Olympus OM-D E-M5, E-M1, E-M10 - Mk1, Mk2 & Mk3 Owners Thread

OM-D E-M5, GH2 and G3 image comparison....My own, I can believe these.

I am not into ‘Pixel-Peeping’ but I was asked by a member on another forum for ‘real-world’ (whatever that means) comparison shots.

The setting were left as they came out of my bag, some may argue it’s not very scientific but that’s how my cameras are set-up in the ‘real-world’.

Tripod…yes

Stabilisation…off

ISO 200

Aperture Priority…f8 at 1/10 second.

AWB

Lighting…Daylight from window to the left.

Lens…Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f1.4. (I love this lens)

There may be differences that show in gradation etc. but I’m more that happy with all of these images.

THe differences in colour can be adjusted by tweaking the Picture Settings....

The one that is nearest to the actual colours is the GH2, the G3 is under saturated and the GE-M5 over saturated.
The reason the G3 image is a little washed out is the Picture Setting was inadvertantly set to Portrait....oops.

As for sharpness :shrug: well, I'm more than happy with all three.

As I said at the beginning, not very scientific but it has proved something to me.

Buy a E-M5 if you like the camera, but don't expect any 'over-the-moon' great improvement in IQ for every day photography.

IQ/Value
1st...G3
2nd...GH2
3rd...E-M5

My winner however is the GH2, IQ/handling/value.

Sorry I bought a E-M5....NO, I love it.

OOC JPG’s….NO PP.

G3

P1000038 by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

GH2

P1010261 by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

OM-D E-M5

P5090047 by Dave in Wales, on Flickr
 
Finally had a chance to put the E-M5 through it's paces, really impressed with it. A few niggles but no major show stoppers, the kit lens isn't as bad as people make out, yes it's slow but if I need speed I'll used primes.

Here's a few pics I took over the weekend on a trip to Santorini:

7157521978_9eb0e0c90d_z.jpg


7159428520_1d1d0f7185_z.jpg


7164819482_21f7c5ff36_z.jpg
 
Thanks, any chance of seeing ISO 1600 processed from raw ?

Dave in Wales said:
OM-D E-M5, GH2 and G3 image comparison....My own, I can believe these.

I am not into ‘Pixel-Peeping’ but I was asked by a member on another forum for ‘real-world’ (whatever that means) comparison shots.

The setting were left as they came out of my bag, some may argue it’s not very scientific but that’s how my cameras are set-up in the ‘real-world’.

Tripod…yes

Stabilisation…off

ISO 200

Aperture Priority…f8 at 1/10 second.

AWB

Lighting…Daylight from window to the left.

Lens…Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f1.4. (I love this lens)

There may be differences that show in gradation etc. but I’m more that happy with all of these images.

THe differences in colour can be adjusted by tweaking the Picture Settings....

The one that is nearest to the actual colours is the GH2, the G3 is under saturated and the GE-M5 over saturated.
The reason the G3 image is a little washed out is the Picture Setting was inadvertantly set to Portrait....oops.

As for sharpness :shrug: well, I'm more than happy with all three.

As I said at the beginning, not very scientific but it has proved something to me.

Buy a E-M5 if you like the camera, but don't expect any 'over-the-moon' great improvement in IQ for every day photography.

IQ/Value
1st...G3
2nd...GH2
3rd...E-M5

My winner however is the GH2, IQ/handling/value.

Sorry I bought a E-M5....NO, I love it.

OOC JPG’s….NO PP.

G3

P1000038 by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

GH2

P1010261 by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

OM-D E-M5

P5090047 by Dave in Wales, on Flickr
Click to expand...
 
PrinceCorum said:
Thanks, any chance of seeing ISO 1600 processed from raw ?
Click to expand...

RAW :thinking: what's that ?

Don't do RAW, JPG's from these 3 cameras are excellent and more than adaquate for my needs.

All that poncing about with RAW to end up with what I could have got from an OOC JPG in the first place.

Sides, I hate PP'ing. :nono: rather be taking pictures.

Us old'ens from way back were always taught 'get it right in the camera' and that is still my philosophy.

THe old argument RAW v JPG will never go away.

Just my 2p's worth.
 
What an absolutely cracking little camera this is. I've had quite a few compact cameras in my time from the G10 to G12, Panny GF1 and GH2, Leica X1 and Fuji X100, and the EM-5 is the best yet in my opinion.

My main concern with most of the above has always been the focus acquisition time - although they are all very accurate at nailing focus, most of the time, the time taken to actually acquire focus in the first place has always been a bone of contention for me. In this regard, the X1 and X100 were the worst.

I'm pleased to say that the EM-5 with the 12-50 lens is very very fast - in fact, I wasn't quite expecting it to be as fast as it is. Obviously the process it uses to focus is different to DSLRs, but it really is very quick, and this fussy user has not been left wanting. I would hope that in time it will only all get better with FM releases.

For the first time ever, I think I may not be shooting RAW as the jpeg engine is so good, and the dynamic range and high ISO are excellent.

I think this camera coupled with the Panny 20mm (or Panny Leica 25mm) is a very decent reason to avoid the X100 for any prospective buyers of that reading this - it seems to me that the benefit of APS-C over the micro four thirds sensor size are largely rendered moot by this camera based on my use of the two.

One other thing I've noted is that the face detection system is quite astonishing. It's accurate - most are these days - but it gives you the option to automatically focus on the left or right eye of the subject, or the eye which is closest. I didn't think it would be very good, but it is absolutely brilliant. Having enabled it to try it out, I don't think I'll ever switch it off. Viewing images on the camera with all the info displayed, the exact point of focus is displayed - on every image of a person there was a little green square over the closest eye (and that green square was, I'm pleased to say, much smaller than the default af frame size).

Unfortunately, it looks as though I just missed the free grip offer, but can hopefully pick one up at a keen price from someone who got that and doesn't want it, as I think that will improve the handling for me (with the front grip part on, not the battery compartment).

I'll hope to report back more as I get to use the camera more over the coming weeks and months, but suffice to say I'm the most pleased with a camera I've been in a long time.
 
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py6km said:
What an absolutely cracking little camera this is. I've had quite a few compact cameras in my time from the G10 to G12, Panny GF1 and GH2, Leica X1 and Fuji X100, and the EM-5 is the best yet in my opinion.

My main concern with most of the above has always been the focus acquisition time - although they are all very accurate at nailing focus, most of the time, the time taken to actually acquire focus in the first place has always been a bone of contention for me. In this regard, the X1 and X100 were the worst.

I'm pleased to say that the EM-5 with the 12-50 lens is very very fast - in fact, I wasn't quite expecting it to be as fast as it is. Obviously the process it uses to focus is different to DSLRs, but it really is very quick, and this fussy user has not been left wanting. I would hope that in time it will only all get better with FM releases.

For the first time ever, I think I may not be shooting RAW as the jpeg engine is so good, and the dynamic range and high ISO are excellent.

I think this camera coupled with the Panny 20mm (or Panny Leica 25mm) is a very decent reason to avoid the X100 for any prospective buyers of that reading this - it seems to me that the benefit of APS-C over the micro four thirds sensor size are largely rendered moot by this camera based on my use of the two.

One other thing I've noted is that the face detection system is quite astonishing. It's accurate - most are these days - but it gives you the option to automatically focus on the left or right eye of the subject, or the eye which is closest. I didn't think it would be very good, but it is absolutely brilliant. Having enabled it to try it out, I don't think I'll ever switch it off. Viewing images on the camera with all the info displayed, the exact point of focus is displayed - on every image of a person there was a little green square over the closest eye (and that green square was, I'm pleased to say, much smaller than the default af frame size).

Unfortunately, it looks as though I just missed the free grip offer, but can hopefully pick one up at a keen price from someone who got that and doesn't want it, as I think that will improve the handling for me (with the front grip part on, not the battery compartment).

I'll hope to report back more as I get to use the camera more over the coming weeks and months, but suffice to say I'm the most pleased with a camera I've been in a long time.
Click to expand...

'Get a grip' :LOL:
My opinion....... http://www.mu-43.com/f42/grip-my-opinion-update-25955/
 
Glad to see the hype was not just that. I still cant justify it at the moment given that I have a full system and after so many years there is still no fast normal zoom. Something like a 12-35 at f2.8 or something similar. however I will be joining the club sooner rather than later :)
 
Yes, I'd agree that the kit lens is a bit slow aperture-wise (although v. fast af-wise for the avoidance of doubt). I'd like a 2.8 zoom too, but imagine it would be very expensive! I think I'll add a couple of primes to the stable - the Leica 25mm Summilux looks good, and perhaps the upcoming 75/1.8 from Olympus as well. Other than that, I think one of the best options looks to be the 50-150 from Olympus or the 45-200 from Panasonic. Both still quite slow lenses though. Always a compromise!
 
Free grip arrived today and wow, loving the extra hold-ability now and I think it has improved the whole feel of the e-m5. Looks pretty cool too. :D
 
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vrapan said:
Glad to see the hype was not just that. I still cant justify it at the moment given that I have a full system and after so many years there is still no fast normal zoom. Something like a 12-35 at f2.8 or something similar. however I will be joining the club sooner rather than later :)
Click to expand...


f3.5 is all you can hope for in the near future from Panasonic, but it willl be interesting to see how they price it. m43 rumours think 21st May is the date to watch for.
 
broadway said:
f3.5 is all you can hope for in the near future from Panasonic, but it willl be interesting to see how they price it. m43 rumours think 21st May is the date to watch for.
Click to expand...

F3.5 for m4/3 is slow. They better have something faster on the cards cause otherwise it is almost pointless compared to anything else currently available.
 
I finally got to have a quick play with an E-M5 yesterday. I was in Jessops and to my surprise they had one on display.

I have to say I was very impressed with it. Much has been said about it's good looks and they are totally correct it's one NICE looking camera. Just the right amount of retro and modern combined.

I thought the size of it was perfect for what I would use it for ie a travel camera. I have a Panny GF2 and have had most of Canons pro line-up over the years and the E-M5 was just right. The GF2 can sometimes feel too small and a Canon 7D is nice to hold and use but even that can be a bit big when travelling overseas and my 1DmkIV sat at home on all but one trip I made in the time I had it due to it's size and weight. The E-M5 was neither too small (as I had feared it might be) nor too large.

The feel of it in the hand was nice too. It feels pretty solid but isn't in any way heavy. It was nice to grip and this I think would only be increased with the addition of the grip.
I liked the shutter sound! It's not like a DSLR's solid "slap" but it has a pretty reassuringly well build sound to it. It's pretty quiet, much quieter than my GF2, which is a real plus for street and general use when you don't want to attract attention.

I wish the screen had been higher resolution. That's one thing I find hard to live with after selling off my Canon cameras. The screen on the 1DmkIV and 7D were a joy to look at photos on but all the M43 cameras I have tried have all been very lacking in this area. The E-M5 is better than the GF2 but still not totally what I want.
I also wish the screen had the full range of movement that the Panny cameras have.

The final negative point is the price. I know it's probably worth it but the thing that's sticking in my mind is it's more expensive than a 7D! I shoot aviation sometimes and I wonder how well the E-M5 would keep up with moving planes. I know the 7D will do this with ease. If it wasn't for that comparison I would have bought one yesterday. If anyone can comment on the AF of moving subjects I would be very interested to hear how you think it would do.

I didn't get to take any photos to take home and look at but I have read enough reviews now to be 99% certain that it's image quality is top-notch. I have read more than one piece that says it has better IQ than the 7D even at ISO up to 3200!

I am so on the fence with this one. I am very very very tempted to just say what the heck buy one. On the other hand weighing it up against my other contender the 7D the AF tracking and price stand out. These are countered by the E-M5s small weight/size and general ease of use, plus I have some Panny lenses at the moment but would have to invest in Canon glass from scratch.
 
I think it's a great camera, but I don't shoot subjects which move to the degree that BIF and planes etc would, so YMMV. Although it has 9 FPS, contrast af will typically suck for that kind of thing. On this particular model as well, the continuous af isn't great for reasons I forget as it didn't concern me - if I were you I'd check the DPReview review of it (if you've not already), as they discussed the continuous AF of the camera on there and reached the conclusion that it sucked if I remember rightly.

There's always a compromise....

What about a D7000? AF is brill, and it's quite a bit smaller than the 7D isn't it?
 
broadway said:
f3.5 is all you can hope for in the near future from Panasonic,.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I don't think so - the forthcoming 12-35mm is going to be F2.8 and the 35-100mm is going to be the same as far as I know.
 
py6km said:
I think it's a great camera, but I don't shoot subjects which move to the degree that BIF and planes etc would, so YMMV. Although it has 9 FPS, contrast af will typically suck for that kind of thing. On this particular model as well, the continuous af isn't great for reasons I forget as it didn't concern me - if I were you I'd check the DPReview review of it (if you've not already), as they discussed the continuous AF of the camera on there and reached the conclusion that it sucked if I remember rightly.

There's always a compromise....

What about a D7000? AF is brill, and it's quite a bit smaller than the 7D isn't it?
Click to expand...

Not take everywhere small especially if you consider the difference in the size of lenses. My current setup is a K-5 + 21mm either the 16-50 or the 50-135 in the bag and I'd consider that to be my limit for travelling gear. The EM-5 + a couple of primes is infinitely more portable.

I went to a K-5 because of the size of the D7k believe it or not... Maybe I should just man up but where is the fun in that when you have cameras like the EM-5
 
Was also quite surprised to find one on display in Jessops in Edinburgh while I was in getting my X100 warranty sorted.
Seems a lovely camera although I'm not sure I love the EVF, but that's probably a personal thing as I've found the EVF on the EP2 I've just sold to be worse than an OVF.
 
Anybody purchased the third party BLN-1 batteries yet? Non official set of batteries and charger is available on eBay. Seems a good price given the Olympus battery will be I the order of £50 when eventually released.
 
Must stop reading this thread................ Hope price comes down soon
 
ShrubMonkey said:
Anybody purchased the third party BLN-1 batteries yet? Non official set of batteries and charger is available on eBay. Seems a good price given the Olympus battery will be I the order of £50 when eventually released.
Click to expand...

http://www.mu-43.com/f42/my-ebay-e-m5-batteries-showed-up-today-26110/

Never used aftermarket batteries :nono: and never will, I'll wait and pay for the Oly one.

Having said that, will I need one ?
I'm finding that the battery is holding up very well.
 
I ordered a genuine battery from Jacobs website on Monday.. it arrived yesterday. No dispatch notification or anything! I am shocked - I thought they were in short supply and even the website said 14 days.
 
Hmm... no action on this thread.
I guess the other OM-D owners are either all out shooting, or still trying to understand the menu system! :bonk:
 
Very nice... looking forward to my grip arriving.
I trust the subject of #3 is no relation to your good self. :p
 
I have the 3rd party batteries from ebay and so far so good, they seem to work just like the original except you have to charge via the supplied charger.
Digital camera raw update is now available too which updates Aperture 3 and iphoto for the om-d raw files if anyone is interested.
I have my grip and it is superb, really love the feel the camera has now.
 
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A mate came into the office today sporting an OM-D with the smaller grip fitted. Came armed with the 14mm pancake lens and the 12-50mm.

I have to say, I'm astounded at A) how sexy the camera is in the flesh, especially with the motor drive-esque grip, and B) just how nice it feels in the hands for a small body.

That power zoom function on the 12-50 is brilliant - I can see its uses when filming - and the macro function is brilliant. The pancake lens is good too.

Not sold on EVFs yet but it is clear and concise and I love the fact you can operate picture styles and what not while looking through the EVF.

My mate sold a D300s, 70-300, 17-35, 50mm and SB-900 and chopped it in for this kit, plus a flash, and he says that he knows now that it was the right choice; image quality is excellent, video is good, the build quality is spectacular and it's lighter and smaller.
 
Going to have to go and have a play with one of these, sooooooooooo tempting.
 
specialman said:
A mate came into the office today sporting an OM-D with the smaller grip fitted. Came armed with the 14mm pancake lens and the 12-50mm.

I have to say, I'm astounded at A) how sexy the camera is in the flesh, especially with the motor drive-esque grip, and B) just how nice it feels in the hands for a small body.

That power zoom function on the 12-50 is brilliant - I can see its uses when filming - and the macro function is brilliant. The pancake lens is good too.

Not sold on EVFs yet but it is clear and concise and I love the fact you can operate picture styles and what not while looking through the EVF.

My mate sold a D300s, 70-300, 17-35, 50mm and SB-900 and chopped it in for this kit, plus a flash, and he says that he knows now that it was the right choice; image quality is excellent, video is good, the build quality is spectacular and it's lighter and smaller.
Click to expand...

That's exactly why I sold my 5D2 and lenses, don't regret it either ;)
 
Just got my HLD-6 grip... This thing feels like a mini Nikon D3 !!
Now just got to find a second battery. :)
 
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Weldingblues said:
A question from somebody who could buy into this format see (http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=413301)
is it possible to turn of the screen?
This is because in theatres the light from the screen would be a distraction to the audience.

Regards
Colin

PS. This is quite an informative topic/thread.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can either have it automatically switch from EVF to LCD screen, or switch it manually (in which case you could keep it set to use the EVF only, effectively disabling the LCD).
 
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