to use, than a DSLR.*Lens Selection - Fast primes, fast zooms, super zooms, wide zooms, just about every niche is now filled, AND the rapid growth of micro four thirds camera sales is attracting even more lens development, meaning selection will grow even more rapidly.Additional OMD delighters*Best Micro Four Thirds camera for stills*Build quality and feel*Great manual controls combined with touch screen*Battery life*Micro Four Thirds ecosystem of lenses, backup bodies and accessoriesLimitations*Learning to shoot really fast moving subjects with CD AF. Can be done, but you have to learn a few tricks.*Menu complexity - you have to master the menus a bit to get the most out of the OMD, as it is not really a P&S replacement unless you are really ready to step up and learn the basics of photography including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and Depth of Field relationships plus some translations of these into the digital world and the Olympus menus. Worth the effort, but there is a learning curve.*Very good video, but NOT the top m43 choice if video is your TOP priority, that would go to Panasonic GH2/GX1 and their lens ecosystem.Recommended lenses*The kit lens is only so so. OK for the price difference in kit vs. body only, but in general if you want this camera, you'll also want one or more additional lenses to get the most out of it depending on what kinds of shooting you do:Some lens perspective from another post of mine, below, so you can see what I've chosen and why...I'd like to present an alternative trinity of prime lenses below, with costs new on Amazon US as point of reference and a bit about why I chose them. I own two of these three.Pany 14mm f2.5 ($280 vs. $799 for 12mm f2) - own it - my fast wide prime for indoor groupsPanasonic Lumix 14mm f/2.5 G Aspherical Lens for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens CamerasSigma 19mm f2.8 ($199 vs. $799 for 25mm f1.4) - own it - my street/night/candid prime and most used lens overallSigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN -Micro 4/3 400963Sigma 30 mm f2.8 ($199 vs. $399 for 45mm f1.8) - my choice for a candid portrait/more tightly framed street shotsSigma 30mm F2.8 EX DN- Micro 4/3 330963Total cost $678 vs. $1997.I especially like the Sigma's, they are sharp, very fast to AF on the OMD, high quality and generally underrated, at least by some folks.Not to say that Jim's original trinity might not be better for your needs, rather, just sharing another option for your consideration, one with high IQ, bit different focal lengths, perhaps less panache' but much lower costs.Zooms:My keepers:Oly 9-18mm - wide landscape/day/crowded street shootingOlympus M ED 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 micro Four Thirds Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Third Interchangeable Lens Digital CameraOly 14-150mm - my casual/travel/daylight walk around zoom, my copy just a bit soft wide open, good from about 20mm on, mounted on my OMD most often other than the Sigma 19mm. Got this as part of an EPL1 kit for less than the cost of the lens alone, which provided me with both the lens I wanted, and a "free" backup camera emoticon - grin.Olympus ED 14-150mm f/4.0-5.6 micro Four Thirds Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Third Interchangeable Lens Digital CameraOly 75-300mm - long/super zoom. What a great FUN lens to have in my kit. 600mm equivalent in good light rocks!Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8 Lens for Olympus Pen Cameras, Micro Four-Thirds Mount CamerasKit Zooms:Oly 12-50mm - first shots with this were unimpressive, but plan to use it more now that I'm more fluent with the OMD and see what the actual quality is. Potential replacement: Pany X 12-35mm f2.8Oly 14-42mm compact zoom - everyday lens for the EPL1. Potential replacement (to create an even more compact backup kit): Pany X 14-42 pancake zoom, but ONLY when blurriness issues are fully resolved!Bought and SoldPany 20mm f1.7 - great on my original m4/3 kit (Pany GF1 and GH1), but AF speed and reliability in low light were too frustrating on the OMD. Like the Sigma 19mm MUCH better.Oly 40-150mm - very nice IQ, excellent value for the price, but not flexible enough for me compared to the 14-150.Oly 14-54 FT + Adapter - great, fairly fast short zoom lens, again, just too slow to AF, and too big and heavy on m4/3 body.If you get an OMD, have fun selecting your glass, you can create a very high quality, flexible, and portable digital camera kit that is customized to your needs and shooting style. Read more
• **************Update 2014-05-02 OMD EM5 with the Oly 12-40 f2.8 zoom************The Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 zoom is a fabulous complement to the OMD EM5! Outstanding build quality, sharp as a tack across the zoom range, elegant to operate, extends the UI of your camera with another Fn button. Olympus M Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro Interchangeable LensAdding 1-2 stops of speed across this zoom range vs. options like the 12-50 kit lens makes a night and day difference for my everyday shooting, while the convenience to frame via zoom vs. primes has always been a strong preference of mine going back to film days, and now I can do so without compromise as function of focal length. Cool! Indoors, I get way more flexibility in shutter speed (isolate action, avoid blur) and/or ISO (reduce noise). Outdoors, I can play with DOF more without resorting to primes, and can shoot at really low ISO for lowest possible noise. While I knew intellectually that this would be the case, the *degree* to which this lens opens the operating window of my OMD under a wide range of shooting conditions is just remarkable. It's like I was sitting on the head of a pin with some of the other lenses I own, without much room to move before making a big compromise in image quality (e.g., too slow shutter, too high ISO). I'm using my OMD more a result, and having more fun to boot!Regarding lenses I'll now sell as a result of this purchase, here is the low down: Selling my Sigma 19mm f2.8, Sigma 30mm f2.8 (both very nice primes), the Oly 12-50 kit lens, and my Oly 9-18mm wide angle zoom. Will keep my long zooms, the Oly 14-150 and 75-300 for those occasions when long zoom is needed, and my Pany 14mm f2.5 as my most compact option for those times when total size of camera+lens matters. The one other purchase I am still considering is Oly's new compact zoom, for street shooting and vacation photos in bright light.But if I could only have one lens to use with the OMD, this would be it for me!*********************** Original Review ******************************First, I'm old enough to remember the original film OMD's and I truly love the retro styling and look of the Silver OMD EM5. A huge bonus for me in the coolness department was that all my son's 16 year old friends raved about how it looked as well. As I say, bonus points!So, what makes this a legit replacement for a (much larger) DSLR?The biggest one is this: for a similar learning investment in the OMD, you can get image quality quite comparable to a DSLR in many circumstances, with a much easier to carry and use kit that also wins you style points.Specifically:*Image Quality - incredibly close to APS-C sensors in DSLRs in resolution and low light performance. The bigger difference now is what lenses you use, and how well do you know how to shoot photos vs. sensor size for IQ.*AF Speed - equal in good light, and once you learn the tricks to a contrast detection AF system, you can make it work well just about anywhere.*Size - a big win! The best camera is the one you have with you, as the saying goes, and for most folks, the OMD is going to go more places, and be more socially acceptable to use, than a DSLR.*Lens Selection - Fast primes, fast zooms, super zooms, wide zooms, just about every niche is now filled, AND the rapid growth of micro four thirds camera sales is attracting even more lens development, meaning selection will grow even more rapidly.Additional OMD delighters*Best Micro Four Thirds camera for stills*Build quality and feel*Great manual controls combined with touch screen*Battery life*Micro Four Thirds ecosystem of lenses, backup bodies and accessoriesLimitations*Learning to shoot really fast moving subjects with CD AF. Can be done, but you have to learn a few tricks.*Menu complexity - you have to master the menus a bit to get the most out of the OMD, as it is not really a P&S replacement unless you are really ready to step up and learn the basics of photography including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and Depth of Field relationships plus some translations of these into the digital world and the Olympus menus. Worth the effort, but there is a learning curve.*Very good video, but NOT the top m43 choice if video is your TOP priority, that would go to Panasonic GH2/GX1 and their lens ecosystem.Recommended lenses*The kit lens is only so so. OK for the price difference in kit vs. body only, but in general if you want this camera, you'll also want one or more additional lenses to get the most out of it depending on what kinds of shooting you do:Some lens perspective from another post of mine, below, so you can see what I've chosen and why...I'd like to present an alternative trinity of prime lenses below, with costs new on Amazon US as point of reference and a bit about why I chose them. I own two of these three.Pany 14mm f2.5 ($280 vs. $799 for 12mm f2) - own it - my fast wide prime for indoor groupsPanasonic Lumix 14mm f/2.5 G Aspherical Lens for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens CamerasSigma 19mm f2.8 ($199 vs. $799 for 25mm f1.4) - own it - my street/night/candid prime and most used lens overallSigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN -Micro 4/3 400963Sigma 30 mm f2.8 ($199 vs. $399 for 45mm f1.8) - my choice for a candid portrait/more tightly framed street shotsSigma 30mm F2.8 EX DN- Micro 4/3 330963Total cost $678 vs. $1997.I especially like the Sigma's, they are sharp, very fast to AF on the OMD, high quality and generally underrated, at least by some folks.Not to say that Jim's original trinity might not be better for your needs, rather, just sharing another option for your consideration, one with high IQ, bit different focal lengths, perhaps less panache' but much lower costs.Zooms:My keepers:Oly 9-18mm - wide landscape/day/crowded street shootingOlympus M ED 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 micro Four Thirds Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Third Interchangeable Lens Digital CameraOly 14-150mm - my casual/travel/daylight walk around zoom, my copy just a bit soft wide open, good from about 20mm on, mounted on my OMD most often other than the Sigma 19mm. Got this as part of an EPL1 kit for less than the cost of the lens alone, which provided me with both the lens I wanted, and a "free" backup camera emoticon - grin.Olympus ED 14-150mm f/4.0-5.6 micro Four Thirds Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Third Interchangeable Lens Digital CameraOly 75-300mm - long/super zoom. What a great FUN lens to have in my kit. 600mm equivalent in good light rocks!Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8 Lens for Olympus Pen Cameras, Micro Four-Thirds Mount CamerasKit Zooms:Oly 12-50mm - first shots with this were unimpressive, but plan to use it more now that I'm more fluent with the OMD and see what the actual quality is. Potential replacement: Pany X 12-35mm f2.8Oly 14-42mm compact zoom - everyday lens for the EPL1. Potential replacement (to create an even more compact backup kit): Pany X 14-42 pancake zoom, but ONLY when blurriness issues are fully resolved!Bought and SoldPany 20mm f1.7 - great on my original m4/3 kit (Pany GF1 and GH1), but AF speed and reliability in low light were too frustrating on the OMD. Like the Sigma 19mm MUCH better.Oly 40-150mm - very nice IQ, excellent value for the price, but not flexible enough for me compared to the 14-150.Oly 14-54 FT + Adapter - great, fairly fast short zoom lens, again, just too slow to AF, and too big and heavy on m4/3 body.If you get an OMD, have fun selecting your glass, you can create a very high quality, flexible, and portable digital camera kit that is customized to your needs and shooting style.
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• if(window.ue) { ue.count("DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount", 0) } <img src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default.png"/>Chatoyer5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Camera Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2013Style: Body OnlyColor: SilverSet: US VersionVerified Purchase Some background: I started the m4/3s system with the Panasonic GX1, and I loved it. The only issue I had at first with it was the short bulb timer, prompting me to purchase an EPL-1 as well, simply for the 30 minute bulb(finding out it wasn't compatible with remotes was annoying, but that's neither here nor there.) I enjoyed the size, the quality of the prime lenses, the built in auto-bracketing etc. I also grew to love that the m4/3s allows adapting many excellent older MF lenses very cheaply; my brother has a slimmer budget than me and primarily uses adapted lenses.Still, I found low light, while much better than what I was used to before (unlike many of the reviews here, I came up from unsatisfactory P&S, not down/sidegrades from DSLRs) sometimes hard to use still, as many of my lenses didn't have OIS. I used a mix of primes and adapted lenses, and very little zooms:Native Primes:Rokinon FE75MFT-B 7.5mm F3.5 UMC Fisheye Lens for Micro Four Thirds (Olympus PEN and Panasonic) - This lens was very nice, my first MF lens, and didn't require much in the way of stabilization.Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Pancake Lens for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras - Loved this lens, works great on all 3 cameras.Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm/F2.8 ASPH Lens with MEGA OIS for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras This was a tough decision vs the Olympus one, but I decided I wanted this one for my 45mm focal length and Macro, instead of getting the 45 Oly and the 60 Oly, as I planned to get the next lens anyway:Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8 High-Grade Portrait Lens I tested this lens and immediately fell in love. I like the slightly telephoto length, the sharpness, the speed, everything. A bit heavy, but nothing that bothered me (as you'll see in the adapted primes below).Adapted Primes:Minolta Rokkor-X 50mm 1:1.4 manual focus lens This I bought mostly for fun and for the 1.4 speed. I liked the MF and I liked that it was 1.4. It has good image quality, though it has noticeable glow wide open. This can be adjusted post process, of course.Vivitar 200mm 1:3.5 f3.5 manual lens for Nikon SLR This is not quite the lens, but it is close. A 200mm f3.5 for Konica AR mount. It was pretty cheap, and I used it for birding; for me at least, it seemed I could get better shots manual focusing than using the zoom I have below on AF, and the MF of fly by wire ones are pretty slow. Has a similar glow issue wide open.Native Zooms:Panasonic 45-200mm f/4.0-5.6 Lumix G Vario MEGA OIS Zoom Micro Four Thirds Lens for Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds Cameras This is my only zoom, and it is very good. It has excellent image quality, and fast focus, but I don't use it as much as the manual prime I have above. Dunno why, maybe I'm doing something wrong.Now that I have that unnecessarily large description of my lenses out of the way, note that only 2 of my lenses have built in OIS, the two Panasonic ones excluding the 20mm. I'll make another note here that I purchased the EVF for the GX1, so when shooting between the GX1 and the EPL1, despite the EPL1 having IBIS, it seemed the GX1 was better because I could hold it to my face. The EPL1 may have beat it outside of that, but the GX1 also had better ISO performance, and more features I liked, like HDR.Then I started reading reviews and the like of the OMD-EM5, it's amazing low light performance, it's amazing IBIS, it's amazing noise even at higher ISOs, and wonderful jpegs straight from the camera. On the GX1, I mostly used raws and handled them in Photoshop. So, with a tax refund burning a hole in my pocket, and a new $900 75mm non OIS lens begging to have it's full potential used, I decided to try out the OMD-EM5. I was actually going more for the ISO noise and image quality, I didn't think too much of the IBIS, though it did help.I was shocked at just how good the IBIS once I got it. On the GX1, I could handhold up to 50mm at 1/15 of a second, though easier at 20mm. Still was a bit tricky sometimes, and I preferred using 1/20th+ if possible. The 200 required 1/125 or higher. With the EM5, The effort I use to get 1/15 shots are the same for 1/4 and below, whereas 1/6 and above seem pretty easy, as long as it isn't a moving target. I've gotten clean shots with a bit of practice at 1/1.3 as well, which blew my mind. When using the 200mm, I've gotten clear shots at dusk using 1/15th, which was unthinkable to me. It also helps with my 45, since it's a tad bit slower at 2.8 than some of my other primes.The ISO noise also was very nice, and I found I could take pictures of much darker scenes, simply because with combination of the above, I could use lower ISOs, and those ISOs had better noise control than the GX1. I also find myself using more images straight off the camera, as the quality and colors are better. I'm still sort of in the breaking in phase, but so far I haven't regretted it one bit. I love the built in viewfinder, I often found myself using it on the GX1 all the time anyway.The only down sides I see to upgrading (aside from potentially video, a feature I seldom use) is the portability the GX1 had. I don't like to use flash, but it was nice to have a popup one in case needed, and the size was very nice. Still, those tradeoffs were small compared to everything I gained on the OMD-EM5, which surprised me, as I already loved the GX1. At this point, I think I'm ready to sell or give away the GX1 and use the EPL1 or buy an LX7 if I need a truly portable camera(the LX7 looks to be better in that regard). I think I'm going to stick with Olympus from here on out. I loved the Panasonic, and I loved the design and many things about it.. but this Image Stabilization has me hooked. In Body is the way to go, especially if your system advertises it can adapt almost any lens. </ramble> Read more 6 people found this helpful Helpful Report
• Chatoyer
• 5.0 out of 5 stars
• Excellent Camera
• Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2013
• Style: Body OnlyColor: SilverSet: US Version
• Verified Purchase
• Some background: I started the m4/3s system with the Panasonic GX1, and I loved it. The only issue I had at first with it was the short bulb timer, prompting me to purchase an EPL-1 as well, simply for the 30 minute bulb(finding out it wasn't compatible with remotes was annoying, but that's neither here nor there.) I enjoyed the size, the quality of the prime lenses, the built in auto-bracketing etc. I also grew to love that the m4/3s allows adapting many excellent older MF lenses very cheaply; my brother has a slimmer budget than me and primarily uses adapted lenses.Still, I found low light, while much better than what I was used to before (unlike many of the reviews here, I came up from unsatisfactory P&S, not down/sidegrades from DSLRs) sometimes hard to use still, as many of my lenses didn't have OIS. I used a mix of primes and adapted lenses, and very little zooms:Native Primes:Rokinon FE75MFT-B 7.5mm F3.5 UMC Fisheye Lens for Micro Four Thirds (Olympus PEN and Panasonic) - This lens was very nice, my first MF lens, and didn't require much in the way of stabilization.Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Pancake Lens for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras - Loved this lens, works great on all 3 cameras.Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm/F2.8 ASPH Lens with MEGA OIS for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras This was a tough decision vs the Olympus one, but I decided I wanted this one for my 45mm focal length and Macro, instead of getting the 45 Oly and the 60 Oly, as I planned to get the next lens anyway:Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8 High-Grade Portrait Lens I tested this lens and immediately fell in love. I like the slightly telephoto length, the sharpness, the speed, everything. A bit heavy, but nothing that bothered me (as you'll see in the adapted primes below).Adapted Primes:Minolta Rokkor-X 50mm 1:1.4 manual focus lens This I bought mostly for fun and for the 1.4 speed. I liked the MF and I liked that it was 1.4. It has good image quality, though it has noticeable glow wide open. This can be adjusted post process, of course.Vivitar 200mm 1:3.5 f3.5 manual lens for Nikon SLR This is not quite the lens, but it is close. A 200mm f3.5 for Konica AR mount. It was pretty cheap, and I used it for birding; for me at least, it seemed I could get better shots manual focusing than using the zoom I have below on AF, and the MF of fly by wire ones are pretty slow. Has a similar glow issue wide open.Native Zooms:Panasonic 45-200mm f/4.0-5.6 Lumix G Vario MEGA OIS Zoom Micro Four Thirds Lens for Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds Cameras This is my only zoom, and it is very good. It has excellent image quality, and fast focus, but I don't use it as much as the manual prime I have above. Dunno why, maybe I'm doing something wrong.Now that I have that unnecessarily large description of my lenses out of the way, note that only 2 of my lenses have built in OIS, the two Panasonic ones excluding the 20mm. I'll make another note here that I purchased the EVF for the GX1, so when shooting between the GX1 and the EPL1, despite the EPL1 having IBIS, it seemed the GX1 was better because I could hold it to my face. The EPL1 may have beat it outside of that, but the GX1 also had better ISO performance, and more features I liked, like HDR.Then I started reading reviews and the like of the OMD-EM5, it's amazing low light performance, it's amazing IBIS, it's amazing noise even at higher ISOs, and wonderful jpegs straight from the camera. On the GX1, I mostly used raws and handled them in Photoshop. So, with a tax refund burning a hole in my pocket, and a new $900 75mm non OIS lens begging to have it's full potential used, I decided to try out the OMD-EM5. I was actually going more for the ISO noise and image quality, I didn't think too much of the IBIS, though it did help.I was shocked at just how good the IBIS once I got it. On the GX1, I could handhold up to 50mm at 1/15 of a second, though easier at 20mm. Still was a bit tricky sometimes, and I preferred using 1/20th+ if possible. The 200 required 1/125 or higher. With the EM5, The effort I use to get 1/15 shots are the same for 1/4 and below, whereas 1/6 and above seem pretty easy, as long as it isn't a moving target. I've gotten clean shots with a bit of practice at 1/1.3 as well, which blew my mind. When using the 200mm, I've gotten clear shots at dusk using 1/15th, which was unthinkable to me. It also helps with my 45, since it's a tad bit slower at 2.8 than some of my other primes.The ISO noise also was very nice, and I found I could take pictures of much darker scenes, simply because with combination of the above, I could use lower ISOs, and those ISOs had better noise control than the GX1. I also find myself using more images straight off the camera, as the quality and colors are better. I'm still sort of in the breaking in phase, but so far I haven't regretted it one bit. I love the built in viewfinder, I often found myself using it on the GX1 all the time anyway.The only down sides I see to upgrading (aside from potentially video, a feature I seldom use) is the portability the GX1 had. I don't like to use flash, but it was nice to have a popup one in case needed, and the size was very nice. Still, those tradeoffs were small compared to everything I gained on the OMD-EM5, which surprised me, as I already loved the GX1. At this point, I think I'm ready to sell or give away the GX1 and use the EPL1 or buy an LX7 if I need a truly portable camera(the LX7 looks to be better in that regard). I think I'm going to stick with Olympus from here on out. I loved the Panasonic, and I loved the design and many things about it.. but this Image Stabilization has me hooked. In Body is the way to go, especially if your system advertises it can adapt almost any lens. </ramble> Read more
• Some background: I started the m4/3s system with the Panasonic GX1, and I loved it. The only issue I had at first with it was the short bulb timer, prompting me to purchase an EPL-1 as well, simply for the 30 minute bulb(finding out it wasn't compatible with remotes was annoying, but that's neither here nor there.) I enjoyed the size, the quality of the prime lenses, the built in auto-bracketing etc. I also grew to love that the m4/3s allows adapting many excellent older MF lenses very cheaply; my brother has a slimmer budget than me and primarily uses adapted lenses.Still, I found low light, while much better than what I was used to before (unlike many of the reviews here, I came up from unsatisfactory P&S, not down/sidegrades from DSLRs) sometimes hard to use still, as many of my lenses didn't have OIS. I used a mix of primes and adapted lenses, and very little zooms:Native Primes:Rokinon FE75MFT-B 7.5mm F3.5 UMC Fisheye Lens for Micro Four Thirds (Olympus PEN and Panasonic) - This lens was very nice, my first MF lens, and didn't require much in the way of stabilization.Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Pancake Lens for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras - Loved this lens, works great on all 3 cameras.Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm/F2.8 ASPH Lens with MEGA OIS for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras This was a tough decision vs the Olympus one, but I decided I wanted this one for my 45mm focal length and Macro, instead of getting the 45 Oly and the 60 Oly, as I planned to get the next lens anyway:Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8 High-Grade Portrait Lens I tested this lens and immediately fell in love. I like the slightly telephoto length, the sharpness, the speed, everything. A bit heavy, but nothing that bothered me (as you'll see in the adapted primes below).Adapted Primes:Minolta Rokkor-X 50mm 1:1.4 manual focus lens This I bought mostly for fun and for the 1.4 speed. I liked the MF and I liked that it was 1.4. It has good image quality, though it has noticeable glow wide open. This can be adjusted post process, of course.Vivitar 200mm 1:3.5 f3.5 manual lens for Nikon SLR This is not quite the lens, but it is close. A 200mm f3.5 for Konica AR mount. It was pretty cheap, and I used it for birding; for me at least, it seemed I could get better shots manual focusing than using the zoom I have below on AF, and the MF of fly by wire ones are pretty slow. Has a similar glow issue wide open.Native Zooms:Panasonic 45-200mm f/4.0-5.6 Lumix G Vario MEGA OIS Zoom Micro Four Thirds Lens for Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds Cameras This is my only zoom, and it is very good. It has excellent image quality, and fast focus, but I don't use it as much as the manual prime I have above. Dunno why, maybe I'm doing something wrong.Now that I have that unnecessarily large description of my lenses out of the way, note that only 2 of my lenses have built in OIS, the two Panasonic ones excluding the 20mm. I'll make another note here that I purchased the EVF for the GX1, so when shooting between the GX1 and the EPL1, despite the EPL1 having IBIS, it seemed the GX1 was better because I could hold it to my face. The EPL1 may have beat it outside of that, but the GX1 also had better ISO performance, and more features I liked, like HDR.Then I started reading reviews and the like of the OMD-EM5, it's amazing low light performance, it's amazing IBIS, it's amazing noise even at higher ISOs, and wonderful jpegs straight from the camera. On the GX1, I mostly used raws and handled them in Photoshop. So, with a tax refund burning a hole in my pocket, and a new $900 75mm non OIS lens begging to have it's full potential used, I decided to try out the OMD-EM5. I was actually going more for the ISO noise and image quality, I didn't think too much of the IBIS, though it did help.I was shocked at just how good the IBIS once I got it. On the GX1, I could handhold up to 50mm at 1/15 of a second, though easier at 20mm. Still was a bit tricky sometimes, and I preferred using 1/20th+ if possible. The 200 required 1/125 or higher. With the EM5, The effort I use to get 1/15 shots are the same for 1/4 and below, whereas 1/6 and above seem pretty easy, as long as it isn't a moving target. I've gotten clean shots with a bit of practice at 1/1.3 as well, which blew my mind. When using the 200mm, I've gotten clear shots at dusk using 1/15th, which was unthinkable to me. It also helps with my 45, since it's a tad bit slower at 2.8 than some of my other primes.The ISO noise also was very nice, and I found I could take pictures of much darker scenes, simply because with combination of the above, I could use lower ISOs, and those ISOs had better noise control than the GX1. I also find myself using more images straight off the camera, as the quality and colors are better. I'm still sort of in the breaking in phase, but so far I haven't regretted it one bit. I love the built in viewfinder, I often found myself using it on the GX1 all the time anyway.The only down sides I see to upgrading (aside from potentially video, a feature I seldom use) is the portability the GX1 had. I don't like to use flash, but it was nice to have a popup one in case needed, and the size was very nice. Still, those tradeoffs were small compared to everything I gained on the OMD-EM5, which surprised me, as I already loved the GX1. At this point, I think I'm ready to sell or give away the GX1 and use the EPL1 or buy an LX7 if I need a truly portable camera(the LX7 looks to be better in that regard). I think I'm going to stick with Olympus from here on out. I loved the Panasonic, and I loved the design and many things about it.. but this Image Stabilization has me hooked. In Body is the way to go, especially if your system advertises it can adapt almost any lens. </ramble>
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• if(window.ue) { ue.count("DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount", 0) } <img src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default.png"/>Andy5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing camera! Reviewed in Canada on May 2, 2013Style: Body OnlyColor: SilverSet: US VersionVerified Purchase (function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } This camera is amazing, in short! Any advanced amateur will love it. And in my opinion it is a great alternative to SLRs for those looking for a more modern take. If you're considering a Canon APS-C mode, this makes no compromise whatsoever in image quality against the Canon and tops it in dynamic range. A point of interest is that the sensor technology is the same as used in the Sony mirrorless cameras, but this system has much better lenses available for it. Noise performance is within two stops of full frame, but so is depth of field, so as long as you have fast lenses you're at no disadvantage in either regard.Keep in mind there is a significant learning curve with this camera. Over time you will learn to make amazing images with it, but early on it will take some customization and one on one time to get familiar with all the available options and to know the limits of the camera. I found eventually that I settled on a control layout I really liked. There are guides out there to help you customize it to your specific needs, be it action photography, landscape, or anything else, for that matter.It has super dynamic range, over 12 stops at ISO 200 beating out any current Canon camera. I've had very good success with exposing low enough to keep all the highlight detail in landscapes, and then increasing exposure in Lightroom from the RAW file. This will preserve enough shadow detail to do a very nice single shot HDR. To accomplish this, I use highlight/shadow warning though the viewfinder almost all the time. This allows me to spot blown out highlights and underexpose to avoid them. For landscapes, I pull the exposure down a full stop quite often and can easily pull the detail back from the shadows in Lightroom. This is something that's simply impossible with an SLR without taking multiple test shots.If you're shooting JPEG, the "LOW" setting on gradation also does a good job at keeping highlight detail. I personally prefer the look of the Vivid color mode for JPEG using LOW gradation for most things. The adjustable highlights and shadows are great if you want to do an in-camera single shot HDR look or a more punchy low dynamic range shot without having to run the RAW files through Lightroom. But I highly, highly recommend eventually starting to shoot raw. The RAW files from this camera are just incredibly malleable.The EVF is great. I'm finding I prefer it to the optical viewfinders I used on my Spotmatics back in the day. The picture is bright and clear and manual exposure is a breeze when you can preview the result, and see the shot you just took flash in the viewfinder. Seeing live highlight and shadow alerts and accurate exposure preview really makes manual exposure so much fun and very rewarding. Manual focus is super easy with an automatically zoomed in preview when you turn the focus ring.I use the EP-11 eyecup to provide a little more shade and padding for my glasses, and I use the EVF almost all the time. As a mirrorless camera, its main disadvantage here is battery life, since power which is consumed whenever the sensor is being read, even if no picture is taken. To extend the battery life significantly, I simply set the viewfinder to automatically switch when my eye is near it, then I press the live view button (on the side of the viewfinder) to switch off live view on the LCD. Then I use the INFO button to turn off the LCD entirely. Reports are that up to 1200 shots can be achieved on a charge this way, although I'm getting at least 800-1000 regularly.I also highly recommend the Olympus battery grip (if you're using larger lenses) and picking up some after-market batteries and charger. Keep in mind that most after market batteries won't charge in the included charger, but the chargers are extremely cheap and often included. The aftermarket batteries usually also have falsely advertised capacities, which, in reality, are about 70-80% of the Olympus battery. If this matters to you, get the Olympus batter for a spare. But I'm perfectly happy with the cheaper alternatives.I recommend investing in some good lenses! I would never shoot with the kit 12-50mm or 14-42mm lenses as they are at most half as sharp as a good prime and a real struggle to use in low light. This is my kit:- Bower (Samyang, etc...) 7.5mm f/3.5 Fisheye - I love having a fisheye, and I'm happy to say that micro four thirds has a great fisheye lens! It's this one. The sharpness is out of this world. Fisheyes are especially fun on systems like this because of the vast depth of field. Set it to infinity, and everything from about two feet to infinity is in sharp focus at every aperture.- Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4 - Indispensable fast normal! Use it for almost everything.- Olympus 12-40 f/2.8 PRO - Versatile substitute for the 25mm. Use it mainly outdoors, social events and for macro shots. It's good in the snow or rain!- Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED - I love this telephoto, and at the price, it should be the first lens you pick up. Some of the best pictures I've taken have been with this lens. It's really useful to have this range of focal lengths for things like portraits, outdoor shots (airplanes, birds, etc...) and with the long focal length, you do get good subject isolation and nice bokeh, despite slow slower aperture. This lens retails for about $140 so it's certainly not out of anyone's price range who is considering this camera. I'll replace it with the Olympus 40-150 f/2.8 PRO when it's released, but I'm in no hurry.Panasonic also has a couple of great zooms available: the 12-35mm f/2.8 and the 35-100mm f/2.8. If you want to invest in a pro kit (and you have the cash), these two lenses are all you'll need. I completely avoided the plethora of show normal zooms out there because in my experience slow normal lenses in have very limited uses. They're not much good indoors, you can't get good subject isolation and the image quality is generally not great. I'd recommend significant restraint in lens purchase, and always check out the more scientific reviews to see what you're getting into. there's nothing worse than getting excited about a lens just to find that the pictures you take with it look soft, washed out, or require extensive post processing. I've learned to be very cautious about any lens I can't find listed on lenstip or dxomark, as such lenses can be a lottery, even when they have seemingly glowing reviews. Sigma's short primes (19 and 30) and SLR magic's 12mm T/1.6 are examples of lenses that turned out to be optically terrible once I bought them.Finally, I would not recommend this camera to a beginner or someone who would prefer just to take pictures and let the camera do the thinking. While the automatic mode is perfectly fine, my feeling is that this camera and most of its best features would be wasted on point and shoot photography, and what you're really paying for here is the power to make the image you want. Not the image the camera thinks you want. The iAuto mode is best after some tweaking and tends to produce pictures that are too warm out of the box, although it is very clever and tries to detect the type of photo you are taking, whether there are faces (one, or more), landscapes, snow, etc... Read more Report
• Andy
• 5.0 out of 5 stars
• Amazing camera!
• Amazing camera!
• Reviewed in Canada on May 2, 2013
• Style: Body OnlyColor: SilverSet: US Version
• Verified Purchase
• This camera is amazing, in short! Any advanced amateur will love it. And in my opinion it is a great alternative to SLRs for those looking for a more modern take. If you're considering a Canon APS-C mode, this makes no compromise whatsoever in image quality against the Canon and tops it in dynamic range. A point of interest is that the sensor technology is the same as used in the Sony mirrorless cameras, but this system has much better lenses available for it. Noise performance is within two stops of full frame, but so is depth of field, so as long as you have fast lenses you're at no disadvantage in either regard.Keep in mind there is a significant learning curve with this camera. Over time you will learn to make amazing images with it, but early on it will take some customization and one on one time to get familiar with all the available options and to know the limits of the camera. I found eventually that I settled on a control layout I really liked. There are guides out there to help you customize it to your specific needs, be it action photography, landscape, or anything else, for that matter.It has super dynamic range, over 12 stops at ISO 200 beating out any current Canon camera. I've had very good success with exposing low enough to keep all the highlight detail in landscapes, and then increasing exposure in Lightroom from the RAW file. This will preserve enough shadow detail to do a very nice single shot HDR. To accomplish this, I use highlight/shadow warning though the viewfinder almost all the time. This allows me to spot blown out highlights and underexpose to avoid them. For landscapes, I pull the exposure down a full stop quite often and can easily pull the detail back from the shadows in Lightroom. This is something that's simply impossible with an SLR without taking multiple test shots.If you're shooting JPEG, the "LOW" setting on gradation also does a good job at keeping highlight detail. I personally prefer the look of the Vivid color mode for JPEG using LOW gradation for most things. The adjustable highlights and shadows are great if you want to do an in-camera single shot HDR look or a more punchy low dynamic range shot without having to run the RAW files through Lightroom. But I highly, highly recommend eventually starting to shoot raw. The RAW files from this camera are just incredibly malleable.The EVF is great. I'm finding I prefer it to the optical viewfinders I used on my Spotmatics back in the day. The picture is bright and clear and manual exposure is a breeze when you can preview the result, and see the shot you just took flash in the viewfinder. Seeing live highlight and shadow alerts and accurate exposure preview really makes manual exposure so much fun and very rewarding. Manual focus is super easy with an automatically zoomed in preview when you turn the focus ring.I use the EP-11 eyecup to provide a little more shade and padding for my glasses, and I use the EVF almost all the time. As a mirrorless camera, its main disadvantage here is battery life, since power which is consumed whenever the sensor is being read, even if no picture is taken. To extend the battery life significantly, I simply set the viewfinder to automatically switch when my eye is near it, then I press the live view button (on the side of the viewfinder) to switch off live view on the LCD. Then I use the INFO button to turn off the LCD entirely. Reports are that up to 1200 shots can be achieved on a charge this way, although I'm getting at least 800-1000 regularly.I also highly recommend the Olympus battery grip (if you're using larger lenses) and picking up some after-market batteries and charger. Keep in mind that most after market batteries won't charge in the included charger, but the chargers are extremely cheap and often included. The aftermarket batteries usually also have falsely advertised capacities, which, in reality, are about 70-80% of the Olympus battery. If this matters to you, get the Olympus batter for a spare. But I'm perfectly happy with the cheaper alternatives.I recommend investing in some good lenses! I would never shoot with the kit 12-50mm or 14-42mm lenses as they are at most half as sharp as a good prime and a real struggle to use in low light. This is my kit:- Bower (Samyang, etc...) 7.5mm f/3.5 Fisheye - I love having a fisheye, and I'm happy to say that micro four thirds has a great fisheye lens! It's this one. The sharpness is out of this world. Fisheyes are especially fun on systems like this because of the vast depth of field. Set it to infinity, and everything from about two feet to infinity is in sharp focus at every aperture.- Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4 - Indispensable fast normal! Use it for almost everything.- Olympus 12-40 f/2.8 PRO - Versatile substitute for the 25mm. Use it mainly outdoors, social events and for macro shots. It's good in the snow or rain!- Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED - I love this telephoto, and at the price, it should be the first lens you pick up. Some of the best pictures I've taken have been with this lens. It's really useful to have this range of focal lengths for things like portraits, outdoor shots (airplanes, birds, etc...) and with the long focal length, you do get good subject isolation and nice bokeh, despite slow slower aperture. This lens retails for about $140 so it's certainly not out of anyone's price range who is considering this camera. I'll replace it with the Olympus 40-150 f/2.8 PRO when it's released, but I'm in no hurry.Panasonic also has a couple of great zooms available: the 12-35mm f/2.8 and the 35-100mm f/2.8. If you want to invest in a pro kit (and you have the cash), these two lenses are all you'll need. I completely avoided the plethora of show normal zooms out there because in my experience slow normal lenses in have very limited uses. They're not much good indoors, you can't get good subject isolation and the image quality is generally not great. I'd recommend significant restraint in lens purchase, and always check out the more scientific reviews to see what you're getting into. there's nothing worse than getting excited about a lens just to find that the pictures you take with it look soft, washed out, or require extensive post processing. I've learned to be very cautious about any lens I can't find listed on lenstip or dxomark, as such lenses can be a lottery, even when they have seemingly glowing reviews. Sigma's short primes (19 and 30) and SLR magic's 12mm T/1.6 are examples of lenses that turned out to be optically terrible once I bought them.Finally, I would not recommend this camera to a beginner or someone who would prefer just to take pictures and let the camera do the thinking. While the automatic mode is perfectly fine, my feeling is that this camera and most of its best features would be wasted on point and shoot photography, and what you're really paying for here is the power to make the image you want. Not the image the camera thinks you want. The iAuto mode is best after some tweaking and tends to produce pictures that are too warm out of the box, although it is very clever and tries to detect the type of photo you are taking, whether there are faces (one, or more), landscapes, snow, etc... Read more
• This camera is amazing, in short! Any advanced amateur will love it. And in my opinion it is a great alternative to SLRs for those looking for a more modern take. If you're considering a Canon APS-C mode, this makes no compromise whatsoever in image quality against the Canon and tops it in dynamic range. A point of interest is that the sensor technology is the same as used in the Sony mirrorless cameras, but this system has much better lenses available for it. Noise performance is within two stops of full frame, but so is depth of field, so as long as you have fast lenses you're at no disadvantage in either regard.Keep in mind there is a significant learning curve with this camera. Over time you will learn to make amazing images with it, but early on it will take some customization and one on one time to get familiar with all the available options and to know the limits of the camera. I found eventually that I settled on a control layout I really liked. There are guides out there to help you customize it to your specific needs, be it action photography, landscape, or anything else, for that matter.It has super dynamic range, over 12 stops at ISO 200 beating out any current Canon camera. I've had very good success with exposing low enough to keep all the highlight detail in landscapes, and then increasing exposure in Lightroom from the RAW file. This will preserve enough shadow detail to do a very nice single shot HDR. To accomplish this, I use highlight/shadow warning though the viewfinder almost all the time. This allows me to spot blown out highlights and underexpose to avoid them. For landscapes, I pull the exposure down a full stop quite often and can easily pull the detail back from the shadows in Lightroom. This is something that's simply impossible with an SLR without taking multiple test shots.If you're shooting JPEG, the "LOW" setting on gradation also does a good job at keeping highlight detail. I personally prefer the look of the Vivid color mode for JPEG using LOW gradation for most things. The adjustable highlights and shadows are great if you want to do an in-camera single shot HDR look or a more punchy low dynamic range shot without having to run the RAW files through Lightroom. But I highly, highly recommend eventually starting to shoot raw. The RAW files from this camera are just incredibly malleable.The EVF is great. I'm finding I prefer it to the optical viewfinders I used on my Spotmatics back in the day. The picture is bright and clear and manual exposure is a breeze when you can preview the result, and see the shot you just took flash in the viewfinder. Seeing live highlight and shadow alerts and accurate exposure preview really makes manual exposure so much fun and very rewarding. Manual focus is super easy with an automatically zoomed in preview when you turn the focus ring.I use the EP-11 eyecup to provide a little more shade and padding for my glasses, and I use the EVF almost all the time. As a mirrorless camera, its main disadvantage here is battery life, since power which is consumed whenever the sensor is being read, even if no picture is taken. To extend the battery life significantly, I simply set the viewfinder to automatically switch when my eye is near it, then I press the live view button (on the side of the viewfinder) to switch off live view on the LCD. Then I use the INFO button to turn off the LCD entirely. Reports are that up to 1200 shots can be achieved on a charge this way, although I'm getting at least 800-1000 regularly.I also highly recommend the Olympus battery grip (if you're using larger lenses) and picking up some after-market batteries and charger. Keep in mind that most after market batteries won't charge in the included charger, but the chargers are extremely cheap and often included. The aftermarket batteries usually also have falsely advertised capacities, which, in reality, are about 70-80% of the Olympus battery. If this matters to you, get the Olympus batter for a spare. But I'm perfectly happy with the cheaper alternatives.I recommend investing in some good lenses! I would never shoot with the kit 12-50mm or 14-42mm lenses as they are at most half as sharp as a good prime and a real struggle to use in low light. This is my kit:- Bower (Samyang, etc...) 7.5mm f/3.5 Fisheye - I love having a fisheye, and I'm happy to say that micro four thirds has a great fisheye lens! It's this one. The sharpness is out of this world. Fisheyes are especially fun on systems like this because of the vast depth of field. Set it to infinity, and everything from about two feet to infinity is in sharp focus at every aperture.- Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4 - Indispensable fast normal! Use it for almost everything.- Olympus 12-40 f/2.8 PRO - Versatile substitute for the 25mm. Use it mainly outdoors, social events and for macro shots. It's good in the snow or rain!- Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED - I love this telephoto, and at the price, it should be the first lens you pick up. Some of the best pictures I've taken have been with this lens. It's really useful to have this range of focal lengths for things like portraits, outdoor shots (airplanes, birds, etc...) and with the long focal length, you do get good subject isolation and nice bokeh, despite slow slower aperture. This lens retails for about $140 so it's certainly not out of anyone's price range who is considering this camera. I'll replace it with the Olympus 40-150 f/2.8 PRO when it's released, but I'm in no hurry.Panasonic also has a couple of great zooms available: the 12-35mm f/2.8 and the 35-100mm f/2.8. If you want to invest in a pro kit (and you have the cash), these two lenses are all you'll need. I completely avoided the plethora of show normal zooms out there because in my experience slow normal lenses in have very limited uses. They're not much good indoors, you can't get good subject isolation and the image quality is generally not great. I'd recommend significant restraint in lens purchase, and always check out the more scientific reviews to see what you're getting into. there's nothing worse than getting excited about a lens just to find that the pictures you take with it look soft, washed out, or require extensive post processing. I've learned to be very cautious about any lens I can't find listed on lenstip or dxomark, as such lenses can be a lottery, even when they have seemingly glowing reviews. Sigma's short primes (19 and 30) and SLR magic's 12mm T/1.6 are examples of lenses that turned out to be optically terrible once I bought them.Finally, I would not recommend this camera to a beginner or someone who would prefer just to take pictures and let the camera do the thinking. While the automatic mode is perfectly fine, my feeling is that this camera and most of its best features would be wasted on point and shoot photography, and what you're really paying for here is the power to make the image you want. Not the image the camera thinks you want. The iAuto mode is best after some tweaking and tends to produce pictures that are too warm out of the box, although it is very clever and tries to detect the type of photo you are taking, whether there are faces (one, or more), landscapes, snow, etc...
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• if(window.ue) { ue.count("DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount", 0) } <img src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default.png"/>Carter5.0 out of 5 stars love this camera Reviewed in Canada on August 18, 2018Style: Body OnlyColor: BlackSet: US VersionVerified Purchase great Read more Report
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• if(window.ue) { ue.count("DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount", 0) } <img src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default.png"/>Amazon Customer5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars Reviewed in Canada on May 23, 2015Style: Body OnlyColor: BlackSet: US VersionVerified Purchase Excellent on all aspects Read more Report
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• if(window.ue) { ue.count("DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount", 0) } <img src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default.png"/>Junfeng Zhao5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars Reviewed in Canada on December 5, 2014Style: Body OnlyColor: SilverSet: US VersionVerified Purchase Fast Delivery, item as described. Read more Report
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