# Olympus announces the E-M5 (micro 4/3, OM lookalike)



## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

Announced last night after the kind of rumour-mill frenzy I haven't seen since the days when ThinkSecret was the worm in the Apple.

Previews here:

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Preview: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review

pekkapotka - Journal 

This is a very sweet camera IMO. As someone with a small collection of m43 lenses, it's almost certainly going to be my next body. I'm not the kind to order $1000 gear sight unseen, so I'll wait until I can check it out in person, but many things appeal here:


 weather sealing - shortage of native weather sealed lenses is an issue for now, but not fatal thanks to many 4/3 options
 built-in, high refresh-rate EVF. Probably not the breakthrough some were hoping for, but still very good
 classic SLR styling (my preference) - but optional battery grip is available for those who prefer something more substantial to grab onto. For those unfamiliar with the Micro Four Thirds mount, the lack of a mirror box means the mount is very close to the sensor, which in turn allows a huge number of third-party lenses to be mounted via adapter. But they can be hard to use without an eye-level finder for focusing. I expect this body to be fantastic for my old manual-focus lenses.
 tilting OLED panel. I prefer full articulation, but this provides the ability to do waist-level and low-angle shooting, which are key features to me, so I'm happy
 latest generation of m43 sensors should make it very usable up to ISO 6400 (though base ISO of 200 is a bit of a bummer... I see ND filters in my future)
 small and light! I know this doesn't matter to some, but I like a camera that's discreet and goes nearly anywhere, and that allows me to carry a body and couple of lenses in a very small bag. You don't get a sense of it from a standalone product shot; check out this comparison to the Rebel T3:


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## eMacMan (Nov 27, 2006)

Only reason I chose Nikon over Olympus for my film cameras was the horizontal fabric FP shutters in the original Olympus OM-1. The vertical metal shutter in that old Nikormat proved, as advertised, to be far more reliable and is still going strong today. 

Will be interesting to see if Olympus can recover from their book cooking induced financial woes. Other than that it looks like this one could be a winner.


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

I think this is going to be a home run for Olympus. Even if the company winds up being split up and sold off, the camera division is likely to continue on in some form, so I'm not too concerned by the corporate shenanigans. (BTW I am not an Olympus fanboy... old Nikon shooter, and I have one Olympus lens for my m43 kit, everything else being Panasonic.) 

The system already has a pretty big user base and a good lens lineup, with more on the way. 

Sensor performance will always lag APS slightly, but there comes a point when the differences will be trifling to the vast majority of photographers. IMO that point is arguably here already, if not maybe one more generation away. 

Apart from that lag in performance, the smaller lenses and bodies allowed by the smaller sensor provide a compelling selling point for a lot of people. Not everyone of course, but there is nothing out there that is truly right for everyone.


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

Nice form factor compared to the bulky Canon, reminds me of old 35mm film cameras.


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## Kami (Jul 29, 2002)

I am really looking forward to seeing this camera in person. I shoot Canon but I've been wanting a small travel camera with interchangeable lenses. This could be it.


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

Canadian pricing appears to be the same as US pricing ($1300 w/ the slow but weathersealed kit zoom). Good news... sometimes these companies make it really hard to support local retailers. Guess it helps that the dollars are more or less at par these days.


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## Greenman (Feb 22, 2003)

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## kps (May 4, 2003)

Greenman said:


> Bulky?


Okay, sorry...let me rephrase that...the "_Canon looks a lot BULKIER"_


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## Greenman (Feb 22, 2003)

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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

Which Canon is in the picture? I was going by what I saw on dpreview.... and that page still says it's a Rebel T3, aka 600D in some parts of the world. (Olympus OM-D E-M5 Preview: 4. Body and Design: Digital Photography Review)

According to Camera Size Comparison, the Oly is 47% thinner and 30% lighter than the Rebel. This is why it's fair to characterize the Rebel as being bulkier. It just is. Especially once you mount a lens.

In any case, if you're familiar with Micro Four Thirds, photos tend not to give a good impression of just how compact the bodies and lenses are. 

Some of the bodies can be awkward for those with big hands, but others are just fine. I am expecting this one to be fine, but the fact that some are better than others is the main reason I'm waiting rather than pre-ordering.

BTW, I doubt Henry's or anyone else will have one to play with before late March or so. Please post if you see one before then.


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## Greenman (Feb 22, 2003)

...


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

I think that's a valid point, not a hijack. OP edited for accuracy. 

Anyway... if you haven't checked out Micro Four Thirds gear in person yet, you'll probably be surprised how photos fail to convey how compact the bodies and lenses really are.

I know the sensor-size tradeoff is a dealbreaker for some, and that's cool. Personally, I love the savings in overall system size.


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