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on March 23, 2015
If you are the type that likes a straight-forward, concise review, look elsewhere. Below I try to document my thought process as I compared the likes of the Olympus EM-1, EM5ii, Sony A7ii, A6000, and Nikon D750, and why I finally settled on the EM5ii.
Like most enthusiast photographers who spend any time online reading reviews, when it came time for me to upgrade my Nikon D40 from 2006, I lost track of my original goals for upgrading (more customizability, video capabilities, low light performance) and got sucked into the world of "gear acquisition syndrome".
Originally confining myself to other APS-C Nikon DSLRs in order to re-use my lens collection, the D7100 became the obvious choice. Until I realized that the size and weight of the D7100 was not much different than the D750 - which at the time was filling every review site with A+ raving reviews. I fell into the rabbit hole of full frame and convinced myself that if I was going to carry a camera all the way to Israel or Korea (some upcoming destinations of mine), then it would be foolish to bring anything other than a full frame which would be guaranteed to get the job done regardless of lighting conditions.
I rented the D750 and fell in love with its incredible ergonomics and handling, not to mention the razor sharp IQ. I was very close to buying it, but then a pro photographer friend pointed me toward the Sony A7 mark II which was just hitting the markets. It boasted a similar 24mp full frame sensor, but in a smaller package. When I began reading reviews, it seemed clear that Sony was innovating in ways that Canon and Nikon hadn't done for years. Being mostly interested in travel and street photography, the appeal of a smaller camera body was strong -- without compromising the full frame quality which I was convinced I needed.
Again, wanting to make the best buying choice possible, I rented the Sony A7ii for a weekend to see how I would like it. I got to shoot both daylight in the snow and nighttime, and got great results for both. However, the ergonomics left something to be desired - e.g. the on/off switch was dangerously close to the aperture dial, the switch from auto to manual focus was cumbersome, etc. Also, despite the smaller body, the weight was almost the same as the D750. The most concerning aspect of the A7, however, was the lens selection. I'm a huge fan of fast and compact prime lenses, which simply don't exist for the FE mount. Adapters abound and seem to be everyone's go-to to fill their lens needs, but I wasn't particularly happy about the extra costs involved or the look/feel of the adapters, or the fact that these lenses would require manual focus which isn't a fun experience on the A7ii.
But what the Sony A7ii did show me is the incredible impact that in-camera stabilization has on the photographic process. It is well known that there are a large number of "looks" you just can't get without a tripod, e.g. the smoothing effect of water that happens beyond 1/2 second shutter speed. But like most street or travel photographers, the thought of carrying a tripod everywhere is not my idea of a good time. But with the IBIS of the Sony A7ii, I was able to take shots up to 1 second that I was happy enough with to keep. Granted, they weren't tack sharp, but they were usable at reasonable resolutions like posting to Flickr or Facebook. For my travel photos, that's all I wanted.
At this point, I was in a bit of a crisis mode. It felt like there was no camera that combined everything I was looking for. I was simultaneously sliding more and more into full frame envy, while also being tantalized by the thought of a pocketable interchangeable lens camera system. I knew full frame demanded a certain size, especially in the glass, that would never be as small as I was hoping for. Luckily, at this time, I stumbled upon a few of the rare level-headed videos on Youtube discussing sensor size differences. One that really put it into perspective showed how tiny "full" frame was compared to 4x5 or 8x11 sizes in film cameras. Another comment that really helped me shed my full frame zeal was the fact that all modern-day digital cameras, even the entry-level ones, far exceeded the pro-level cameras from only a decade ago. If it was good enough for a pro ten years ago, it is good enough for me today.
The Sony A6000 looked really nice and had some compact lens options, but at this point I was wedded to the idea of camera stabilization. And around this time is when the Olympus EM-5 Mark II was announced. It addressed the biggest grievance I had read about regarding the EM-1 (lack of video features and relatively poor video quality), and did so in an incredibly small body. As I started to research the micro 4/3 system more and more, I became extremely impressed by both the lenses already available and the ones which have been recently announced. Both Panasonic and Olympus, as well as other providers like Leica and Voigtlander, are producing top-notch glass across the focal length spectrum. There are not only high-quality zoom lenses, but also fast and compact primes that I love.
The EM-5 Mark II was not able to be rented (my usual evaluation of whether I really want a product), so I rented the next best thing in the EM-1. I took it shooting in some caves outside of Austin, without a tripod. The images I got from those caves blew me away. Not only did the stabilization allow me to shoot at 1/8 or slower speeds and still get great shots, but the EVF did a much better job than expected in near-darkness. The camera naturally struggles to AF in those conditions, so I got a chance to try out the manual focus assist, which is amazing with the EVF and magnification, as well as focus peaking. Compared to the Sony's cumbersome AF/MF switch on the A7, manual focus is FUN on the Olympus OM-D system. The other thing I loved was the overall ergonomics and controls. Some people describe it as overwhelming, but I love to be able to customize every little button and feature of the camera to my liking - and the defaults are pretty great too. I feel like the actual button pressing and tweaking of settings on the OM-D system can be done just as fast as on a well-designed full-frame DSLR such as the D750, to more likely capture those vital moments.
With the positive EM-1 rental experience, I decided to buy the EM-5 Mark II. The reason I went with the EM-5ii over the EM-1 really came down to three reasons: 1) slight size advantage, being smaller and lighter than the EM-1, and 2) better image stabilization - a full 5 stops is what Olympus cites and my own experience certainly verifies, and 3) better video quality and video features. Some common reasons that people choose the EM-1 is that it has slightly better IQ, but most reviews that say that will be quick to point out that the differences won't be noticeable in practical day-to-day use.
Now that I have used the EM-5 Mark II for over a week, I can say that it delivered on all of the areas I eventually decided to prioritize. The camera is very small and fits nicely in my hands. I can carry it without a strap for over an hour without feeling any type of fatigue. It is not very imposing so when I take it out and shoot on the street, I don't feel everyone staring at me (compared with a full-frame DSLR). Right now I only have the 25mm (50mm full-frame equivalent) prime, which is also small and lightweight, and the combination is amazing. The AF speed is almost impossible to believe, and combined with the silent shutter makes for a remarkable street photography machine.
The quality of the images is more than I would ever need, and I actually prefer 16 MP to 24 or beyond, since it saves on hard drive space. But definitely my favorite feature is the stabilization. I've done some shots at a full 1 second shutter speed, handheld with no support, and they came out great! Videos are silky smooth without a tripod, which I am excited to use while traveling to capture all sorts of clips no matter where I am. I have also tried shooting up to 1600 ISO and found the noise at that setting to be barely noticeable. I don't think shooting in low light will ever be a problem with this camera.
For all the hoopla that you hear about shallow DOF and the micro 4/3 sensor size, I can say that I have found it perfectly fine for my uses. In fact, when I was doing some flower shots, I accidentally missed focus because the DOF was so shallow (at f/1.8). If you are in doubt about the ability of these cameras to blur backgrounds, just look up some sample shots from the pro Olympus zooms (12-40 and 40-150 f/2.8) or the fast primes (45 or 75/1.8). I can't comment on the other major complaint people have (battery life) as I haven't gone on any extended shoots yet, but I plan to keep a spare battery handy at all times anyway.
At the end of the day, I realized that for MY particular use cases of street photography, wanting to have the camera with me always, and for traveling all over the world where baggage is sometimes limited, having a camera system where the body AND the lens were small meant a huge deal to me - and that meant micro 4/3. I'm no pro, but I still demand sharp images and the ability to capture high dynamic range, and I have no complaints with the images I am getting out of the Olympus OM-D systems when paired with a high quality lens. I don't feel like I have compromised in any way, especially with all the great features this camera has which are not available on the Nikon/Canons.
I can't pretend to know what you are after in a camera, but I can say that you should think carefully about whether you REALLY need the latest full-frame megapixel-chasing pro camera. The difference is not just the $$$ but also the difference between whether you actually want to carry the camera around with you everywhere and use it for what it's meant for - capturing moments that are worth sharing with people.
PROS:
- Image stabilization is a game changer and changes the day-to-day photographic process. Leave your tripod at home and get whatever shots you want.
- Camera body AND lenses are small, lightweight, and physically high quality in all aspects: build quality, aesthetics, optics.
- Ergonomics and controls on the camera are so flexible that I can't imagine anyone would be unhappy. With the flick of a finger or press of a button, I have access to any setting I want, no matter how esoteric.
- Innovative features make it feel like a 2015 camera: stabilization already mentioned, Live View, Live Comp, Silent Shutter that stops down to 1/16000, super fast continuous shooting, focus peaking, manual focus assist, bright and lag-free EVF, etc. [The 40MP high-res shot mode is pointless for my use cases; I haven't tried it nor do I want to. It sounds from reviews that it is excellent for product photography in studio settings, but for the average enthusiast it won't be useful.]
- Lens selection is second to none. There are so many that it's honestly hard to choose your first lens. I'll probably settle in with a trinity of Olympus primes: 12, 25, and 45 - and maybe a cheap tele zoom for those rare long shots. But who knows, there's new ones coming out all the time.
CONS
- The provided strap and the way of connecting it is not well designed and interferes with one's grip of the camera. I immediately removed it and plan to use a third-party strap system.
- I doubt I can push the ISO beyond 3200 with favorable results, but I also can't think of any real world scenario where I would want to.
MORAL OF THE STORY
Don't fall into the analysis paralysis of tons of camera research, and don't believe what you read online (that includes my own review). Instead, look up real images from normal people like yourself. Then pick a few contenders and RENT them for real-world shooting scenarios. It may cost you a few hundred bucks to rent several cameras, but it will save you thousands in the end.
UPDATE (5/31/2015):
After shooting with this camera for several months, including several day trips and a week-long trip to South Korea, I can reiterate all of the above. The stabilization system and low-light capabilities of the camera are continually impressing me, and I'm consistently surprised by the tack sharp pro quality images that the camera produces.
Having now used the camera for some extended shooting, I can give three substantial updates to the above review.
First of all, the major complaint that many people say on reviews is that this camera has poor battery life. They must have been using a different camera because I simply do not run into that problem. I purchased a second battery given all the hoopla, but I've never needed to swap to it (compared to the Nikon D750 where I needed to swap mid-day on one shoot, although granted that was in freezing cold weather conditions). I will say that I am very quick to shut off the camera in between shots, and I also don't tend to take 1000s of photos a day. I usually shoot around 100-200 over the course of a day when I am traveling to a new place, and only charge the camera battery once every other night. I haven't had a battery die on me yet. If you are the type who keeps the camera on for long periods of time or shoots thousands of shots per day, then you may in fact see the battery issues that reviewers complain about. But I can say that for my day-to-day battery usage, I see no problems. Again I will reiterate that you can always throw a spare battery in your pocket, since they are pretty small.
Second, I have settled on a strap system which I enjoy quite a bit -- the Black Rapid Metro. I was able to walk around long 10-hour days in Korea with the EM5ii and a relatively heavy lens (12-40mm f/2.8) attached, and did not feel much neck or back discomfort at all. I also find the strap is comfortable enough to keep on while on a bus or stopping for lunch, though on a hot day I will definitely remove the strap during those off times just to cool off. The strap provides great mobility and never snags when I bring the camera up to my eye to take a shot. I also have the Black Rapid wrist strap, and since it uses the same connector, I can easily switch between the two as the scenario dictates. I would recommend this system to anyone with a compact mirrorless camera system, and it won't break the bank.
Third and finally, I have had the opportunity to use the Olympus Pro 12-40mm f/2.8 zoom lens for a week in Korea. My original fear was that the lens would be too big or heavy. While it is significantly (almost 3x) heavier than my Olympus 25mm f/1.8 prime lens, the weight is not a big deal given the strap system I am using. The size is a bigger concern, as the camera definitely looks more imposing and would stick out a lot during street photography. For that reason I will probably stick to the 25mm/f1.8 for the most sensitive street photo scenarios (and the darkest scenarios where the extra stop of light will matter), but for everything else -- including all my travel photography -- I will be using the 12-40. The range is just incredibly useful, and as all the reviews will tell you, it is incredibly sharp through the full range. The build quality of the lens, including the focus and zoom rings, are top notch. It truly feels pro, and the photos look accordingly. I personally don't need anything wider than 12mm (24mm full-frame equivalent) for my purposes, and the 40mm is enough reach on the tele end for most of my needs. I will probably keep a cheap tele super zoom in my bag for those 10% of cases where you need to zoom in real close, but I don't expect to swap it in very much. I would not hesitate to recommend this lens to everyone with a Micro 4/3 camera, even those like me who normally prefer primes (Steve Huff says exactly the same, even him being famous for loving primes). My usual caveat is that you should not blindly take my advice, but rent the lens and put it to the test.
Also I've added some sample shots that show a few different scenarios -- night, travel, street, indoor, museum, flowers.
UPDATE (11/13/2015):
Nothing much to add, except to say that I still love this camera, and am still impressed by the pictures that come out of it. I added a few new sample shots. It is an absolutely steal with the price drop ($899 now).
Like most enthusiast photographers who spend any time online reading reviews, when it came time for me to upgrade my Nikon D40 from 2006, I lost track of my original goals for upgrading (more customizability, video capabilities, low light performance) and got sucked into the world of "gear acquisition syndrome".
Originally confining myself to other APS-C Nikon DSLRs in order to re-use my lens collection, the D7100 became the obvious choice. Until I realized that the size and weight of the D7100 was not much different than the D750 - which at the time was filling every review site with A+ raving reviews. I fell into the rabbit hole of full frame and convinced myself that if I was going to carry a camera all the way to Israel or Korea (some upcoming destinations of mine), then it would be foolish to bring anything other than a full frame which would be guaranteed to get the job done regardless of lighting conditions.
I rented the D750 and fell in love with its incredible ergonomics and handling, not to mention the razor sharp IQ. I was very close to buying it, but then a pro photographer friend pointed me toward the Sony A7 mark II which was just hitting the markets. It boasted a similar 24mp full frame sensor, but in a smaller package. When I began reading reviews, it seemed clear that Sony was innovating in ways that Canon and Nikon hadn't done for years. Being mostly interested in travel and street photography, the appeal of a smaller camera body was strong -- without compromising the full frame quality which I was convinced I needed.
Again, wanting to make the best buying choice possible, I rented the Sony A7ii for a weekend to see how I would like it. I got to shoot both daylight in the snow and nighttime, and got great results for both. However, the ergonomics left something to be desired - e.g. the on/off switch was dangerously close to the aperture dial, the switch from auto to manual focus was cumbersome, etc. Also, despite the smaller body, the weight was almost the same as the D750. The most concerning aspect of the A7, however, was the lens selection. I'm a huge fan of fast and compact prime lenses, which simply don't exist for the FE mount. Adapters abound and seem to be everyone's go-to to fill their lens needs, but I wasn't particularly happy about the extra costs involved or the look/feel of the adapters, or the fact that these lenses would require manual focus which isn't a fun experience on the A7ii.
But what the Sony A7ii did show me is the incredible impact that in-camera stabilization has on the photographic process. It is well known that there are a large number of "looks" you just can't get without a tripod, e.g. the smoothing effect of water that happens beyond 1/2 second shutter speed. But like most street or travel photographers, the thought of carrying a tripod everywhere is not my idea of a good time. But with the IBIS of the Sony A7ii, I was able to take shots up to 1 second that I was happy enough with to keep. Granted, they weren't tack sharp, but they were usable at reasonable resolutions like posting to Flickr or Facebook. For my travel photos, that's all I wanted.
At this point, I was in a bit of a crisis mode. It felt like there was no camera that combined everything I was looking for. I was simultaneously sliding more and more into full frame envy, while also being tantalized by the thought of a pocketable interchangeable lens camera system. I knew full frame demanded a certain size, especially in the glass, that would never be as small as I was hoping for. Luckily, at this time, I stumbled upon a few of the rare level-headed videos on Youtube discussing sensor size differences. One that really put it into perspective showed how tiny "full" frame was compared to 4x5 or 8x11 sizes in film cameras. Another comment that really helped me shed my full frame zeal was the fact that all modern-day digital cameras, even the entry-level ones, far exceeded the pro-level cameras from only a decade ago. If it was good enough for a pro ten years ago, it is good enough for me today.
The Sony A6000 looked really nice and had some compact lens options, but at this point I was wedded to the idea of camera stabilization. And around this time is when the Olympus EM-5 Mark II was announced. It addressed the biggest grievance I had read about regarding the EM-1 (lack of video features and relatively poor video quality), and did so in an incredibly small body. As I started to research the micro 4/3 system more and more, I became extremely impressed by both the lenses already available and the ones which have been recently announced. Both Panasonic and Olympus, as well as other providers like Leica and Voigtlander, are producing top-notch glass across the focal length spectrum. There are not only high-quality zoom lenses, but also fast and compact primes that I love.
The EM-5 Mark II was not able to be rented (my usual evaluation of whether I really want a product), so I rented the next best thing in the EM-1. I took it shooting in some caves outside of Austin, without a tripod. The images I got from those caves blew me away. Not only did the stabilization allow me to shoot at 1/8 or slower speeds and still get great shots, but the EVF did a much better job than expected in near-darkness. The camera naturally struggles to AF in those conditions, so I got a chance to try out the manual focus assist, which is amazing with the EVF and magnification, as well as focus peaking. Compared to the Sony's cumbersome AF/MF switch on the A7, manual focus is FUN on the Olympus OM-D system. The other thing I loved was the overall ergonomics and controls. Some people describe it as overwhelming, but I love to be able to customize every little button and feature of the camera to my liking - and the defaults are pretty great too. I feel like the actual button pressing and tweaking of settings on the OM-D system can be done just as fast as on a well-designed full-frame DSLR such as the D750, to more likely capture those vital moments.
With the positive EM-1 rental experience, I decided to buy the EM-5 Mark II. The reason I went with the EM-5ii over the EM-1 really came down to three reasons: 1) slight size advantage, being smaller and lighter than the EM-1, and 2) better image stabilization - a full 5 stops is what Olympus cites and my own experience certainly verifies, and 3) better video quality and video features. Some common reasons that people choose the EM-1 is that it has slightly better IQ, but most reviews that say that will be quick to point out that the differences won't be noticeable in practical day-to-day use.
Now that I have used the EM-5 Mark II for over a week, I can say that it delivered on all of the areas I eventually decided to prioritize. The camera is very small and fits nicely in my hands. I can carry it without a strap for over an hour without feeling any type of fatigue. It is not very imposing so when I take it out and shoot on the street, I don't feel everyone staring at me (compared with a full-frame DSLR). Right now I only have the 25mm (50mm full-frame equivalent) prime, which is also small and lightweight, and the combination is amazing. The AF speed is almost impossible to believe, and combined with the silent shutter makes for a remarkable street photography machine.
The quality of the images is more than I would ever need, and I actually prefer 16 MP to 24 or beyond, since it saves on hard drive space. But definitely my favorite feature is the stabilization. I've done some shots at a full 1 second shutter speed, handheld with no support, and they came out great! Videos are silky smooth without a tripod, which I am excited to use while traveling to capture all sorts of clips no matter where I am. I have also tried shooting up to 1600 ISO and found the noise at that setting to be barely noticeable. I don't think shooting in low light will ever be a problem with this camera.
For all the hoopla that you hear about shallow DOF and the micro 4/3 sensor size, I can say that I have found it perfectly fine for my uses. In fact, when I was doing some flower shots, I accidentally missed focus because the DOF was so shallow (at f/1.8). If you are in doubt about the ability of these cameras to blur backgrounds, just look up some sample shots from the pro Olympus zooms (12-40 and 40-150 f/2.8) or the fast primes (45 or 75/1.8). I can't comment on the other major complaint people have (battery life) as I haven't gone on any extended shoots yet, but I plan to keep a spare battery handy at all times anyway.
At the end of the day, I realized that for MY particular use cases of street photography, wanting to have the camera with me always, and for traveling all over the world where baggage is sometimes limited, having a camera system where the body AND the lens were small meant a huge deal to me - and that meant micro 4/3. I'm no pro, but I still demand sharp images and the ability to capture high dynamic range, and I have no complaints with the images I am getting out of the Olympus OM-D systems when paired with a high quality lens. I don't feel like I have compromised in any way, especially with all the great features this camera has which are not available on the Nikon/Canons.
I can't pretend to know what you are after in a camera, but I can say that you should think carefully about whether you REALLY need the latest full-frame megapixel-chasing pro camera. The difference is not just the $$$ but also the difference between whether you actually want to carry the camera around with you everywhere and use it for what it's meant for - capturing moments that are worth sharing with people.
PROS:
- Image stabilization is a game changer and changes the day-to-day photographic process. Leave your tripod at home and get whatever shots you want.
- Camera body AND lenses are small, lightweight, and physically high quality in all aspects: build quality, aesthetics, optics.
- Ergonomics and controls on the camera are so flexible that I can't imagine anyone would be unhappy. With the flick of a finger or press of a button, I have access to any setting I want, no matter how esoteric.
- Innovative features make it feel like a 2015 camera: stabilization already mentioned, Live View, Live Comp, Silent Shutter that stops down to 1/16000, super fast continuous shooting, focus peaking, manual focus assist, bright and lag-free EVF, etc. [The 40MP high-res shot mode is pointless for my use cases; I haven't tried it nor do I want to. It sounds from reviews that it is excellent for product photography in studio settings, but for the average enthusiast it won't be useful.]
- Lens selection is second to none. There are so many that it's honestly hard to choose your first lens. I'll probably settle in with a trinity of Olympus primes: 12, 25, and 45 - and maybe a cheap tele zoom for those rare long shots. But who knows, there's new ones coming out all the time.
CONS
- The provided strap and the way of connecting it is not well designed and interferes with one's grip of the camera. I immediately removed it and plan to use a third-party strap system.
- I doubt I can push the ISO beyond 3200 with favorable results, but I also can't think of any real world scenario where I would want to.
MORAL OF THE STORY
Don't fall into the analysis paralysis of tons of camera research, and don't believe what you read online (that includes my own review). Instead, look up real images from normal people like yourself. Then pick a few contenders and RENT them for real-world shooting scenarios. It may cost you a few hundred bucks to rent several cameras, but it will save you thousands in the end.
UPDATE (5/31/2015):
After shooting with this camera for several months, including several day trips and a week-long trip to South Korea, I can reiterate all of the above. The stabilization system and low-light capabilities of the camera are continually impressing me, and I'm consistently surprised by the tack sharp pro quality images that the camera produces.
Having now used the camera for some extended shooting, I can give three substantial updates to the above review.
First of all, the major complaint that many people say on reviews is that this camera has poor battery life. They must have been using a different camera because I simply do not run into that problem. I purchased a second battery given all the hoopla, but I've never needed to swap to it (compared to the Nikon D750 where I needed to swap mid-day on one shoot, although granted that was in freezing cold weather conditions). I will say that I am very quick to shut off the camera in between shots, and I also don't tend to take 1000s of photos a day. I usually shoot around 100-200 over the course of a day when I am traveling to a new place, and only charge the camera battery once every other night. I haven't had a battery die on me yet. If you are the type who keeps the camera on for long periods of time or shoots thousands of shots per day, then you may in fact see the battery issues that reviewers complain about. But I can say that for my day-to-day battery usage, I see no problems. Again I will reiterate that you can always throw a spare battery in your pocket, since they are pretty small.
Second, I have settled on a strap system which I enjoy quite a bit -- the Black Rapid Metro. I was able to walk around long 10-hour days in Korea with the EM5ii and a relatively heavy lens (12-40mm f/2.8) attached, and did not feel much neck or back discomfort at all. I also find the strap is comfortable enough to keep on while on a bus or stopping for lunch, though on a hot day I will definitely remove the strap during those off times just to cool off. The strap provides great mobility and never snags when I bring the camera up to my eye to take a shot. I also have the Black Rapid wrist strap, and since it uses the same connector, I can easily switch between the two as the scenario dictates. I would recommend this system to anyone with a compact mirrorless camera system, and it won't break the bank.
Third and finally, I have had the opportunity to use the Olympus Pro 12-40mm f/2.8 zoom lens for a week in Korea. My original fear was that the lens would be too big or heavy. While it is significantly (almost 3x) heavier than my Olympus 25mm f/1.8 prime lens, the weight is not a big deal given the strap system I am using. The size is a bigger concern, as the camera definitely looks more imposing and would stick out a lot during street photography. For that reason I will probably stick to the 25mm/f1.8 for the most sensitive street photo scenarios (and the darkest scenarios where the extra stop of light will matter), but for everything else -- including all my travel photography -- I will be using the 12-40. The range is just incredibly useful, and as all the reviews will tell you, it is incredibly sharp through the full range. The build quality of the lens, including the focus and zoom rings, are top notch. It truly feels pro, and the photos look accordingly. I personally don't need anything wider than 12mm (24mm full-frame equivalent) for my purposes, and the 40mm is enough reach on the tele end for most of my needs. I will probably keep a cheap tele super zoom in my bag for those 10% of cases where you need to zoom in real close, but I don't expect to swap it in very much. I would not hesitate to recommend this lens to everyone with a Micro 4/3 camera, even those like me who normally prefer primes (Steve Huff says exactly the same, even him being famous for loving primes). My usual caveat is that you should not blindly take my advice, but rent the lens and put it to the test.
Also I've added some sample shots that show a few different scenarios -- night, travel, street, indoor, museum, flowers.
UPDATE (11/13/2015):
Nothing much to add, except to say that I still love this camera, and am still impressed by the pictures that come out of it. I added a few new sample shots. It is an absolutely steal with the price drop ($899 now).
on March 17, 2015
I'm an avid 62 year old photographer who used a number of 35mm and larger film cameras, sometimes professionally. For the past several years, now that I'm retired, I've done year long travels in third world tropical countries, sometimes backpacking in remote areas in Asia and South America. I'd been using smaller sensor cameras, last one was a Panasonic FZ 200, and for the small size of the sensor, they could do surprisingly well. However, a larger sensor like this one has would give me better quality photos, especially when cropping. I'd been waiting for the new EM5II to be released, and ordered it as soon as it was available. I also purchased the Olympus 12-50 and 75 to 300II, and will soon receive a Panasonic 20 mm f1.7 lens to round out a system.
The specs and size of the EM5II were perfect for me. I've never been one to seek the largest sensor, and this 16 MP micro 4/3 one has plenty of detail for what I want. Colors are very life like, to the point of being surprising. I see many people carrying larger sensor cameras, which means higher weights, larger size, and sometimes much higher cost. I can't imagine trying to travel in the jungle or mountains carrying a huge camera, unless you were selling photos big time. Look at the size and weight of SLR cameras, and imagine trying to carry that body with lenses going from 24mm to 600mm (35 mm equivalent lenses). I'd need a porter to carry the stuff.
Compared to the less expensive smaller sensor cameras, everything seems to be significantly higher quality with the EM5II. Controls are crisp feeling, and seem to be well thought out. The mode dial moves in positive clicks, and has a lock (my less expensive models did not, and were sometimes moved accidentally).
As the camera is water repellent and my 12-50 lens is also, this will be my first non swimming/snorkeling/diving camera that I can confidently use in wet outside conditions (not swimming of course).
The viewfinder is bright and sharp, and it's focus button seems to be placed where it won't get inadvertently moved, as my FZ200 would constantly do.
For newbies, you can set the camera to pretty much take simple photos without worrying about technical settings, and for many conditions the pictures taken like this look great. I want to do more with it though, and although many functions and controls are familiar, there's going to be quite a bit of reading and practice to fully use this.
I suggest buying at least one spare battery, as the camera is a bit of an energy hog, but you can still get a useable 300 or so pictures per charge. I travel with 2 spares, as electrical outlets are sometimes far away from my location.
So far, I'm very happy with this camera, and I'll write more about it after some further use.
The specs and size of the EM5II were perfect for me. I've never been one to seek the largest sensor, and this 16 MP micro 4/3 one has plenty of detail for what I want. Colors are very life like, to the point of being surprising. I see many people carrying larger sensor cameras, which means higher weights, larger size, and sometimes much higher cost. I can't imagine trying to travel in the jungle or mountains carrying a huge camera, unless you were selling photos big time. Look at the size and weight of SLR cameras, and imagine trying to carry that body with lenses going from 24mm to 600mm (35 mm equivalent lenses). I'd need a porter to carry the stuff.
Compared to the less expensive smaller sensor cameras, everything seems to be significantly higher quality with the EM5II. Controls are crisp feeling, and seem to be well thought out. The mode dial moves in positive clicks, and has a lock (my less expensive models did not, and were sometimes moved accidentally).
As the camera is water repellent and my 12-50 lens is also, this will be my first non swimming/snorkeling/diving camera that I can confidently use in wet outside conditions (not swimming of course).
The viewfinder is bright and sharp, and it's focus button seems to be placed where it won't get inadvertently moved, as my FZ200 would constantly do.
For newbies, you can set the camera to pretty much take simple photos without worrying about technical settings, and for many conditions the pictures taken like this look great. I want to do more with it though, and although many functions and controls are familiar, there's going to be quite a bit of reading and practice to fully use this.
I suggest buying at least one spare battery, as the camera is a bit of an energy hog, but you can still get a useable 300 or so pictures per charge. I travel with 2 spares, as electrical outlets are sometimes far away from my location.
So far, I'm very happy with this camera, and I'll write more about it after some further use.
on March 5, 2015
I got this mainly for 2 things... The stabilizer and that I needed a second body for my M43 setup. When you're someone who does video and stills like me, you have to choose your body carefully. You typically either go with Panasonic who typically doesn’t have body stabilization but has amazing video support an performance, and their glass is typically more expensive or… you go with Olympus who has cheap beautiful Glass and bodies with image stabilization but with lackluster video quality and support. In the past I had chosen to buy Panasonic bodies and Olympus Glass and used gimbals and tripods to stabilize my shots… I just couldn’t pass on the fast cheap glass that Olympus was offering but I couldn’t give up the video quality that Panasonic had. I was stuck in-between the two. Then came the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II.
So first the things that I love…
-The image stabilization… I’ve been able to get sharp clear shots at shutter speeds of 1/4 of a second handheld, when anything below 1/60 of a second on my GH3 was pretty much unusable handheld.
-The build quality is really nice. I love the metal dials and body. It feels like a tank.
-Sometimes you really can’t grasp the size of something until you put your hands on it but this camera is really small. I really like that, I travel a bit so it’s always nice to be able to save room when you can. This does come with some drawbacks but I’ll talk about that in a bit.
-40mp mode is really cool even though I won’t ever have a real use for it but for still life and product shots this is a game changer for some.
-The fully articulating LCD touch screen is one of the reasons I hadn’t touched a Oly before. I’m really glad to see it here.
-The improved all around video support and performance. Oly is finally serious about video.
-included attachable flash. For the longest time I’ve always said that the onboard flashes of cameras nowadays are horrible. It’s nice they didn’t waste space on the camera.
-Focus Peaking… it’s one of the best I’ve used and much needed
-Weatherproofing… lot of cameras have it these days but it’s still nice they included it.
Now for the things I don’t like…
-While the video support and performance is much improved there isn’t any 4k support. This camera would have turned some serious heads when the gh3 came out but now in 2015 it’s lagging a little behind in that area.
-The size is a great thing for space but it lends itself to some handling issues. Sometimes I don’t feel like I have a good grip on it even though it feels pretty comfortable in the hands. It also leads to my next issue…
-battery life… it’s really not all that great… I really wish they had put in a bigger battery. From what Olympus has said, this will last about 310 shots, 40 or so down from the original E-M5 Mark I. The Panasonic lasts for twice as long.
-no onboard audio out jack for monitoring your audio while recording. You have to buy the battery pack (279 USD because you can’t buy it separately from the camera grip right now)
-menus… They aren’t as intuitive as they could be and I find myself having to take more steps to get to things that on other cameras would be only a few steps. Granted, I love all the customization.
Things that would like on the next version…
-4k…please
-USB Charging through the camera… it would be nice to have one less charger on long trips… anything to save space.
-Ability to take high res shots of people and handheld. Olympus has already said they are working on this… lets hope they keep their promise.
-simpler menus but still full featured
-higher flash sync speed, I doubt they could do anything with a leaf shutter but I can wish!
In conclusion…
For the price and minor gripes… this camera is probably one of the best M43 cameras on the market. It looks nice and feels solid. Pros and hobbyists will love the performance (minus the battery life), and if you’re a product photographer or looking to get into product photography…This will be a great way to get into the industry with high res shots. People starting out with photography will need to be a little weary of the menus, it doesn’t hold your hand. If you take the time to learn the menus and their function this could be a camera that grows with you.
So first the things that I love…
-The image stabilization… I’ve been able to get sharp clear shots at shutter speeds of 1/4 of a second handheld, when anything below 1/60 of a second on my GH3 was pretty much unusable handheld.
-The build quality is really nice. I love the metal dials and body. It feels like a tank.
-Sometimes you really can’t grasp the size of something until you put your hands on it but this camera is really small. I really like that, I travel a bit so it’s always nice to be able to save room when you can. This does come with some drawbacks but I’ll talk about that in a bit.
-40mp mode is really cool even though I won’t ever have a real use for it but for still life and product shots this is a game changer for some.
-The fully articulating LCD touch screen is one of the reasons I hadn’t touched a Oly before. I’m really glad to see it here.
-The improved all around video support and performance. Oly is finally serious about video.
-included attachable flash. For the longest time I’ve always said that the onboard flashes of cameras nowadays are horrible. It’s nice they didn’t waste space on the camera.
-Focus Peaking… it’s one of the best I’ve used and much needed
-Weatherproofing… lot of cameras have it these days but it’s still nice they included it.
Now for the things I don’t like…
-While the video support and performance is much improved there isn’t any 4k support. This camera would have turned some serious heads when the gh3 came out but now in 2015 it’s lagging a little behind in that area.
-The size is a great thing for space but it lends itself to some handling issues. Sometimes I don’t feel like I have a good grip on it even though it feels pretty comfortable in the hands. It also leads to my next issue…
-battery life… it’s really not all that great… I really wish they had put in a bigger battery. From what Olympus has said, this will last about 310 shots, 40 or so down from the original E-M5 Mark I. The Panasonic lasts for twice as long.
-no onboard audio out jack for monitoring your audio while recording. You have to buy the battery pack (279 USD because you can’t buy it separately from the camera grip right now)
-menus… They aren’t as intuitive as they could be and I find myself having to take more steps to get to things that on other cameras would be only a few steps. Granted, I love all the customization.
Things that would like on the next version…
-4k…please
-USB Charging through the camera… it would be nice to have one less charger on long trips… anything to save space.
-Ability to take high res shots of people and handheld. Olympus has already said they are working on this… lets hope they keep their promise.
-simpler menus but still full featured
-higher flash sync speed, I doubt they could do anything with a leaf shutter but I can wish!
In conclusion…
For the price and minor gripes… this camera is probably one of the best M43 cameras on the market. It looks nice and feels solid. Pros and hobbyists will love the performance (minus the battery life), and if you’re a product photographer or looking to get into product photography…This will be a great way to get into the industry with high res shots. People starting out with photography will need to be a little weary of the menus, it doesn’t hold your hand. If you take the time to learn the menus and their function this could be a camera that grows with you.
on August 31, 2015
After 50 years of photography from amateur to part-time pro, I have come to judge camera gear for what it can do for me. Outdoors, I photograph landscapes, cityscapes, flowers, and birds. At home, in my little indoor studio, I do some fine art studies and small product photography. I also do my own fine art printing up to 16x24". This year I did the impossible: I gave up my Pentax APS-C system and moved definitively to the micro 4/3. I now work with two E-M10's, one E-M5II and a good selection of Olympus and Panasonic lenses. I find the E-M5II to be an amazing tool for every aspect of my photography.
EVF and LCD: coming from film SLR's, I am used to some beautiful pentaprism finders. The E-M5II EVF is very large and clear, it adapts to the brightness of the subject and, with its main camera settings display, it allows me to keep shooting and reset the camera without taking my eye off it especially with dynamic subjects. The LCD is beautiful, sharp and fully articulated. I regularly photograph close to the ground (i.e.: small plants) where this feature is a God-send. Even in the studio this is very handy. The Super Control Panel is visible on both the EVF and LCD and is very functional.
Sensor: its IQ can compete with many APS-C camera sensors. Shooting Raw and developing in Camera Raw or (even better) DxO Optics Pro, noise is not an issue up to ISO1600 (my max ISO setting). 16Mp are enough for what I do. Even cropping down to 12Mp, I can upsize my files with Perfect Resize up to 800% without visible loss of quality. This gives me a 96Mp or 8485 x 11313 pixel file that I can print up to 28x37" at 300dpi. For static subjects and some other creative use, the High Res Shot produces moiré-free files with amazing detail, color fidelity and low noise which could be enlarged even further. I did test this feature and can assure you that it's real and mind-boggling.
Image stabilization: it's simply the best on the market. The control is so fine that allows for a 5 f/stops stability gain and for the High Res Shot feature.
Exposure: the EM5II has some of the best exposure metering in the business. Unique features include Live Time that allows you to monitor the brightness buildup of dark scenes and stop exposure when you like it, and Live Comp which is ideal for creative night scenes including fireworks, car lights and star trails.
Autofocus: the S-AF is very fast and assertive. C-AF and Tracking could be better. I had to learn to manage the latter and help it latch onto the desired subject (difficult to explain here). I photograph mostly shore birds with the Pana 100-300mm zoom and find that personal technique is truly paramount. Some of the best action happens at take off and landing, events that I can predict. Here S-AF works just fine and lets me shoot sequences at 10fps. For total depth of field in macro photography I use the excellent Olympus 60mm macro often with focus stacking. I take multiple frames focusing from the front of the subject to the back and a number of intermediate steps. I import the frames as layers in Photoshop in a single file, apply Auto Align and Auto Blend and Photoshop creates a single frame with all the sharpest parts of the multiple frames (magic).
Ergonomics: the camera is a pleasure to handle. It's small and relatively light but, at the same time, built like a small tank. It fits well in my medium-size male hands and the many controls are well placed. Some people complain that longer lenses unbalance the camera but I disagree. With telephoto lenses, I let the camera sit in my left hand at the zoom ring and this makes the whole system even more stable than with smaller lenses.
Weather sealing: with all my shooting in heavy weather, so far I have had only one non-weatherized camera failure. Nevertheless, when I take expensive (for me) trips to places that I will see only once in my lifetime, a few hundred dollars more for weatherized equipment is a lot of peace of mind. To achieve effective weatherization, gear must be built with fine materials and tight tolerances. (added on 100715: I took the fisherman's pic at Montauk Point, Long Island, in 50mph wind gusts and a recurrent fine seawater spray. Once back at home, I washed the EM5II and 12-40mm f/2.8 lens with a sponge and that was it).
Learning curve: I am an electronic engineer with a ton of photographic experience nevertheless it took me some time to learn this camera and its software (Raw High Res Shots can only be developed in Olympus Viewer 3). You can set the camera to auto and let it roll but people who want to use its advanced features should be aware of its complexity. You do have to read the manual cover to cover and, probably, do some additional research on the web. Then for some time you have to experiment with the camera in real life to get acquainted with its multiple features and controls. I happen to love this learning phase but some people could find it overwhelming. I would strongly recommend using Myset (1 through 4) to record your favorite settings for different shooting situations. This allows you to recover from any accidental camera resetting in a few seconds.
Others: the camera grip (sold separately) is a useful accessory. It adds a deeper grip and a second battery, and can take an AC adapter which is great in the studio.
Conclusion: I find that for my kind of photography the E-M5II is overall hard to beat. The excellent selection of lenses is another decisive factor to buy into the M43 system. I use the slower but minuscule lenses for maximum portability and the brighter Pro models for max IQ. I am attaching two studio pictures of one of my wife's jewelry creations. The first one is a typical Raw developed in Camera Raw with some sharpening, the second is a High Res Shot straight out of Olympus Viewer 3.
020116: Considering the little money that I could get for the Pentax K5 I decided to keep it but since I got the Olympus bodies I have used it very little. In a medium size and very comfortable sling bag I can fit my EM5II and EM10II with short and medium zooms on them and there is still room for additional glass (such as the 60mm macro).
EVF and LCD: coming from film SLR's, I am used to some beautiful pentaprism finders. The E-M5II EVF is very large and clear, it adapts to the brightness of the subject and, with its main camera settings display, it allows me to keep shooting and reset the camera without taking my eye off it especially with dynamic subjects. The LCD is beautiful, sharp and fully articulated. I regularly photograph close to the ground (i.e.: small plants) where this feature is a God-send. Even in the studio this is very handy. The Super Control Panel is visible on both the EVF and LCD and is very functional.
Sensor: its IQ can compete with many APS-C camera sensors. Shooting Raw and developing in Camera Raw or (even better) DxO Optics Pro, noise is not an issue up to ISO1600 (my max ISO setting). 16Mp are enough for what I do. Even cropping down to 12Mp, I can upsize my files with Perfect Resize up to 800% without visible loss of quality. This gives me a 96Mp or 8485 x 11313 pixel file that I can print up to 28x37" at 300dpi. For static subjects and some other creative use, the High Res Shot produces moiré-free files with amazing detail, color fidelity and low noise which could be enlarged even further. I did test this feature and can assure you that it's real and mind-boggling.
Image stabilization: it's simply the best on the market. The control is so fine that allows for a 5 f/stops stability gain and for the High Res Shot feature.
Exposure: the EM5II has some of the best exposure metering in the business. Unique features include Live Time that allows you to monitor the brightness buildup of dark scenes and stop exposure when you like it, and Live Comp which is ideal for creative night scenes including fireworks, car lights and star trails.
Autofocus: the S-AF is very fast and assertive. C-AF and Tracking could be better. I had to learn to manage the latter and help it latch onto the desired subject (difficult to explain here). I photograph mostly shore birds with the Pana 100-300mm zoom and find that personal technique is truly paramount. Some of the best action happens at take off and landing, events that I can predict. Here S-AF works just fine and lets me shoot sequences at 10fps. For total depth of field in macro photography I use the excellent Olympus 60mm macro often with focus stacking. I take multiple frames focusing from the front of the subject to the back and a number of intermediate steps. I import the frames as layers in Photoshop in a single file, apply Auto Align and Auto Blend and Photoshop creates a single frame with all the sharpest parts of the multiple frames (magic).
Ergonomics: the camera is a pleasure to handle. It's small and relatively light but, at the same time, built like a small tank. It fits well in my medium-size male hands and the many controls are well placed. Some people complain that longer lenses unbalance the camera but I disagree. With telephoto lenses, I let the camera sit in my left hand at the zoom ring and this makes the whole system even more stable than with smaller lenses.
Weather sealing: with all my shooting in heavy weather, so far I have had only one non-weatherized camera failure. Nevertheless, when I take expensive (for me) trips to places that I will see only once in my lifetime, a few hundred dollars more for weatherized equipment is a lot of peace of mind. To achieve effective weatherization, gear must be built with fine materials and tight tolerances. (added on 100715: I took the fisherman's pic at Montauk Point, Long Island, in 50mph wind gusts and a recurrent fine seawater spray. Once back at home, I washed the EM5II and 12-40mm f/2.8 lens with a sponge and that was it).
Learning curve: I am an electronic engineer with a ton of photographic experience nevertheless it took me some time to learn this camera and its software (Raw High Res Shots can only be developed in Olympus Viewer 3). You can set the camera to auto and let it roll but people who want to use its advanced features should be aware of its complexity. You do have to read the manual cover to cover and, probably, do some additional research on the web. Then for some time you have to experiment with the camera in real life to get acquainted with its multiple features and controls. I happen to love this learning phase but some people could find it overwhelming. I would strongly recommend using Myset (1 through 4) to record your favorite settings for different shooting situations. This allows you to recover from any accidental camera resetting in a few seconds.
Others: the camera grip (sold separately) is a useful accessory. It adds a deeper grip and a second battery, and can take an AC adapter which is great in the studio.
Conclusion: I find that for my kind of photography the E-M5II is overall hard to beat. The excellent selection of lenses is another decisive factor to buy into the M43 system. I use the slower but minuscule lenses for maximum portability and the brighter Pro models for max IQ. I am attaching two studio pictures of one of my wife's jewelry creations. The first one is a typical Raw developed in Camera Raw with some sharpening, the second is a High Res Shot straight out of Olympus Viewer 3.
020116: Considering the little money that I could get for the Pentax K5 I decided to keep it but since I got the Olympus bodies I have used it very little. In a medium size and very comfortable sling bag I can fit my EM5II and EM10II with short and medium zooms on them and there is still room for additional glass (such as the 60mm macro).
on June 19, 2015
oh boy, where do I begin? I did countless hours of research before buying the Oly EM5 Mark II. This camera has it all, best bang for your buck: it's water sealed, dust proof, freeze proof, has a great selection of lenses for AFFORDABLE prices, it is soooo beautiful - no current camera looks this good (it's a jewel), it's got a solid construction, such great level of customization, three FN buttons, that with the flip of a switch become six, feature packed, 46 megapixel JPEG and 64 megapixel RAW capability, swiveling touch screen that can fold into the camera to protect it, great wifi controls (transfer photos to your phone in seconds, your phone can control camera mirroring what it can see), did I mention the great selection of primes available for AFFORDABLE PRICES??? I have the 25mm, 45mm, 14-150mm weathersealed mark II, and 75-300mm for long shots (the last two lenses provide 21x zoom capability with great IQ). I like shooting flowers, family indoors, outdoors, scenery, etc and this camera makes it sooo fun, it is such a joy to use, you owe to yourself to at least try it (borrowlenses.com). The images come out so pleasing, such beautiful colors, it is soo true, I can tell with my untrained eyes that Olympus puts some magic in their jpegs and makes their colors just "pop". Hard to describe, but every photoshoot raises my adrenaline, sometimes I forget to breathe when I compose my shots. Oh, did you hear about the 5 axis (full five stops) in body image stabilization IBIS? Well, believe all the hype, from macro to landscapes this thing is a marvel. The only time I use my tripod is for family shots in which I want to partake :) . There are so many professional photographers that are switching, many users selling their heavy and expensive equipment (Nikon, Canon), to make the move to the MFT system. Unless you print big posters, you cannot tell the difference in IQ, 99% pictures taken will NOT end up on billboards, why pay thousands of dollars for a slight improvement in image quality that only computer programs can detect? I seriously considered Sony A6000 or their A7 series (A7, A7R, A7S - $2500 body only, A7II, and now the A7R II - which is a beast, but at a price $3200 body only), because Sony is not just innovating, their killing it in the digital photography world. They are making leaps and bounds with every camera release (look at the new RX10 II, and RX100 IV - integraged 4k video with 40 and 20x slow mo?!?!?!). They are the future for sure, don't even try to debate it, compact form, full frame. 'Nough said. Why did I get the Olympus still? PORTABILITY, take it anywhere camera, Swivel screen, real weather sealing (looking at you A7), still the best IBIS in the business, and the great selection of lenses (price to performance ratio cannot be beat = great value). Yes, Sony is releasing more and more for their cameras, but they are expensive, almost like Nikon and Canon, plus they are heavy lenses. Oly lenses are so light, can fit in almost any pocket. Fujifilm with their X mount lenses and XT1 was another strong contender, but still expensive, inferior video capabilities. Nothing beats Olympus and Panasonic right now (they both share the MFT system, Panasonic offers 4k, but the best deal for me is the OLY).
Weaknesses for the MFT system: 1. Bad in low light = beat by = IBIS, Prime lenses, PRO lenses (seriously, go check the studio pictures under dpreview.com and compare between oly and other competitors, don't be shy, compare Sony full frame, Nikons, difference =>INSIGNIFICANT!!!). 2. Smaller sensor - INSIGNIFICANT, youtube Zack Arias in sensor differences, LOL = INSIGNIFICANT). I hope I helped some of you out there, but don't believe me, go to dpreview and do some comparisons. I am still doing research, and still have not regretted my purchase!
Zack Arias Crop sensor vs Full Frame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHYidejT3KY
Weaknesses for the MFT system: 1. Bad in low light = beat by = IBIS, Prime lenses, PRO lenses (seriously, go check the studio pictures under dpreview.com and compare between oly and other competitors, don't be shy, compare Sony full frame, Nikons, difference =>INSIGNIFICANT!!!). 2. Smaller sensor - INSIGNIFICANT, youtube Zack Arias in sensor differences, LOL = INSIGNIFICANT). I hope I helped some of you out there, but don't believe me, go to dpreview and do some comparisons. I am still doing research, and still have not regretted my purchase!
Zack Arias Crop sensor vs Full Frame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHYidejT3KY
on June 11, 2015
Let me just start off by saying: I LOVE this little camera!
As a disclaimer, I am new to mirrorless camera / enthusiast-level photography but I have spent hundreds of hours researching cameras over the last 6 months. I almost purchased a Nikon d5500 before finally settling on buying this camera in black with the Olympups 14-42 EZ with the LC-37C lens cap and the Olympus 40-150mm. I also ended up buying the Olympus 25mm f1.8 prime a month or so later. One of my main priorities in a interchangeable lens camera system was compactness and portability, and this camera fit the bill perfectly.
Having had a chance to use it for 2-3 months now, and continuing my research of the competition, I feel pretty confident in my evaluation of the pros and cons of this camera. I will just hit on the standout points that helped me decide to buy this camera, and leave the more exhaustive reviews to the professionals:
Pros:
- Size: Like I said above, this size of this camera was a big deciding factor for me. I wanted something small and portable that I could take with me on all my vacations, including tropical / hot places, and not feel like I was about to die lugging this beast of a camera with me everywhere. As part of researching which camera to buy, I borrowed my buddy's Canon t5i on a trip my girlfriend and I took down the Pacific Coast Highway, and we just didn't love the added bulk that the body and three extra lenses added to our trip (and that camera isn't even that big compared to some DSLRs!). This camera hit the sweet spot offering good image quality, a good lens selection, portability, and quality.
- Build quality: I absolutely love the build quality of this camera. This is a huge pro in my book. It is a magnesium-alloy metal body, and it feels very solid and durable in my opinion. In researching, I also tested the Sony a6000, which is plastic, and the metal build of the Olympus feels 10x better than the a6000. I realize there is a significant price difference, but in my opinion paying a little bit more for a camera with much better construction is worth it. You get what you pay for.
- Lens selection: If you're looking at this camera, you probably already know that the m4/3 camera system offers the best native lens selection of any mirrorless camera system. Obviously, many systems make use of adapters to extend the compatability of lenses, but most of those solutions are clunky and not optimal. So far, in my experience, lenses have been high quality yet with reasonable prices. If you're looking for a system that you can grow into that won't break the bank, m4/3 will do the job for you.
- Customization: This camera is extremely customizable. Ever single button on the camera can be repurposed from the default settings. You can even set different user profiles and change between them at a flick of the switch.
Cons:
- User Interface has a little bit of a learning curve: The menu system / user interface of this camera is definitely not the most intuitive. For experienced photographers, this probably won't be much of a problem, but for someone like me, that is just learning the basics of photography and interchangeable lens camera systems, it was definitely intimidating. The screen kept shutting off randomly, I couldn't figure out how to easily switch between auto and manual focus, and changing certain settings required diving into complex menus, etc. In using my friend's Canon t5i I initially found that I preferred the Canon user interface. However, watching a few youtube videos helped a lot, and now I actually prefer the Olympus menu system for the amount of customization that it contains.
- Price: This camera definitely is a little more pricey than its competitors. If you're looking for absolutely best bang for your buck, I would say look elsewhere (Sony a6000, Nikon d3300, Nikon d5500 would be my top picks ATM). However, for me, there were a lot of factors that went into my decision besides price.
Overall, I am very happy with my purchase of this camera, and would definitely recommend it to someone who is looking for a balanced, lightweight, portable camera.
As a disclaimer, I am new to mirrorless camera / enthusiast-level photography but I have spent hundreds of hours researching cameras over the last 6 months. I almost purchased a Nikon d5500 before finally settling on buying this camera in black with the Olympups 14-42 EZ with the LC-37C lens cap and the Olympus 40-150mm. I also ended up buying the Olympus 25mm f1.8 prime a month or so later. One of my main priorities in a interchangeable lens camera system was compactness and portability, and this camera fit the bill perfectly.
Having had a chance to use it for 2-3 months now, and continuing my research of the competition, I feel pretty confident in my evaluation of the pros and cons of this camera. I will just hit on the standout points that helped me decide to buy this camera, and leave the more exhaustive reviews to the professionals:
Pros:
- Size: Like I said above, this size of this camera was a big deciding factor for me. I wanted something small and portable that I could take with me on all my vacations, including tropical / hot places, and not feel like I was about to die lugging this beast of a camera with me everywhere. As part of researching which camera to buy, I borrowed my buddy's Canon t5i on a trip my girlfriend and I took down the Pacific Coast Highway, and we just didn't love the added bulk that the body and three extra lenses added to our trip (and that camera isn't even that big compared to some DSLRs!). This camera hit the sweet spot offering good image quality, a good lens selection, portability, and quality.
- Build quality: I absolutely love the build quality of this camera. This is a huge pro in my book. It is a magnesium-alloy metal body, and it feels very solid and durable in my opinion. In researching, I also tested the Sony a6000, which is plastic, and the metal build of the Olympus feels 10x better than the a6000. I realize there is a significant price difference, but in my opinion paying a little bit more for a camera with much better construction is worth it. You get what you pay for.
- Lens selection: If you're looking at this camera, you probably already know that the m4/3 camera system offers the best native lens selection of any mirrorless camera system. Obviously, many systems make use of adapters to extend the compatability of lenses, but most of those solutions are clunky and not optimal. So far, in my experience, lenses have been high quality yet with reasonable prices. If you're looking for a system that you can grow into that won't break the bank, m4/3 will do the job for you.
- Customization: This camera is extremely customizable. Ever single button on the camera can be repurposed from the default settings. You can even set different user profiles and change between them at a flick of the switch.
Cons:
- User Interface has a little bit of a learning curve: The menu system / user interface of this camera is definitely not the most intuitive. For experienced photographers, this probably won't be much of a problem, but for someone like me, that is just learning the basics of photography and interchangeable lens camera systems, it was definitely intimidating. The screen kept shutting off randomly, I couldn't figure out how to easily switch between auto and manual focus, and changing certain settings required diving into complex menus, etc. In using my friend's Canon t5i I initially found that I preferred the Canon user interface. However, watching a few youtube videos helped a lot, and now I actually prefer the Olympus menu system for the amount of customization that it contains.
- Price: This camera definitely is a little more pricey than its competitors. If you're looking for absolutely best bang for your buck, I would say look elsewhere (Sony a6000, Nikon d3300, Nikon d5500 would be my top picks ATM). However, for me, there were a lot of factors that went into my decision besides price.
Overall, I am very happy with my purchase of this camera, and would definitely recommend it to someone who is looking for a balanced, lightweight, portable camera.
on June 21, 2015
All I can say is Wow. I currently have a Canon 7D and use the 24-105mm F4L lens. The Olympus combined with a 14-150mm f3.5 to 5.6 II is much sharper and the focusing system is amazing. Low light performance is awesome. My only complaint is the menu system is very long and complex, if you ever have to go back and change something it is hard to remember where to find it in the menu. Everything on this camera is fully customizable so you will have to spend a day getting it the way you like.
I shot Video with the camera in a very dark music studio the auto focus still worked great. I am now debating, sell my 7D or keep it as a back up, either way I am sure I will not be using it much anymore. The Olympus is about half the size and weight of the 7D and outperforms it by a long shot.
I shot Video with the camera in a very dark music studio the auto focus still worked great. I am now debating, sell my 7D or keep it as a back up, either way I am sure I will not be using it much anymore. The Olympus is about half the size and weight of the 7D and outperforms it by a long shot.
on September 10, 2015
Well, I own both this camera and the E-M1, and for different reasons. I don't see any other reviews comparing the two so I will try my hand at it.
The bottom line up front: I've owned the E-M1 for a year now and I love it as a daily shooting camera in the field because of superior ergonomics. The E-M5 mkii makes a great tripod and studio camera and can be useful for other specific shooting situations with its various features.
Ergonomics:
Simply put, the ergonomics of the E-M5 mkii are quite a bit behind the E-M1. The grip is insubstantial and if you're going to put the M.Zuiko Pro 40-150mm f/2.8 lens on the E-M5 mkii you NEED the battery grip. It's not even an option. Expect to pay an extra $200 over the base price for the grip. That being said, with the extended grip, ergonomic differences between the two cameras vanish almost entirely. Almost. My only other gripe is that the E-M5 mkii only has a single front programmable button vs the E-M1's two. This might not be a big deal for you, but for me, I like having my magnification and focus peaking right up there where I can access it quickly on the E-M1. On the E-M5 mkii I have to use the AEL/AFL (Fn1) button for peaking instead. I prefer the shutter button on the E-M5 mkii which has a solid half-press to focus and then a full press that bottoms out quickly for shutter release. The E-M1 has a floating switch that activates somewhere in the middle for autofocus and then releases the shutter very shortly after that. It's easy to accidentally snap a picture when you just wanted to lock focus on the E-M1.
Functionality:
I couldn't tell any specific differences between the EVFs, visually. The IBIS on the E-M5 mkii beats out the E-M1 by a hair with the lenses I use (mostly Noktons.) Manual focusing is pretty easy with both bodies, but I find that the focus peaking on the E-M5 mkii shows a lot more "noise" in the scene that is very distracting vs the E-M1 which tends to really just highlight what's in focus and nothing else.
Continuous autofocus on both bodies is useless. Don't bother with it. That's not why you want these cameras. S-AF speed varies with the lens, the fastest being the M.Zuiko Pro 12-40mm f/2.8 and the slowest being the 60mm Macro f/2.8 but the lenses generally perform equally on each body with the same lighting conditions.
Anti-shock shutter and electronic shutter on the E-M5 mkii make this body a superior street camera (anti-shock is super quiet, electronic is actually silent) but beware rolling shutter while using the electronic shutter.
The buffers on both cameras run out very quickly, however the E-M5 mkii will recover faster than the E-M1 with the new SDXC UHS-II cards (worth it if you're shooting multiple bursts or high-res shots.)
The battery meter on the E-M5 mkii tends to be full until it's not full vs the E-M1 which will actually show gradual battery discharge state.
Image Quality:
In normal shooting, I can't say there's a huge difference between the two. Noise quality seems the same, and I tested this doing astrophotography at ISO 2000 with both cameras on the same night shooting the same subject (Milky Way.)
The E-M5 mkii's high res shot makes an insane difference, however. If you shoot still lifes or do macros or any other sort of controlled studio work I highly recommend it. It is even easy to configure high res shots with flash sync. Lightroom tends to claim your high res files are not actually photos, but I'm sure this will be addressed eventually. Any subject movement will create very noticeable artifacts at 1:1 viewing.
Nitpicks:
The eyecup on the E-M5 mkii is just... awful. It falls off. Constantly. And you can't buy a replacement from getolympus yet! I already lost mine after 2-ish months. No such issue on the E-M1.
The paint finish on the black E-M1 scratches off and flakes everywhere. It's not especially bothersome to me, but it might be to others.
Conclusion:
I like the OM-D system a lot. :) At the end of the day, either body gets the job done and that's all I care about. I have been using the E-M5 mkii as my primary studio body and the E-M1 as a backup and field body. If I plan to shoot candids or street I would consider taking the E-M5 mkii because of the various (quiet) shutter options.
The bottom line up front: I've owned the E-M1 for a year now and I love it as a daily shooting camera in the field because of superior ergonomics. The E-M5 mkii makes a great tripod and studio camera and can be useful for other specific shooting situations with its various features.
Ergonomics:
Simply put, the ergonomics of the E-M5 mkii are quite a bit behind the E-M1. The grip is insubstantial and if you're going to put the M.Zuiko Pro 40-150mm f/2.8 lens on the E-M5 mkii you NEED the battery grip. It's not even an option. Expect to pay an extra $200 over the base price for the grip. That being said, with the extended grip, ergonomic differences between the two cameras vanish almost entirely. Almost. My only other gripe is that the E-M5 mkii only has a single front programmable button vs the E-M1's two. This might not be a big deal for you, but for me, I like having my magnification and focus peaking right up there where I can access it quickly on the E-M1. On the E-M5 mkii I have to use the AEL/AFL (Fn1) button for peaking instead. I prefer the shutter button on the E-M5 mkii which has a solid half-press to focus and then a full press that bottoms out quickly for shutter release. The E-M1 has a floating switch that activates somewhere in the middle for autofocus and then releases the shutter very shortly after that. It's easy to accidentally snap a picture when you just wanted to lock focus on the E-M1.
Functionality:
I couldn't tell any specific differences between the EVFs, visually. The IBIS on the E-M5 mkii beats out the E-M1 by a hair with the lenses I use (mostly Noktons.) Manual focusing is pretty easy with both bodies, but I find that the focus peaking on the E-M5 mkii shows a lot more "noise" in the scene that is very distracting vs the E-M1 which tends to really just highlight what's in focus and nothing else.
Continuous autofocus on both bodies is useless. Don't bother with it. That's not why you want these cameras. S-AF speed varies with the lens, the fastest being the M.Zuiko Pro 12-40mm f/2.8 and the slowest being the 60mm Macro f/2.8 but the lenses generally perform equally on each body with the same lighting conditions.
Anti-shock shutter and electronic shutter on the E-M5 mkii make this body a superior street camera (anti-shock is super quiet, electronic is actually silent) but beware rolling shutter while using the electronic shutter.
The buffers on both cameras run out very quickly, however the E-M5 mkii will recover faster than the E-M1 with the new SDXC UHS-II cards (worth it if you're shooting multiple bursts or high-res shots.)
The battery meter on the E-M5 mkii tends to be full until it's not full vs the E-M1 which will actually show gradual battery discharge state.
Image Quality:
In normal shooting, I can't say there's a huge difference between the two. Noise quality seems the same, and I tested this doing astrophotography at ISO 2000 with both cameras on the same night shooting the same subject (Milky Way.)
The E-M5 mkii's high res shot makes an insane difference, however. If you shoot still lifes or do macros or any other sort of controlled studio work I highly recommend it. It is even easy to configure high res shots with flash sync. Lightroom tends to claim your high res files are not actually photos, but I'm sure this will be addressed eventually. Any subject movement will create very noticeable artifacts at 1:1 viewing.
Nitpicks:
The eyecup on the E-M5 mkii is just... awful. It falls off. Constantly. And you can't buy a replacement from getolympus yet! I already lost mine after 2-ish months. No such issue on the E-M1.
The paint finish on the black E-M1 scratches off and flakes everywhere. It's not especially bothersome to me, but it might be to others.
Conclusion:
I like the OM-D system a lot. :) At the end of the day, either body gets the job done and that's all I care about. I have been using the E-M5 mkii as my primary studio body and the E-M1 as a backup and field body. If I plan to shoot candids or street I would consider taking the E-M5 mkii because of the various (quiet) shutter options.
on July 22, 2015
I had the EM5, and I loved that camera, but I did had some issues with the video it produced: It was very bad, with very disturbing compression artifacts (especially when panning or filming foliage) and was almost unusable. The stabilization and the lenses made it useful though, and the photographs where the best I've ever taken.
And then came the MarkII. At first I was a bit disapointed to hear that the video quality wasn't much better, that the sensor was the same, and that it didn't had 4k. Then I went to a store, checked it out, and noticed some very welcome changes to the original:
The viewfinder is substantially better than the Mark1, which is crucial for focusing manual lenses.
It has Zebra stripes for focus assist!
Better LCD
Better built quality and more custom function buttons.
But it wasn't enough to convince me to buy one. But then there was a 200 dollar discount, and I bought it. That's where I noticed how much better it is compared to the Mark1, in the aspects that I find relevant, especially video.
The video quality is SUBSTANTIALLY better. No more ugly artifacts, at last it has 24p and 60fps, and my god what a HUGE difference it makes to shoot video with this camera over the original. That alone is totally worth it. I insist, this is substantially better video quality, and the stabilization is even better than before!
Furthermore, you can't underestimate how relevant is for the camera to have at last... a microphone in and levels. It makes a huge difference, especially when hooked up with an external audio recorder.
The High Res shot mode is really useful for me too. I take many photographs of static objects (art, mostly) and the resolution seems substantially higher. It's true, it is a pitty that it doesn't work for moving subjects... but honestly, 16 megapixels seems more than enough for me on that regard. Besides, there are not a lot of lenses that can resolve 40megapixels. The Olympus 12-40 Pro can, and I really recommend that one.
But I'm focusing this review on the video. And I insist, it is substantially better than the original. The viewfinder, twistable lcd, audio levels and extra buttons (dedicated focus assist for manual lenses)... well, it feels almost like a proper film camera. Again, compared to the original!
In this regard, don't expect it to produce video as nice as a GH4 or a Blackmagic Pocket. There are things missing here: The video doesn't have the best resolution in the world, the color profile is not Log (pleaaaase Olympus! make that happen!), but you can make a "flatish" profile that might help, and which is pretty gradable with some planning.
In summary, this is a phenomenal photo camera, that now shoots great video that is color gradable, and shows no compression artifacts. It's still primarily a photo camera, but now it is a very capable film tool.
update: I can't believe I forgot to mention the timelapse function! that's such a fantastic addition!
And then came the MarkII. At first I was a bit disapointed to hear that the video quality wasn't much better, that the sensor was the same, and that it didn't had 4k. Then I went to a store, checked it out, and noticed some very welcome changes to the original:
The viewfinder is substantially better than the Mark1, which is crucial for focusing manual lenses.
It has Zebra stripes for focus assist!
Better LCD
Better built quality and more custom function buttons.
But it wasn't enough to convince me to buy one. But then there was a 200 dollar discount, and I bought it. That's where I noticed how much better it is compared to the Mark1, in the aspects that I find relevant, especially video.
The video quality is SUBSTANTIALLY better. No more ugly artifacts, at last it has 24p and 60fps, and my god what a HUGE difference it makes to shoot video with this camera over the original. That alone is totally worth it. I insist, this is substantially better video quality, and the stabilization is even better than before!
Furthermore, you can't underestimate how relevant is for the camera to have at last... a microphone in and levels. It makes a huge difference, especially when hooked up with an external audio recorder.
The High Res shot mode is really useful for me too. I take many photographs of static objects (art, mostly) and the resolution seems substantially higher. It's true, it is a pitty that it doesn't work for moving subjects... but honestly, 16 megapixels seems more than enough for me on that regard. Besides, there are not a lot of lenses that can resolve 40megapixels. The Olympus 12-40 Pro can, and I really recommend that one.
But I'm focusing this review on the video. And I insist, it is substantially better than the original. The viewfinder, twistable lcd, audio levels and extra buttons (dedicated focus assist for manual lenses)... well, it feels almost like a proper film camera. Again, compared to the original!
In this regard, don't expect it to produce video as nice as a GH4 or a Blackmagic Pocket. There are things missing here: The video doesn't have the best resolution in the world, the color profile is not Log (pleaaaase Olympus! make that happen!), but you can make a "flatish" profile that might help, and which is pretty gradable with some planning.
In summary, this is a phenomenal photo camera, that now shoots great video that is color gradable, and shows no compression artifacts. It's still primarily a photo camera, but now it is a very capable film tool.
update: I can't believe I forgot to mention the timelapse function! that's such a fantastic addition!
on October 20, 2015
I am very pleased with this camera. I have had two Olympus Pen cameras and an E-M10 previously. I have stayed with the Olympus M4/3 system for several years as I have not been disappointed with any of them and always pleased with the images. Of course, always open to new models. I liked the E-M10 but I wanted a little more in the way of control and additional function buttons for setting certain defaults the way I like them. I liked the added function dial and was also intrigued with the super resolution 40 megapixel setting. Of course the 5-axis stabilization was a draw as well. I sold my E-M10 and bought this E-M5 Mk II and just love the handling, the function settings, just everything about it. I knew about the limitations of the super resolution mode (must be still photo - no movement). I am ok with that as the uses I have had for it are of still life items and flowers. For what it does, the images are staggeringly sharp. Just beautiful. In addition to a few great Olympus lenses, I have a Canon EF 70-300mm L lens and a Metabones Smart adapter that makes the lens behave like a native lens on the Olympus. Could not be happier with my choices.
If one is already decided on the micro four third platform, or thinking about moving into the m4/3, I suggest you look at the E-M5 Mk II.
If one is already decided on the micro four third platform, or thinking about moving into the m4/3, I suggest you look at the E-M5 Mk II.