Product ReviewsOlympus OM-D E-M5 16.1 MP Digital Camera, 12-40mm f2.8 Pro Lens, Godox Flash

Now My Favorite

I'm a camera junkie. Thanks to Ebay I've bought and sold perhaps 100+ cameras and countless more lenses. One of my favorite options has been combining a new generation digital camera with one of my older manual focus "legacy" lenses.

This camera is perfect for that application. The in-body stabilization feature means ANY lens I put on this camera with get the benefit of image stabilization. That alone is a huge selling feature. Yes, I have to buy a lens adapter (cheap, usually less than $20 on Ebay)...if I want to mount say an old manual focus Nikon AI-S lens but suddenly ALL of those legacy lenses now get the benefit of image stabilization. Here's one PERFECT example of why I like this option: Take my Nikon AI-S 50mm f/1.2 lens and, using a bought on Ebay Nikon to M4/3 adapter, mount the lens on my Olympus E-M5. Given the M4/3 crop factor of 2 this lens now acts just like a 100mm f/1.2 lens WITH image stabilization!

Of course, the Olympus primes with autofocus are great too. At first I was put off by their truly tiny size and the fact they're made in ChXXX...but I've learned to love these lenses. They truly "deliver" great quality shots...and the fact that they're small and light and relatively inexpensive is great. When mounted to my E-M5 autofocus is insanely FAST and quiet.

Bottom line is I've almost abandoned my SLR cameras in favor of mirrorless cameras. It's a tough thing to admit...but the smaller, lighter, Made in XXXXX stuff is REALLY good! Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: zealot2

NOT USER FRIENDLY.

Difficult to set settings for F-stop using the dials. Not intuitive at all.
My mail camera is a Canon 7D and settings are all at your fingertips
I always somehow end up over or underexposing and cannot switch it back easily without having to go to the screen and resetting. By then the shot is almost ALWAYS missed.

When you do manage to get settings right, the shots come out great. It's just fighting the camera to get to those settings is enough to make you want to throw the camera against a brick wall.
Not a good low light or night camera. Trying to take photos of the night sky is a nightmare. You can never get a good view through the viewfinder...that, and it almost always nearly blinds you because it is a digital viewfinder. An LCD right up against your eye. Nobody wants that.. It hurts your eyes in the dark. Also, If you have a slower SSD card, your processing times to save a picture is always going to mess up any quick shots you might want to take...it sits there flashing while it's writing to the card.

I like that it's small and cute and an excellent performer when you manage to get the settings right, but trying to set those settings on the fly is like pulling teeth. Way too stressful to try and take a good picture in changing light conditions.
I cannot imagine many professional photographers using this as a daily driver. The Canon had a learning curve and it wasn't too difficult to operate after a few tries. The learning curve on this thing is pretty much a wall.

Pay the extra cash and get yourself a camera that is more user friendly. Less stress means you get better pictures.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: dylancs2012

One of the best cameras made today

I have been shooting professionally for 28 years and came to digital photography from medium format film. I started with an Olympus E-1 and have owned every Olympus Pro model since. First I purchased the OM-D E-M1 to use with my SHG lenses and I am totally satisfied. I then purchased this camera, the E-M5 for my personal use with micro 4/3 lenses. I can't say enough good regarding this camera and its image quality. I use it with the grip and battery holder and while the battery life is somewhat less than my 4/3 camera bodies it is sufficient for my use. I use this camera with the Sigma trio, 19mm, 30mm & 60mm lenses as well as Olympus 45mm 1.8 and 12-50 macro.. These lenses are outstanding and perform amazingly well. Don't think the electronic viewfinder isn't as good as an optical one. I, after getting used to it, like it better as I can judge exposure and see immediately the image in the viewfinder without taking my eye away from the camera. Some have said the buttons are small but I have gotten used to it just fine. My buttons on my cell phone are just as small, maybe smaller. This is just an outstanding camera, very well made and laid out, dependable, weather proof, (with weatherproof lenses), focus is super fast and accurate, easy to carry around all day and is just very cool to look at. This camera is second in my mind only to the E-M1. I can earn a living with this camera no doubt and my clients are very pleased to boot.Read full review...

Olympus quality true to form!

Excellent Camera. Controls are convenient and easy to set up. Paired up with an Olympus M. Zuiko 14-150 mm lens, it makes a great carry camera ready for most situations. This particular camera was refurbished directly by Olympus, and it was like a new, unused, camera in mint condition for much less cost than purchasing new. The M4/3 mount and 4/3 sensor makes for a compact camera that takes excellent quality pictures. A great value for a great camera.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: photocenter

OM-D Power with Great Image Quality

Yes, this is not Olympus' latest permutation, but what a great camera! It is compact, very usable and the kit lenses produce outstanding image quality for the money. Plus there are some awesome primes and pro lenses available.
The OM-D E-M5 has something of a learning curve, but it can be configured as you want and if all else fails there are always automatic and program modes.
Because it has an electronic viewfinder (EVF), there is no mirror box and hence, no mirror vibration and less shutter noise. And the short flange distance allows for the adaptation of numerous other lens makes if you're into that. The EVF is bright, can let you preview light levels before you shoot, and when the depth-of-field button is pushed, the view remains bright, unlike a DSLR.
It is a compact, handy camera. My kit used to take up an entire, full-sized camera bag with extra lens cases, but with the Olympus, all I have to carry is a small case not larger than a loaf of bread and about as light. Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: sakura-japan0

Olympus OMD EM5

This possibly the finest digital camera I have ever owned, and I have owned many including Nikons, Canon's, Sigmas and Fujis. The image sharpness and overall quality is superior to any of those others I own, including the Nikon D3200. I attribute this to the 5-axis image stabilizer and the Olympus lenses. Olympus lenses are sharp edge to edge and corner to corner with little or no vignetting. The built in EVF is also a pleasure to use, providing high resolution and accurate exposure information.
Some features could use improvement, like the menu system. This is a very small camera, so if you have large hands it may be awkward for you to access all the control buttons. The position of the shutter release is too far back on the top of the camera for perfectly comfortable operation, needs to be further forward and angled forward. I added an aftermarket grip to the camera which helped a lot.

I use a variety of lenses on this camera with adapters, but the Olympus lenses are superior to almost anything else I own. The built in image stabilizer on the camera body works just fine with manual control lenses, so that is not an issue. Overall, I am very pleased with this camera!!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: thestonerguy

Solid Little Camera

When I pick up this camera, it seems to weigh more than I think it will. That's a good thing ---- the density of the unit makes it feel like it's built like a tank. The eyecup viewfinder (EVF) is superb, as it has very high resolution, and the pixels are not visible. It's almost as good as an optical viewfinder. The camera is very customizable, but that means that there are many nested menus.

LENSES - Most of the Olympus Micro 4/3 cameras are more compact than the Panasonic Micro 4/3 cameras. I have a Lumix GH3, and the Panasonic lenses I have for that camera of course can be employed on the OM-D M5 Mark II camera. However, in general, the Panasonic lenses are physically larger than the Olympus versions. I suspect one factor that plays into this is that most of the Panasonic lenses have Image Stabilization in the lenses themselves. Olympus bodies use Image Stabilization at the sensors. Obviously, the extra motors or solenoids (?) that are used in the Lumix lenses takes up some space. The point here is that the larger Lumix lenses appear to be on the large size for the small size of the M5's camera body. Ergonomically, I mean. Bottom line --- I recommend that any extra lenses that an Olympus camera owner wants to purchase, you should try to stay with the Olympic line.

THE 14-42mm ZOOM KIT LENS that comes with many Olympus cameras is not the best. I tried using one and I found it to be unremarkable. For a new purchaser, I recommend skipping that lens and buying the M5 body only, and then getting one of the PRO zoom lenses, or a 50mm or 17mm prime kens. BTW I have the 45mm Olympus lens, and it is a superb lens and is one of my favorites.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: quickndone

Compact, rugged, great images, highly adaptable

This E-M5 replaces another that I've used since 2014, taking tens of thousands of images. It finally died (a broken battery compartment door that is no longer available) and I looked at the Mk2 but don't like the way the screen is hinged.
I take thousands of photos each year for my collector car auction reports and don't baby the camera or lens, yet the E-M5 has kept going, doing exactly what I need it to do including excellent exposure/aperture control and the often-used exposure adjustment to compensate for the harsh backlighting often encountered at auctions. It works well in low light conditions where the stability control helps produce sharp images without flash.
I don't use most of the functions, having arrived at a setup that works for the work I do, the shots I need and the situations in which I shoot, but the E-M5's range of setup options is one of the valuable features that allowed me to find the set that works, then leave it alone.
In the end the fact that I bought another E-M5 instead of going for the new Mk2 is ample evidence of how practical, effective and rugged the E-M5 is.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: cametaauctions

The best value available now?

My first experience with an E-M5 was when I purchased it soon after launch as a possible upgrade on my long-serving E-3 DSLR bodies.
Despite using the appropriate Olympus adaptor the performance of AF with legacy 4/3 lenses was good on static objects but inadequate with moving subjects.I was less than impressed at that point.
Time has since passed and Olympus have been busy.
Having made a re-aquaintance with the E-M5 again in the past few months I discovered that the newer firmware has added some features and improved the overall performance.
Combined with the HLD-6 grip and dedicated Micro 4/3 lenses the E-M5 represents-perhaps - the best value for money in a top-quality serious photography tool available, especially if you hook a good one on E-Bay.
The performance is blistering! AF is rapid, the drive gives you 9 frames per second, M4/3 lens focus is accurate and the overall feel when using the camera is classy. The video performance with that 5-axis sabiliser is excellent. You will not need a tripod when doing videos.
The Highlight/Shadow control is a unique feature on Olympus OM-D cameras and the best metering/exposure option available from any manufacturer for serious photographers - period.
Like all Olympus cameras, there is full control over any aspect of the camera with a single touch of your finger on the Super Control Panel (SCP)shown on the rear screen.
Many internet reviewers pick up Olympus cameras and then look for buttons to set ISO, drive mode etc and they can't find them. Then they say they hate the Olympus menus as they try and go the long way round to set these features.
Any major setting is two steps away on an Olympus camera-Simply touch the OK button and a yellow box appears on the SCP. On the E-M5, touch the screen on the icon of the setting you want to change and then turn the front control dial to change the values - touch the OK button or the shutter button and you are done. Fast, efficient and intuitive - the best user interface on the market.
If you often use particular settings, you can configure the camera to use the function buttons to instantly call-up your feature and adjust it. If you cannot get this camera to behave the way you want it to its going to be your fault-not the camera's.
As a back-up (until the next E-M1 arrives) the E-M5 had quietly carved a place for itself in my set of equipment.
I did, however make a fatal mistake and let my lady (who often works as a second shooter) use it. Now I can't get it out of her grasp.
She loves the size, the quiet operation, the amazing 5-way stabiliser, almost silent shutter, the fast response, the touch to focus and shoot option on the live-view monitor and the classy feel of the superb build quality.
As a serious photo tool it is probably the best value for money available and a good second-hand one is a great buy.
Good for more than 250 000 shutter releases (at least), built with a tough metal body that is weather sealed it's the perfect camera to take hiking, boating, to a wedding - in fact anywhere.
Just use the lenses it was intended to use and you will be happy you got one.
Now I have to get another seeing as I can;t get this one back!Read full review...

Versatile,pocket size,high quality is here.

After bought this item from ebay and I took it down to use in other city to take photos and I just realised the picture quality is spotless and perfect quality but you must know how to use it with it's own original lens or zoom lenses will be the best suit for this kind of camera. If you use the other type of lens such as OM lens and come down to adapter and with camera will not work so well like it's own olympus lens with auto function. When you are using with it's own lenses you will see the good auto-focusing from it's system.
I can see the picture quality is superb BUT only one comment for E-P5, because of it's size and weight will be a little bit light, when you attached with other heavy lens will make you feel uncomfortable to take picture as it's too light for camera side, will make you have to find the balancing point before you can shoot the scene that you want. Some scene might need lightspeed to capture before the shutter button pressed.. So make sure that you understand this point before using it in perfectly control.
if you want to compare this model E-P5 with E-3 I can say E-3 or those E series weight will be suitable weight when you attached the heavy lens to it and easy to find balancing point.
By the way E-P5 picture quality is absolutely stunning.
Regards,
164.nzRead full review...

You will not be Disappointed but become a Cheerleader on the Olympus Team.

My first DSLR was a Canon 5D Mark II. Very disappointed with it because of continual soft focus problems. But then I purchased the OM-D and have found it to be an amazing piece of technology! Wonderful size for the Ladies also.
Amazed by its size and love the small Lenses. I own 3 Lenses so far and they are all very Sharp/Crisp! Great Camera for Traveling because of its size. Astounded by the image quality and also its features. I am still learning to use it but if you choose to invest in one be ready to be very impressed/amazed/astounded! It commands respect!! What convinced me to purchase it is a Youtube video where they compared a Nikon D800 vs. the OM-D. The OM-D stood its ground easily against the Nikon top Camera in all respects!
Enjoy your new OM-D!Read full review...