Fuji XPRO-1 or Olympus Pen EP5?

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jono2002

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Hi,
I am looking at moving over to a smaller camera, I take images for stock (alamy) and I am trying to decide between the Pen EP5 or Xpro 1. Any advise on the pros & cons between them as I am aware they both produce excellent results.
 
Two different cameras,but i would say the Fuji has the edge on IQ,i would say at the moment Olympus has the edge on lens in its range.

I am an Fuji user :)
 
viewfromthenorth said:
Might be worth going to a shop and handling them to see what you think.
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this 100%, I couldn't get on at all with the X-Pro1(or the X20 and X-f1) yet the EM5 and E-pl5 I absolutely adore.. camera pretty much all work the same but they have little differences and its finding one that fits you best hence why you need to try before you buy.
 
Or an XE1/2 if you want something smaller from Fuji, But still retain the EVF?

Out of the two you suggested I would personally opt for the Fuji for the fantastic lenses and image quality. And the xpro1 is definitely a fun camera to use.
 
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Well, I've had excellent customer service from one of those companies and appalling from the other... I have several Fujis and wouldn't have an Oly as a gift.
 
Hi, Thanks all for the replies. Nod I had not thought about customer service at all so I will do some further research around this.
When it comes to the size I have held an Xpro1 (at a Fuji trade stand) and whilst it is larger than the PEN EP5 its still smaller than my DSLR. Something that draws me to the PEN EP5 is the fact it is small along with the built in Stabilisation which would help me capture more shots successfully that comply with the standards for stock work.
 
I like my X-pro and like you it's smaller than my SLR (which is full frame, so a right lump with a fast prime on it). The lightness and relative compactness is a huge boon to me, as is the excellent image quality and very usable high ISO sensitivities, which probably edge the Olympus.
Using it is an acquired taste though, certainly different from an SLR which is my main camera. I actually found I prefer using the evf to the optical one which surprised me as the optical one was the while point in buying it over the lower models in the range.
 
jono2002 said:
... capture more shots successfully that comply with the standards for stock work.
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I guess you should expand on what this means, so people who own either camera can advise you better.
What I want to know is : why not X-E1, e-pL5, etc. Why go for two specific models in your either/or.
As far as I know the X-Pro1 only has the hybrid OVF/EVF going for it over other Fuji models, and may not be the best bet for IQ in that range.
 
Ulfric M Douglas said:
I guess you should expand on what this means, so people who own either camera can advise you better.
What I want to know is : why not X-E1, e-pL5, etc. Why go for two specific models in your either/or.
As far as I know the X-Pro1 only has the hybrid OVF/EVF going for it over other Fuji models, and may not be the best bet for IQ in that range.
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The guidelines for submission are long, however they are simply looking at the image from a Technical Image quality point of view rather than content. So the images need to be noise free, no camera shake, more than 6MP, more than 24MB & other areas such as no over sharpening, chromatic aberration & compression artifacts etc.
As I said, I find the in camera stabilisation as a draw to allow me to take more images hand held without sacrificing noise/grain or getting camera shake however the larger sensor size cant be ignored on the XPRO1.
 
viewfromthenorth said:
Does the stock library publish a list of acceptable cameras? I know that Alamy do/did, might be worth checking.
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The Olympus EP5 is not on the recommended list however its predecessors are, also the XPRO 1 is on the list. The Olympus EP5 is not on the unsuitable camera list so its not an issue, both come well above the standards required on picture quality.
 
tgq19901001 said:
the sensor of fuji bigger than Pan,anyway bigger means better
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Yes that is something I have in my mind, which make me think I would prefer the results. However I would be very happy with a medium format sized sensor but the size of the camera I am sure would be a downside causing me not to be able to take pictures as often and would need a tripod more. (A note, that my first experience of using digital was with a Medium format Mamiya camera and Carnival back)
 
To confuse things further... have you thought about the Panasonic GX7? It's compact and has a VF but the IS may not be as good as that of the Oly. Personally I've decided that a VF is pretty essential for me.
 
woof woof said:
To confuse things further... have you thought about the Panasonic GX7? It's compact and has a VF but the IS may not be as good as that of the Oly. Personally I've decided that a VF is pretty essential for me.
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Yes, that is a camera I considered. I am happy to pay the extra for the VF for the Oly to put on the hotshoe with the benefit I can remove it if I want to have a smaller camera.
 
jono2002 said:
Yes, that is a camera I considered. I am happy to pay the extra for the VF for the Oly to put on the hotshoe with the benefit I can remove it if I want to have a smaller camera.
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Good stuff. Just thought I'd mention the GX7/EVF.
 
jono2002 said:
Yes that is something I have in my mind, which make me think I would prefer the results. However I would be very happy with a medium format sized sensor but the size of the camera I am sure would be a downside causing me not to be able to take pictures as often and would need a tripod more. (A note, that my first experience of using digital was with a Medium format Mamiya camera and Carnival back)
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yeah medium format is very nice, but considered the camera size and the price, i would like choose a mirrorless camera for home
 
We've got both and there are a few key things that would sway me one way or the other:
  • Autofocus - The E-P5 is the clear winner here, if you're shooting anything that moves fast then I can't really recommend the X-Pro1.
  • Viewfinder - The E-P5 doesn't have one unless you buy the VF-4 (which is great but not cheap). On the other hand, the OVF in the X-Pro1 is great for some lenses but near useless for others.
  • IQ - This is personal preference but I prefer the feel of Fuji colours. Both are cameras are sharp with decent lenses, you can push the ISO more on the X-Pro1 but the E-P5 IS pretty much makes up for that.
  • Size/Handling - the E-P5 is quite a bit smaller, my wife loves the size, I find it a bit too small. I love the rangefinder style of the X-Pro1 and prefer the dedicated dials to the multi-function approach of the E-P5.
  • Lenses - The E-P5 wins here, there are a heap of great lenses to choose from and some are good value. Fuji has some great lenses but none are cheap other than perhaps the 27mm when it was/is on offer.
  • Brand - Fuji have a better track record for FW updates and overall support, I don't know that this would influence me too much but some people get a bit fanatical about a lump of metal.
To throw another idea in the mix, maybe consider a second hand X100 or X100S, it's a good way to test the Fuji waters with a great lens, built-in ND filter and leaf shutter. I use my X100S much more than the X-Pro1 and wouldn't part with it.
 
ricky1981 said:
We've got both and there are a few key things that would sway me one way or the other:
  • Autofocus - The E-P5 is the clear winner here, if you're shooting anything that moves fast then I can't really recommend the X-Pro1.
  • Viewfinder - The E-P5 doesn't have one unless you buy the VF-4 (which is great but not cheap). On the other hand, the OVF in the X-Pro1 is great for some lenses but near useless for others.
  • IQ - This is personal preference but I prefer the feel of Fuji colours. Both are cameras are sharp with decent lenses, you can push the ISO more on the X-Pro1 but the E-P5 IS pretty much makes up for that.
  • Size/Handling - the E-P5 is quite a bit smaller, my wife loves the size, I find it a bit too small. I love the rangefinder style of the X-Pro1 and prefer the dedicated dials to the multi-function approach of the E-P5.
  • Lenses - The E-P5 wins here, there are a heap of great lenses to choose from and some are good value. Fuji has some great lenses but none are cheap other than perhaps the 27mm when it was/is on offer.
  • Brand - Fuji have a better track record for FW updates and overall support, I don't know that this would influence me too much but some people get a bit fanatical about a lump of metal.
To throw another idea in the mix, maybe consider a second hand X100 or X100S, it's a good way to test the Fuji waters with a great lens, built-in ND filter and leaf shutter. I use my X100S much more than the X-Pro1 and wouldn't part with it.
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Thanks for the details, this is excellent info.

I just received an Olympus E-PL1 (used) for my mum which I have been having a play with. One thing that I thought instantly is this might be a bit tool small for me, however I have never used a small camera much in the past so I am going to give it a test for a few weeks to see how it goes. It it turns out to not suit me, I think it will rule out the EP5 as its a similar size. The XPRO1 I had no issue with its size when I tried one so lets see how I get on with this E-PL1.
 
On the pricing front.. Fuji has an excellent refurbished body/lens website which many of us Fuji shooters have used. There's a 10% discount on the refurbished body list price as well with the right code. Lenses aren't cheap, but that should make you think harder about what lenses you really need. All the Fuji lenses are fantastic. And in any case, the Fuji will accept almost any legacy lens available with the right adapter.

I think my X-Pro1 is a brilliant camera.
 
craftysnapper said:
I really do not know why the Olympus E-M10 is not on your list not much bigger than the E-PL5 but built in VF and two control wheels and smaller body and lenses than the Fuji.
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Well... I had the OM in the back of my mind, if I enjoyed moving to micro four thirds using a PEN I could then get an OM if I wanted something more.
 
I'd agree on giving the OM models a try, you might pick up an EM-5 for a good price second hand. The weather-sealing and viewfinder are a nice bump from the E-P5, on the downside I found the OM-D more fiddly and I hated the squishy buttons but that's personal preference.

If possible I would really recommend finding a shop where you can try some of these models out as handling is quite a personal thing and outside of that they are all very good cameras so the only way to determine "best" is to identify your own key criteria and try them out
 
Thanks all for your feedback, I will take some time now to work out which camera I'm going to get.
 
Hi, Sorry for the late update on this. Thanks all for your help with my decision, I recently purchased an Olympus EP-5. It has been great and does all I need, I will at some point have to post some results from it.
 
jono2002 said:
Hi, Sorry for the late update on this. Thanks all for your help with my decision, I recently purchased an Olympus EP-5. It has been great and does all I need, I will at some point have to post some results from it.
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I'm sure you won't be disappointed with your purchase. I own an EP5 and love using it. Took a while for me to customise the buttons to my liking - but once I had, the camera's functionality improved immensely. The 5-axis IS is insanely good.
 
jono2002 said:
...I recently purchased an Olympus EP-5. It has been great and does all I need, I will at some point have to post some results from it.
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Great.
Be aware of the anti-shock-zero setting in the newer firmware : solves a blurring problem some users experienced.

And if you don't have one yet : VF-4 is excellent, and VF-2 is good too, for my eyes at least.
 
I did purchase the kit with the 17mm f1.8 Lens, VF-4 Electronic Viewfinder with free 40-150mm 4-5.6 R lens. I also have purchased a 25mm & 45mm Olympus lens's. All the lens are exceptional barring the 40-150mm f4-5.6 R which is just "ok" at its widest setting however it is was free so cant complain.
 
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