The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Olympus launches PEN E-P5

raist3d

Well-known member
I like the overall design better than other pens for sure (getting rid of that dial wheel + 4 buttons is a step forward). I really think the new VF-4 as nice as it may be really should have been built in. It's the same resolution of the one Fuji put in the X-E1 though it should look bigger. But I think built in is more important than as a big attachment, goes counter to the portability idea.

I like they pushed the shutter limit to 1/8000th and increased the flash sync shutter too.

- Ricardo
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Hmm Ming says it has no AA filter, I don't think that's correct. At least not for the EM5.

- Ricardo
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Actually the first PEN I really like from ergonomics (seen on product photos) as well as features - I had the EP2 and EP3 before I bought the OMD, so I know what I did not like ....

Also I find the separate EVF a good idea, as it allows more flexible use than the built in one from the OMD, plus it is the first attachable EVF which looks really great on the camera and you simply can take it off whenever shooting in P&S mode with the rear LCD, which also looks very nice.

Now it has to prove how it performs under real life conditions of course.

But it is very hard to not want to buy one, especially in combination with the black 1.8/17 and add the black 1.8/75.
 

m43

New member
Looks nice ala retro

The specs are great and the new EVF is said to be superb :)

All a precursor to the new OM-D EM-6 ;-) with hopefully 43 lens Phase detect AF
 

ggibson

Well-known member
The E-P5 with all its new features is very appealing, but they certainly make you pay for it with the depreciation these cameras have after a year or so. Only the E-M5 has held value well compared to most other m4/3 cameras recently.
 

cjlacz

Member
I took my E-M5 up to the Oly service center at lunch to have the LCD replaced. My serial number was in the range of the troubled units. They had several E-P5s out to play with in the showroom on the first floor.

It feels pretty solid, maybe not as much as the E-M5, but I like it a lot. The buttons and dials have nice feedback to them. The metal is a little different. I love the look of the silver/black camera. The new LCD screen on the back is fantastic. Didn't have a chance to look at it outside or anything though.

The controls look like a step up from the E-M5. I think the dials are better placed. I kept moving the mode dial as it seems to be in a similar place to one of the dials on the E-M5. I have no doubt I'd get used to it quickly. I like the mode switch for the dials. Makes it easy to adjust WB/ISO without fiddling with other buttons. I kind of wish the options were more customizable, but a wonderful improvement here. Lots of customizable buttons, and combined with the usable mysets (similar to the E-PL5) I think this camera will be easier to setup for your different shooting styles than anything before it. I almost wish they had more mysets available now. The new on/off switch is in a good position and I like it more than the button.

Peaking seems to work as you'd expect and they adjust the screen depending on if you pick black or white. Not sure you'd want to leave it on all the time. I didn't play with the small small focus points. If you are into HDR bracketing you'll love the new options. Up to 7 frames at 2EV aor 5 with 3EV. Separate from the normal bracketing so you could have function buttons setup for both. The intervalometer seems to have the basic settings you'd expect. Not sure why it stops at 99 frames though.

They had the black lenses on display. To be honest I think the silver lenses have really grown on me. (I have the 12/17/45/75 in silver). The black just don't grab me like I kind of expected. Instead of a red ring, they do have a bright shiney silver ring. The polished area of the normal lenses and it's pretty noticeable. I'm not sure it qualify as stealth, but that could be dealt with easily.

It does seem to start up quickly. Low ISO is welcome, as it's the 1/8000th shutter speed. I normally shot stopped down, but I can still hit the 1/4000th limit on a bright day. I didn't play with the wireless transfer stuff, but I'm looking forward to it. Popup flash is what you'd expect. Seemed to expose well in the store.

The new EVF is really a thing of beauty. Just playing with the kit lens I could tell when things were in focus pretty easily. Maybe I'm not used to peaking, but I almost found it easier to use with it off. The size wouldn't have been useful without the increase in resolution, but together it's great. With the larger size there is still some room to push the resolution higher in the future. I love the fact it turns off the auto switch when you pull the touch panel out. Solves an issue I had with the E-M5.

I already has a positive impressing just going through the list of changes and that didn't change having it in hand. The image quality is likely the same as the E-M5, but I think the controls and additional features really make it a better camera than the E-M5 in many ways. I do a lot more shooting without the EVF than I had expected when buying the E-M5 and if I was in the market for a new camera I'd give the E-P5 some serious consideration. I think the kit combined with the EVF and 17mm is rather tempting. I don't think the camera is over priced.

I want it, but with two E-M5s and RRS brackets and accessories it might be an expensive replacement. The fact it takes the same batteries at the E-M5 makes it difficult to resist, but I'll try to hold out. The E-M5s are really serving me just fine. Maybe the VF-4.
 

ShooterSteve

New member
As much as I'm very tempted to purchase the new Pen, I really hoping for an upgraded OMD soon. I know the GH3 is a great camera but it's just too big for a small camera. I have a Panasonic GX1 and Pen Mini and really miss the built in stabilization that the Olympus have on the GX1. I'm crazy about this format for my walk around pocket camera.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I'd been planning to pick up a Sony NEX 6 for some time, but the Olympus E-P5 could be an even better pick for me. It depends on one thing: how well it works with my M-bayonet lenses on an adapter.

The NEX may still be a better pick for me, but I'm not in any hurry so I'll wait and see how the Pen looks when it is in the field a little while.

G
 

paparazzi666

New member
Surprising but the Ep5 does not seem to be getting that big a reception compared to the OMD. I think the built in EVF was the hot button, plus the OM look. Oly stubborn-ness to build in the EVF will probably kill the Ep5 chances of a great success. Hmm for me however, I prefer a removable EVF because I think that is a weak point of the camera. If the EVF fails on an OMD, then it's going to be expensive to fix. And my VF2 of 3 years old is already losing some pixels. So the Ep5 plus the VF4 is the hot button for me, all except the price.....cos it will drop rather quickly I think. So a waiting game for now.

But I just picked up an unused 12-50 kit zoom at less than usd200. It pays to wait a bit doesn't it? I think this lens is worth much more and at this price it is a steal.
 

paparazzi666

New member
I want it, but with two E-M5s and RRS brackets and accessories it might be an expensive replacement. The fact it takes the same batteries at the E-M5 makes it difficult to resist, but I'll try to hold out. The E-M5s are really serving me just fine. Maybe the VF-4.
Hehe, the VF4 on the EM5 will make that look like Darth Vader's helmet on top...But the specs of the VF4 are drooooooling.

Get an Epm2 and fit the VF4 on top. It will have great IQ as good as the EM5 and now have the view of the VF4, it will still be compact and cost peanuts, well almost.
 

kweide

New member
I held it in my hands. Incl. The new VF4. This Gem is fast, fast , fastest. Even wth FT lenses it is way faster than EM5.
I threw my 75 mm into the game and was deeply impressed how fast it focused even in the dark restaurant in Zingst, where the Oly guy gave me that sweet toy, smiling !
We mounted the 14-35 via adapter. AF was way faster and more accurate, no pumping. The EP5 is a killer !
Focus peaking works great but the VF4 so brilliant, we did not used focs peaking a lot. Test was made with an old Zuiko 50 mm 1.4. We could judge sharpness 100%.
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Surprising but the Ep5 does not seem to be getting that big a reception compared to the OMD.
A big part of it seems to be the price an the evf as you mentioned. Personally I do think the price is not at all that bad considering what looks to be a premium build with the feature set it has in that size. I find myself actually more interested in the pen 5 than omd but that's because I do a lot of street life and I really like small cameras, plus i don't like the em-5 ergonomics.

I think the built in EVF was the hot button, plus the OM look. Oly stubborn-ness to build in the EVF will probably kill the Ep5 chances of a great success. Hmm for me however, I prefer a removable EVF because I think that is a weak point of the camera. If the EVF fails on an OMD, then it's going to be expensive to fix. And my VF2 of 3 years old is already losing some pixels. So the Ep5 plus the VF4 is the hot button for me, all except the price.....cos it will drop rather quickly I think. So a waiting game for now.
Hmm you could say that about the LCD and the LCD death incidence is rather rare. I like built in because its always with you. Also removable makes for moving parts and easier to break the way its external like that

But I just picked up an unused 12-50 kit zoom at less than usd200. It pays to wait a bit doesn't it? I think this lens is worth much more and at this price it is a steal.
That's a nice price for it for sure.

- Ricardo
 
Last edited:

ptomsu

Workshop Member
The new VF4 and the fast(er) AF of the EP5 make this camera very interesting for me!

Although I am holding my breath and will wait for the next OMD (or however they will call it) with built in EVF (VF4 type), a further improved sensor (maybe more MP????) and again improved AF.

Well and hopefully similar ergonomics as the EP5 ;)
 

kweide

New member
So I shouldn't sell the PanaLeica 14-50 yet then. At least not until I can afford a 14-35 :)

I learned: "Do not sell your FT Lenses, wait, you will be very, very happy !!!" This words were ment NOT looking at the E-P5. I suppose, there is something different coming up this year ....

But on E-P5 we found the FT lenses really faster and more accurate. BTW we were told that the new E-P5 was not a soft evolution but a rework from scratch ...
 

paparazzi666

New member
I was looking forward to a full wifi capability to Android phone. Now with Ep5 its iAuto only.
So I bought an Epl5 new which has that flip up screen. This is not like seeing via your android phone but for now at least I can "see" what the Epl5 is seeing from some angles, albeit may be from far away...hehe. Now with my remote trigger system which I bought for 30 dollars, I can trigger the Epl5 from 100m away. I guess this will suffice for now. I think in future camera makers will come up will full integration with Android and IOS and that might be real cool. Oh the Epl5 with 2 batteries 8Gb wifi card and Olympus suit case cost me less than 680 bucks. And the Epl5 is like few months old? Gosh, the camera makers do struggle to make money in the digital age. Consumers are the one that seems to really benefit.
 
Top