[ OFFICIAL RELEASE 2010.09.14 ] - Olympus E-5

[mojims]

While indeed the E-5 is very much an evolutionary upgrade from the E-3, there are some features which I find neat, stepping up from the E-30:

• Art Filter can be used in P,A,S,M modes - I can now be more compelled to use Art Filters in cam
• Video mode - still not into it, so 720p is still fine
• Weathersealed
• 100% viewfinder
• Potentially better Image Quality? - Yet to see high ISO pics

Of course, my only final concern would be price.

 

[Raptor1]

Maybe it is just me, but as of this very moment, i don't feel that it is a major upgrade to an E-3 user, maybe if one needs the video feature. I am looking forward to the next m4/3 announcement, and see if that will temp my wallet more then the E-5 =).
On the side note, i am glad that my e-3 grip can be used with the E-5

 

[marky]

I won't be getting this at this point of time.. or maybe when my E-3 breaks down first.. dun feel any "WOW' factor pressing me to change to it yet..

 

[spidey89]

I won't be getting this at this point of time.. or maybe when my E-3 breaks down first.. dun feel any "WOW' factor pressing me to change to it yet..

Same as me! :bsmilie:

Wah, exams and studying has made me super tired I fell asleep,a bit hard to keep up with what you guys talking about. Boss, what you said made me laugh after just waking up :bsmilie: But its true, I miss the E-1 handling... I'm recently drawn to using E-1 to shoot almost everything now, but the sad part is sometimes I need the IS and the resolution, but my dear E-1 is still outside the "retirement" home

 

[elgkh]

Olympus are just playing to their strengths i.e. glass. The E5 looks like its just enough to keep current users from moving away. I doubt that there will be many converts from other brands anytime soon.

 

[diCam]

While indeed the E-5 is very much an evolutionary upgrade from the E-3, there are some features which I find neat, stepping up from the E-30:

• Art Filter can be used in P,A,S,M modes - I can now be more compelled to use Art Filters in cam
• Video mode - still not into it, so 720p is still fine
• Weathersealed
• 100% viewfinder
• Potentially better Image Quality? - Yet to see high ISO pics

Of course, my only final concern would be price.

The Art Filters are now part of the Picture Mode (group together with Natural, Vivid, etc) instead of Shooting Mode (group together with P, A, S, M). This gives the photographer total control of the image adjustment parameters in-camera. Its like the photographer can PS on the picture on-the-fly. Neat indeed.

In my opinion, the image quality is greatly improved. I can see the difference (as compare to E-3) when the E-5' ORFs were viewed over a computer LCD monitor. I did this close to 2 hours with a experience photographer and a veteran industry practitioner.

I'm happy with high ISO performance of E-5. ISO 3200 is impressive. Maybe the moderator team can organise a hands-on session when a production set is available, possibly in October. See it yourself.

I like the E-5 for its image quality. The general performance has improved. Its responsive too.

I'm concerned about the pricing too because I'm planning to get one. The price of the E-5 on Yodobashi camera's web site is 199,800 Yen. That's about SGD3,200! :bigeyes:

 

[diCam]

Olympus are just playing to their strengths i.e. glass. The E5 looks like its just enough to keep current users from moving away. I doubt that there will be many converts from other brands anytime soon.

You are probably right on this.

 

[diCam]

Perhaps that's the main attraction Olympus is banking on... to reach the full potential of the Zuiko Digital lenses to capture excellent images.

To produce high image quality pictures.

 

[diCam]

Image quality might be the main thing, but not many people might get it due to lack of features which is something people seem to be aiming at though :think:

Which feature(s) is/are lacking?

 

[napalmdog]

Which feature(s) is/are lacking?

thou shall not covet thy neighbor's goods... hehehe

 

[napalmdog]

Olympus are just playing to their strengths i.e. glass. The E5 looks like its just enough to keep current users from moving away. I doubt that there will be many converts from other brands anytime soon.

i think it depends how good the images will be. if Oly has solved the high ISO noise, then add to that the sharpness and color from their lenses, it can still turn heads towards them. after the dust has settled, i think people will still appreciate good pitures no matter what specification it might be "lacking"

 

[diCam]

There is just too much expectations from us on Olympus. Perhaps, that's why Olympus doesn't own the big market share. Simply because they stick to the true traditions and aim of photography - quality images, rather than offering what the majority consumers want. So kudos to them for sticking true to their philosophy, though at a price.

I suppose Olympus is prepared for it. They have already mentioned, if more megapixels is what the customer wants, they can get it from the full frame cameras. And quite possibly, they could have reached the full potential of 4/3 with the E-5. Their next step should be mirrorless cameras.

Well, at least I don't think I will lose out if I get the E-5 since I have neither the E-3 nor the Pen. ;p

Olympus is targeting at the mainstream photographers. They know what they are doing. Image quality is at the top of their mind and they have done it in the E-5.

12mp is not the end yet. Olympus is simply focus on image quality at this point of time. A 4/3 sensor has much more potential than it seems. Sensor technology, image processor and its algorithms needs to go hand-in-hand. Remember that.

 

[diCam]

thou shall not covet thy neighbor's goods... hehehe

My england is not that powderful... What'd ya mean? :bsmilie:

 

[spidey89]

Which feature(s) is/are lacking?

:dunno: Its subjective, I don't miss a video mode, but the fact that to keep up with competition,a video mode is "essential", features like ultra high ISO with low noise is another features other might want, I'm just guessing, for me, the E-3 suits me well enough, E-5 is good for me as well, but for what I'm doing, its not worth it, like what Microcosm said about his case, he uses a Pentax 645 because his work doesn't justify him buying more ex MF cameras, likewise, while the E-5 to me personally is a nice camera, buying it now isn't worth it unless my E-3 is spoilt

Features lacking is subjective, I'm happy even with my E-1, super lack of features by today's standard,but I'm happy with it just the same,except the resolution which sometimes I need more, but not a big deal

Olympus is targeting at the mainstream photographers. They know what they are doing. Image quality is at the top of their mind and they have done it in the E-5.

12mp is not the end yet. Olympus is simply focus on image quality at this point of time. A 4/3 sensor has much more potential than it seems. Sensor technology, image processor and its algorithms needs to go hand-in-hand. Remember that.

I agree, image quality should be one of top priority, 12 megapixels is more than enough for most usage, heck, even 5 megapixels were enough in the past to print large images, what's the diff now? If someone uses a camera with 5 megapixels to shoot A3 images, and today uses a 20megapixel camera to shoot and print A3 images, not much diff, probably more detail,but otherwise the same, more DR and keep up and improve the colours if possible for me please

 

[diCam]

i think it depends how good the images will be. if Oly has solved the high ISO noise, then add to that the sharpness and color from their lenses, it can still turn heads towards them. after the dust has settled, i think people will still appreciate good pitures no matter what specification it might be "lacking"

Not a lot of people think like you do...

 

[napalmdog]

My england is not that powderful... What'd ya mean? :bsmilie:

ah sorry hehe its one of the ten commandments. means be content with what we have and not be envious of others

 

[spidey89]

ah sorry hehe its one of the ten commandments. means be content with what we have and not be envious of others

Don't see how it plays into context :bsmilie:

 

[drakon09]

Forgive me in advance because of my foul mood...

But you are so absolutely wrong!

Let me tell you why....

(Deep breath and yell towards Japan)

When you, Olympus, created the E-10, E-20 and then the E-1... you nailed ergonomics so well that it was an unbelievable product. Unmatched by anything else on the market. Then came E-3, you screwed it up by trying to be "conventional". Now that you have PENs that sells well, why the hell have you taken the lazy way out and used the same crap E-3 form factor when you could have chosen the E-1? Or better still, redesign the E-5 casing. That is what that is pissing me off.

Olympus... you suck! You lazy piece of crap. You want to be the Leica of the East, then think ergonomics first! (Take a look at Leica's S2 form factor!) You want to look normal then go all the way, create 25MP cameras then and compete with Sony, Pentax and maybe Nikon... why be neither here nor there? If you don't want to follow, then go back to the bold and lovely ergonomic form factor that made the old guys fell in love with the E-System in the first place? Or maybe you are tired of selling heavy lenses now are you?

Whatever it is, the old faithfuls are slowly starting to pack their luggage, and you are not interested in us anyway... you are more interested in pretty schoolgirls with short skirts and pink hair bands buying your Pens... us old faithfuls are just losers who were your guinea pigs and help you establish your E-System that led to the Pens.

You bloody ingrate! All I ask for after buying all those Zuiko glass is a lousy ergonomically stunning camera body and you let me down. Utterly disappointing! Not as if you have never done it before... even if you were to copy the E-1 that would have been a call for celebration! Instead you took the worse form factor ever designed by Olympus and continued the flagship line... ARE YOU FRIGGING MAD!!?!!?!!

(end of rant...)

ah bro....

you said that there's nothing to scream about??

:bsmilie:

 

[bousozoku]

Forgive me in advance because of my foul mood...

But you are so absolutely wrong!

Let me tell you why....

(Deep breath and yell towards Japan)

When you, Olympus, created the E-10, E-20 and then the E-1... you nailed ergonomics so well that it was an unbelievable product. Unmatched by anything else on the market. Then came E-3, you screwed it up by trying to be "conventional". Now that you have PENs that sells well, why the hell have you taken the lazy way out and used the same crap E-3 form factor when you could have chosen the E-1? Or better still, redesign the E-5 casing. That is what that is pissing me off.

Olympus... you suck! You lazy piece of crap. You want to be the Leica of the East, then think ergonomics first! (Take a look at Leica's S2 form factor!) You want to look normal then go all the way, create 25MP cameras then and compete with Sony, Pentax and maybe Nikon... why be neither here nor there? If you don't want to follow, then go back to the bold and lovely ergonomic form factor that made the old guys fell in love with the E-System in the first place? Or maybe you are tired of selling heavy lenses now are you?
...
(end of rant...)
...

You said a mouthful and I agree. In fact, I was going on about such a thing earlier. They had miniaturized so much for the Pen series and the E-620 so there has to be a possibility of putting all that in an E-1 (modified?) body.

The good thing about the E-5 is that I'm grudgingly going to end up with it because, even at a discount, I don't want the E-3 and my E-1 needs better image quality for enlargements and the E-5 will likely give me that.

I still believe that the company wasted too much time bringing the E-5 to market, but it's here and available shortly. The price isn't sensational but it's reasonable for current Olympus users. What's surprising is that the E-50 wasn't announced yet to replace the E-30. It's still sad to see that Pentax's new K-r is at least the equal of the E-30 (or E-50) already.

 

[elgkh]

Don't see how it plays into context :bsmilie:

He means don't be envious of other brands' higher ISO, higher MP count, larger sensor etc etc. :bsmilie: