The Olympus OM-D E-M5 – It’s Official! PRE-ORDER NOW!

The Olympus OM-D EM-5 – It’s OFFICIAL! PRE-ORDER NOW!

Olympus now has the E-M5 live on their web site! It’s for real and it looks fantastic! Check it out NOW, right HERE!

PRE-ORDER NOW at AMAZON OR B&H PHOTO!

You can now pre-order at Amazon! They just put it up so ordering now will get you your camera sooner. The cool thing? Amazon does not charge your card when you place a pre order, and you can cancel at any time if you change your mind. My order for the black with 12-50 is in 🙂

Olympus OM-D E-M5 with 12-50 Lens – Black

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Silver with 12-50 Lens – 1299

ALL OM-D E-M5 Pre Order Options!

B&H PHOTO – BLACK OM-D WITH 12-50 LENS BLACK

B&H PHOTO – SILVER OM-D WITH 12-50 LENS – SILVER

213 Comments

    • Yeah, I teach photoshop, and this looks a lot faster and easier. I wonder how many people will be putting images on SD cards just so they can edit them on the OM-D!

  1. OK, you all have to check out this video. This is a pretty insane level of in camera editing if the results are actually good, and I have a feeling they will be. It’s funny how many of these type of features will show up on more “consumer” some times a few years cameras before they’re implemented on pro DSLRs. How’s the face detection with contrast AF in live view working out on your 7D? Yeah, sucks on mine too! The already pretty super looking O-MD just went up a few notches, and that’s coming from a Panasonic fanboy!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pKveWO9spU

  2. I can’t help but not be excited at all with the OM-D. Is the hope of seeing an EP-3 styled camera with EVF (like the Fuji) gone? I would be the first to buy an Olympus with an EVF that does not look like a 1977 DSLR. And, sorry, 1977 is not a retro look. It was the disco era and it was bad…

  3. You have the NEX-7 and have an Olympus OM-D on order. They seem to fill very similar niches — relatively compact, portable, high quality alternatives to a DSLR. If you already had a DSLR and could only afford the NEX-7 or OM-D systems, which would you chose?

    • Nex7 : shallow dof, slightly better evf, slightly better DR at higher iso. That’s it.

      24MP may sound a lot more than 16MP yet it is hardly that
      since to get twice the resolution need to x4.
      Thus OMD 16MPX4 (64MP) would give real perceivable increase in detail.
      24MP is just useful for a bit of cropping.

      OMD : for everything else
      including :
      lens lineup (current & upcoming Olympus f1.8 & 1:1 macro, Panasonic leica & zooms f2.8, 0.95 Voigtlander),
      Compactness of lenses
      Olympus colours
      Fastest single shot AF (with EP3 & OMD lenses)
      3D AF Tracking 4.5fps
      5 axis IS
      Weathers sealing.

      NEX7 & OMD equal on touch screen & quite probably high iso.

      Design a matter of opinion :i prefer the classic OMD.

      Cred : Olympus.

  4. Im in Australia, can I pre-order from your link? Steve.
    As pre-order in here costs AUD1499 for body+12-50lens, insanely expensive…

  5. Steve, I have a question that I think many would be interested in hearing your answer to. As someone who’s done street shooting with a lot of charming cameras, like the M9, and stealthy black cameras, on a purely practical level, what ultimately gets you better shots? The charm factor, or the stealth factor? In other words, on a practical level, black or silver? I’ve always gotten black and it’s served me well with my Ricoh GX200, GF1, and GX1, I usually even think black looks better, but my heart and my head are having a serious dispute right now over the OM-D. I already have stealthy, maybe I should give charming a try? What do you think? Also, do you know if the silver body comes with a silver lens too? It’s pictured with a black lens on the official sight, which I prefer even on a silver body, but in every youtube video it’s silver on silver or black on black. Do you think they would allow you to mix and match if you purchase a kit?

    • A smile.

      Warmth.

      Respect for the subject being photoed.

      (that’s mostly all that’s needed friend to capture a nice street photo).

  6. FYI: I’ve checked out dxomark, comparing E-P3 (my current camera) and GX1 (same sensor as E-M5) and the first has a “low light ISO” of 536 and the second, 703. Converted to log scale, that’s about 1,1 EV of difference.

    Still wondering if it’s worth to upgrade… I don’t fancy a VF, and 1 EV is interesting but probably not worth the money lost in the upgrade.

    BTW, I care a lot about low-light because I always carry the camera with me (with the pancake Panasonic 20mm f/1.7), and many “use case scenarios” are inside buildings, early in the morning, or late in the evening and, frankly, the E-P3 sucks when you go to 1600 and above. Side note: I already struggle with the f/1.7, so I can’t imagine how life would be without a fast prime (yuck!).

    In fact, I don’t know what my next steps should be. I’m generally happy with the E-P3. Should I upgrade to the E-M5 (quite costly, and only a bit of improvement over the E-P3)? Should I start to invest in lenses for m4/3 (still not decided if I completely like the format)? Should I go with a second hand D700? Or buy the new expensive D800? Wait for the 5D mark III?

    Clearly a DSLR, about 1,3 Kg with a prime on, is no longer easily portable like a m4/3, so I probably would leave it at home except for “occasions”, and a picture not taken with a DSLR is clearly worst than a noisy one with a m4/3 😉 Maybe go with both systems?

    Ah, first world problems…

    • A D700 with a cheap 50mm f/1.8 (or a little more expensive 1.4) Is fantastic in low light (actually in ANY light). The problem Is that the camera will not be with you every time. I found myself leaving my D700 at home even when I go travellig (maybe I’m lazzy) an many times missed THW money. If you will earn Money with your pictures, the fat pixels of the FF D700 worth. If not, i totally agree a noisy m43 photo is better than a FF Photo you didnt take

      • I recently upgraded my GF1 with the GX1, and I can tell you that whatever the numbers are, I just handles low light much better. The noise levels at high ISO are much lower and the pictures much smoother. Also, just yesterday I purchased the Panasonic Leica Summilux 25mm 1.4, and then shot a friend band in a poorly lit bar. Honestly, even though the 25mm is much bigger, I might wind up selling off my 20mm pancake because I don’t know if I can go back. I loved the pancake as much as anyone else, but the Leica just got a lot of shots that I know the 20 would have struggled with, and it’s very sharp. I have heard that it makes some kind of weird noise (as in actual sound, not image grain) on the Olympus cameras, but it’s probably still well worth the upgrade. Maybe you should hold off on a new body and get the lens, and if you decide to upgrade the camera you can still use it. You might also want to consider the GX1. I love it, and it can be purchased body only for 700$. Actually, it’s being offered on ebay from a reputable camera shop in Washington packaged with the 25mm 1.4 for $1078, which is just insane! I was actually pretty annoyed by it because I had purchased the body from the same shop before the package was available. Apparently, the kit is being offered to a few camera shops directly from Panasonic, so it might be popping up other places.

  7. OMD is the first mirorless ive seen (outside of RD1, M8,M9 ) that makes me confident to do documentary, reportage, street almost anywhere in the world, rain shine, sand, snow.
    Ok i wont be Sebastio Salgado yet i feel i can now try to aim for the kinds of photos he has taken in the terrains he took them.

    • Sorry i will exclude RD1,M8,M9 as they are not weather resistant.

      Weather resistance a big thing for me
      as is being able to adjust tone curve in evf liveview.
      (Ofcourse single shot AF speed & 4.5fps AF tracking).

      Look & feel too.
      No longer looks as a hobby camera.
      Proper professional.

  8. what annoys me are all these “poor low light” posts. so the heck what? its not as if low light shooting is the be all and end all. look on flickr, vast majority of photos are shot in good light, and even the worst m43 sensor is better than film in low light.
    I find colour and contrast and tone far more important a factor, and that’s something my xz-1 easily trumps my friends x100 on.
    olympus have a winner here, it looks enough like an OM to be named OM (just as the new Pen resembles the Pen F)
    I won’t be getting one though, I’m happy with my 10 yr old 35mm and my digi xz1. I think the craft and art of photography and creativity is of paramount importance rather than a new sensor with a zillion iso and 55 stops of latitude

  9. Pre-ordered silver. I like the leatherette grain on the black better, but whatever.

    Hopefully it’s a measurable improvement over the EP3, which I love with all my guts.

  10. So. It’s not a pro camera (I haven’t tested it, ha ha). It’s a camera catering for the crowd that requires great IQ, great lenses, in a handsome pseudo slr package. I think they’ve got it!

    Waiting for the reviews…

  11. Im really excited about this. Good upgrade to my ep2. I am holding off upgrading my d700 to d800 as I cannot justify the price jump. So I got OM-D preordered instead with 12-50mm so I have a complete weather sealed

  12. Just to show everyone how popular this camera is, I watched a new oly OM-D video on YouTube that at the time had 316 views and just hours later had over 26,000 views! Like Steve said this will be the most popular m4/3 camera to date no doubt about it. Olympus knocked this one out of the park!

  13. If you watch all the videos like I have you really get to see how nice the silver one is. Pictures do it no justice at all!!

  14. Yeah I ordered the silver one… To me it looks more original and retro. The black just looks like it will get lost in a sea of cameras. IMO

  15. Hi, I own a X100 and I love it, because of the sharpness, very good colors and color profiles, bokeh, in-camera RAW convertor, etc. The only things I find not so nice are the AF and MF and the lack of ability to change lenses.

    I know (I also have an E-PL2) the Olympus camera are so handy, so maybe I want to swap the X100 for an E-M5. But, for me the question is, what lens can make the E-M5 as good as a X100? So, what is the right, 35mm combo?

    • I haven’t used an E-M5 yet, so I can’t comment on it.

      But divide 35mm by 2 = 17.5mm, and that’s the lens (17mm) which would give the equivalent view of a 35mm, or your X100, when used on the E-M5.

      What the quality and capabilities are like, I couldn’t possibly say!

    • The Panasonic 20 f1.7 is your best bet for now. Sharp, fast, compact. Not blazing autofocus, but very good and probably way better than X100 from what I’ve read. I use it with an EP3 and it’s very nice.

      It’s 40mm equivalent, but close enough.

      • Just placed and order for the Panasonic Leica 25mm 1.4 lens, which is supposed to be amazing. Took a few shots with one, really sharp, really nice bokeh. Not that much more expensive or narrow then the 20 1.7 (which is great and I use all the time, but the Leica might replace it) It is bigger though, tough choice if you don’t have either lens yet, but I think the Leica is probably the way to go. Steve has reviews up of both lenses.

        • Thanks for your reply’s. I think the 20mm Panasonic will be the best option, nowadays.

          However, the big point is that the Olympus claims the E-M5 to be the camera with the fastest AF, but only together with the wheathersealed zoom 12-50mm. So, the question for me is, if I want to migrate to this camera, will there come a new, fast, wheathersealed prime (35 equiv.) from Olympus, in the near future? So, I mean professional quality. I don’t want to use a zoom, certainly not indoor.

  16. Hi Steve and fellows

    I own a D700 and some lenses, but as almost everybody, I don´t like to carry that bulky when I go travelling. Actually, nowadays I have been more interest of street photography, and I´m loking for something that could fit in my jacket pocket, maybe a GX1 plus a good prime (Pana 20mm f/1.7 or Oly 50 f/1.8). Which one of this bodies is the best choice: GX1, E-PL3, E-P3 or this new E-M5 for that propose? Or maybe just a Fuji X100?

    Thanks

    • Well, we don’t yet know how the E-M5 behaves, so no-one could possibly say if that’s really the best for what you want to do ..could they?! We do know that it has internal stabilisation and a micro-four-thirds sensor.

      The X100 has just one fixed lens, so pictures will always look like they’ve been shot with a 35mm lens ..no change of perspective with that ..it can’t shoot wide-angle like a 24mm or long like a 100mm. It gives great results ..but its pics always look similar to each other. It has a bigger APS sensor than the E-M5 micro-four-thirds sensor.

      The GX1 is excellent (in my view), with better all-round behaviour than the E-P3 and E-PL3 except that the GX1 doesn’t have internal stabilisation, which those Olympus cameras do: no big deal unless you’re putting other-brand non-stabilised long lenses on one, such as a Leica 90mm for example – which would then behave as a 180mm on one of these m4/3 bodies and thus need a fast shutter speed to avoid shake. You could use slower speeds, in that situation, with the Olympus bodies (compared with the GX1) as they have in-built stabilisation.

      So why not wait a bit till you can try an E-M5 for yourself? Why jump in when you don’t yet know how deep/hot/cold/acid/alkali the water is?

      • Thank you David.

        I think i´m gonna wait until the new E-M5 arrives.
        If it delivers equal or maybe better results than GX1 or PEN series, AND fit in my jacket pocket (I mean, with a pancake prime mounted), the new Oly could be the answer of my questions. If not, I´ll still have to chose among GX1, X100 and PEN´s.
        Also have been thinking of NEX-7, but at least until now, Sony doesn´t have good SMALL lenses, dont you agree?

        For me, size really matters, since I think if I have to carry the camera all the time around my neck (and not into my pocket), I do prefer keep walking with my D700 and a 28mm or 50mm.

        Thanks again

        • “..Sony doesn´t have good SMALL lenses, dont you agree?..” ..Well, all the ones I’ve seen look rather large, compared with how small and thin the Sony NEX bodies are, making the cameras rather ‘front heavy’ and (in my opinion) awkward.

          But what ‘quality’ d’you actually need? What are you going to do with the photos after you’ve shot them? You could try a much smaller, pocketable ‘compact’ – like a Panasonic TZ20, or whatever it’s called in the States (ZS10, I think) ..although the little pocket compacts have small sensors inside, the TZ20/ZS10 and the Fujifilm 16 megapixel F550 (now superseded by the F600 and F700) have excellent wide-to-long retractable zooms which let you put the camera in any pocket, but shoot the equivalent of 24mm or 25mm to about 200mm or more. And the quality’s good enough to make Blurb books or other large prints ..and the Fujis are great in very low light, too!

          People obsess over sensor size, lens quality, etc ..but the truth is that most cameras give great results, and if you don’t know what’s been used to shoot a picture, few – if any – people could ever tell! The only thing which small sensor cameras generally don’t do well is give blurred-away backgrounds. But you can always add background blur afterwards with software like ‘Focalpoint 2’ if you want!

          If you just want to shoot unobtrusively in the street, with as little weight as possible, I’d get a good quality autofocus compact! The Fujis shoot RAW, if that’s what you want, and so do some of the Panasonics and several others.

          There’s a lot of snobbery around, e.g: “your pics aren’t good enough unless you’ve used a Fuji X100, or a Leica or a Sony NEX7”. Nonsense! Hardly anyone can tell the difference between results from a Panasonic compact and from a D700. My own preference – as an unobtrusive, pocketable, high quality camera – is the Ricoh GXR with an (APS) Leica-fit module, and a 75mm f2.5 lens. It even shoots SILENTLY when you set ‘Scene’ mode (no shutter noise at all!) and has a similar sized sensor to the Fuji X100 ..but takes any Leica-fit lens (including the Voigtländer wide-angles such as the 12mm ..which becomes an 18mm with the APS sensor) and is pretty much invisible!

          Think about what and where you want to shoot, rather than “what camera must I buy?” ..and then look at ALL the possible cameras which could fit the bill; pocket compacts, interchangeable-lens compacts (which are bigger), and – lastly – APS cameras (which are also bigger).

          • Hi David
            I already own a Canon S95 and it´s nice, but I would like some better and faster glasses, with good bokeh. I also have an old Oly SP.
            I love B&W but, on the other hand, I just have no patience to spend time working on photoshop (I know many people does have, but its just not my way). Actually, I never process or crop any image, since I think it should remain only what I thought and caught when the camera fired.
            I print normal sizes, and I´m not a pixelcounter. But I of course prefer good IQ and 3D effects over flat images. So, at least until now, I think a good m43 body with a couple of fast primes could be nice.
            And I can tell you most of the time the camera will be set JPEG with some B&W filter (I know many people will tell me to shot RAW and work color channels on photoshop, but as I told, I dislike it).
            So is it.
            Any sugestion is welcome.
            Sorry for the basic questions, but I´m new to CSC world
            Thank you everybody.

          • Well, the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 is a great lens, and is much smaller than the Olympus 45mm f1.8 (about half the size).

            The Panny 20mm becomes a wide-ish 40mm equivalent when used on a Panasonic or Olympus m4/3 camera. Steve likes the Olympus E-P3, I prefer the Panasonic GX1 ..you could wait and see if you like the E-M5, but I think you’ll find it’s much bigger than either of those other two ..yes, -w-a-a-a-y- bigger; see here: http://camerasize.com/compare/#289,183

            So maybe you want a nice little GX1 and a nice little Panny 20mm f1.7 (the Panny/Leica 25mm f1.4 ‘Summilux’ for m4/3 is a MUCH bigger lens, and not a jacket-pocket size at all).

            I’ve gotta go to bed now ..g’nite! Sleep well, I’ll read your reply tomorrow..

          • Really useful hints.
            Tanks a lot
            Im gonna try both Gx1 and Ep-3, but wait to put my hands on e-m5 asap
            Anyway, Pana 14mm, Pana 20, one EVF and maybe Oly 45mm must be god. I sol probably have the “normal” mounted most of the time, and choose between the wide or the short-tele to throw into another pocket.
            Nice night.

    • I also have a GX1, upgraded from my GF1, and I adore them both (although I’m selling off the GF1 now) The OM-D weighs about twice as much as the GX1. I can tell you that the GX1 with the 20mm 1.7 is a fantastic combo, I can also highly recommend the 45mm. Barely notice it hanging around my neck, and I have it there almost always. I don’t care what fits in my pocket any more. Fausto, you can shoot jpeg plus raw so that you always have the option of color if you want, but still have the convenience of a jpeg. You can punch up the contrast on the bw picture style to shoot better images. Dave, the super high 20 fps burst mode shoots silently with the electronic shutter, albeit at 4mp jpeg only. I use it all the time on the subway, mostly for black and white shots. Really, 4 mp is fine for most purposes. I was looking thorough some old 8.5×11 prints shot on my Olympus 1.3 mp camera from 1999, and you’d really never know they were that low res. I seem to be the only one harping on the GX1’s 90 degree bouncing on camera flash. It truly delivers flash gun quality ceiling and wall bounce, although it does suffer the painfully slow on camera flash recharge. Like Dave said in his review, it’s all the camera you’ll ever really need (although I’m probably also getting the OM-D anyway!)

    • Well, no one really knows the true capabilities of this camera yet. Don’t know many pros who use Micro 4/3 but all depends on your needs. I do know that the E-p3 can output amazing image quality and I expect this to be better. Out of all of the new camera releases so far, this is the one I am m oct excited about.

    • I think Pro is what Oly aimed for with weather resistance and mag alloy chassis, fastest single shot AF & AF tracking, 5 axis IS.
      Given 0.95 primes (voigtlander) , 1.8 primes (45mm & 75mm & more upcoming possibly 1.4) , 1:1 macro announced, fast zooms f2.8 upcoming from Panasonic.

      I feel OMD is a pro camera for documentary, reportage, street , portraits, weddings (if its DR is as good as Fuji S3/S5), photos in quiet places as churches temples.
      certain types of landscape where there isnt lots of detail thus printing large is fine (eg long exposure of seascapes)
      Even some specific sports.

      :

      Canon 1DX, Nikon D4 tops for action.
      5D3, D800E, Nex7,Sigma SD1 for detailed architecture, detailed landscapes, product shots, advertising, cataloguing.

  17. I hope they give you one to test very quickly Steve. What I have seen on some of the other sites is a load of ill conceived rubbish, it is doing Olympus no good at all. The movies are so bad my 7 year old grand daughter make better movies and my 5 YO GD does better with the Ipad. The ISO shots are bread rolls shot at different times from different angles and the focus varies from one roll to another. It looks bloody terrible (Sydney talk)
    Mr Olympus. Give Steve one to use.

  18. Looks like an incredible camera! I’ll definitely be ordering in a month or so, and I’ll be sure to use you’re links. Thanks for all the hard work getting us insight into photography and great reviews on gear

    • What’s missing? I don’t do much video and don’t know a lot about it, but I’ve been thinking that if the OM-D doesn’t match or beat the GH2 in video it would be a huge oversight. I think the GH2 is its closest competitor on paper. So, if I get the OM-D, should I consider holding on to my hacked GH1 for video?

  19. Steve is right, this is gonna sell like hot cakes! I love the Fuji colors and iq of my x100 despite it’s finicky nature. I hope to see Steve review the X-pro-1 soon, but this can’t miss and I will make room for one….somehow.

  20. According to multiple sources the E-M5 has a multi-aspect sensor.

    http://visualsciencelab.blogspot.com/2012/02/olympus-fans-rejoice-om-d-is-real-and.html

    “As you can see from the specs the sensor is 16 megapixels. I wanted to know if, similar to the Panasonic sensor in the GH2, you could use other aspect ratios such as 16:9 and 3:2 without losing resolution. The answer I got was “yes.” All but the 1:1 aspect ratio. If this is true (and I have no reason not to believe it) this will make me happy.”

    http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1041&message=40548830

    Richard Butler (dpreview) made a similar comment when someone suggest the E-M5 was not multi-aspect.

    “That would directly contradict the conversations we’ve had with Olympus.”

    • Aren’t multi-aspect sensors really just an illusion? I believe they simply just don’t use the entire sensor at any time, meaning they only use the maximum amount of pixels they can that would allow all ratios to be the same, or the basically lie, and call it a multi aspect sensor but there is some pixel cropping, just not as much as normal. My GX1 and GF1 make that claim, with a small amount of pixel cropping. That’s why I always keep the default of 3/4, the actual ratio of the sensor, to get maximum use of it. You can always crop later.

  21. RIP-OFF BRITAIN strikes again. $999 dollars = approx £630……guess what…..UK price is £999 or equivalent to $1590. HOW? WHY? AAARRRGHH!
    Was interested having seen just how small this camera is and wanting to move to MFT to take advantage of the superior lens line-up. Sticking with my NEX3 for the moment then. You never know, Sony might actually come up with some decent lenses for the NEX.

      • Yeah. For some reason Americans often get out of paying sales tax when ordering online (at least if they are buying out of state).

        I guess Obama (or individual states) doesn’t need the extra revenue…

        • When I ordered from amazon I paid tax. I live in Washington state so that’s where amazon headquarters are so I pay tax

  22. Steve

    Can you give us some idea of when we may see reviews from you on the Fuji and Olympus? I don’t want to buy anything until you have had a chance to really test them in the “real world” 🙂

    • Thats where I’m at the moment. OM-D and a 25mm DG summilux or X Pro-1 with the 35mm? Steve we await your reviews. Great problems to have.

  23. Hi All,

    I hope you don’t mind the novice question. I have decided to buy a camera (mirrorless) and had determined that NEX-5N was a good choice. I delayed because it had become unavailable due to the Thailand floods. Anyways, I could stretch my budget and go for the Olympus OM-D but I can get a starter kit Sony NEX-5N with the EVF for $1020. (I really want a view finder). On top of that, I would have a larger sensor. From what I have read, it would give me better high ISO performance. That may not matter to me until I take a photography class.

    Sorry for the really basic question but this is my first real camera.

    • It’s all about trade-offs. The NEX cameras, like all APC compacts, are always going to have much larger and heavier lenses to accommodate the sensor, and right now they don’t have a great lens selection, although they’ve just announced new ones and have stated a commitment to make more. The micro 4/3 system has a wide range of bodies and lenses, and I personally believe has the best balance of size and power, but I live in New York City and walk everywhere, and have a camera on me always. That, and I generally like the controls and form factor of most 4/3 cameras over others. I think they’re better suited to pro and enthusiast photographers, though with the NEX 7, Sony may be coming around on that front. If you’ve handled the NEX and you like it, and don’t mind the lens size and selection, then it’s probably a good choice for you. It’s hard to argue with a large sensor. The best advice I can give is if you have access to a place where they’re on display, spend some time fiddling with a range of models and see what you like. I totally agree about having an eye level view finder. It’s a deal breaker for me. I also like manual dials and buttons, particularly an auto exposure lock button.

      • Thanks for the comments. I did more reading last night I your advice is perfect. I need to do more homework and find a place that has some of these 43 models.

        Thanks again
        Kev

    • Its a 2x crop sensor though so I don’t see much practical usage in putting M mount glass on it. Why turn a useful 28mm Cron into a 56mm equiv when for 1/3rd the money you can just go and get a Panny 25mm f1.4 Lux thats optically well matched, has AF etc.

      • Not necessarily thinking of using M lenses solely on it, but as an added option. Just not clear which exact brand/model would work best if I were to get one of these new OM-D’s.

        • Oly and Pany work quite well according to some people.
          Almost any lens can be used in manual mode (A also) with an adapter. I use some Tamron Adaptall, some OM, some Zeiss and my old PEN FT half frame lenses. Help yourself there is a whole world waiting. But Oly and Pany are native to the M43 and they have some remarkable lenses available. Just look around Steve’s site here.

    • Totally different styles of cameras and markets Ash. Its a cool sounding camera, but so is the GH2 and other m4/3 models, as well as the NEX7 etc.

      Lots of cool new choices coming out, also the Nikon D800, but its not as if one wanted a RF style camera and then switched to a DSLR.

      Likewise, if someone wanted a X1 Pro for using M mount glass they aren’t going to suddenly jump to a mirrorless DSLR type m4/3 camera

  24. sweet looking camera; an improvement over the already excellent PEN series, i am sure this one will do very well indeed. i have decided to stop my chasing after all the latest and greatest cameras a few months ago ( i just want to focus on shooting better images with the cameras i already have), and so will not spring for the wallet this time, but this is a winner, even with all the new ones coming out – on a weekly basis, it would seem!

    i just wish people would stop using silly abbreviations, it is just annoying … how difficult is it to write OLYMPUS or PANASONIC ???
    🙂

  25. Patience is the key to buying a new digital camera this year. I would love to have any of the new retro cameras or the latest Nikon 800, for that matter, but i’m going to wait and see how they fair in the reviews or if any new one are introduced this year. I love taking pictures with both my Oly E-PL2 and my Fuji X10. However, I going to replace the Oly hoping for the same, but enhanced features along with more resolution. Right now both the Oly and the Fuji fit my bill. But… We’ll see. I’m in no hurry. I got two fine cameras to shoot with right now.

  26. So how about this FL 600-R that’s just popped up in the accessory section of the OM-D page? Apparently the same weight as the FL 36-R, but takes 4 AA batteries in stead of 2. This would be welcome for the added power. Does it have an AF lamp that’s compatible with a contrast AF camera? It looks like it. If that’s the case, it would be a big jump as the AF beam on current available flashes only works with phase shift AF. I think that would make this the first professional full tilt and swivel flash gun specifically designed for micro 4/3 Anyone have links to pictures of the back? I want to know if it has a proper on/off switch in stead of the stupid button on the FL 36-R, which operated slowly and you could never tell if it was in an on or off position. This has the potential to be a really nice addition to the micro 4/3 system! It’s up for pre order on the B&H sight now.

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/842939-REG/Olympus_V3261300U000_FL_600R_Wireless_Flash.html

  27. Steve could you please comment on Dynamic range and your take on it?

    there is a lot of rant on the internet about dynamic range and how it limits ones photography. Any words of experience here?

    This is relevant to the OM-D since it’s highly rumored to be using the Lumix G3 sensor which has been criticized for its dynamic range. Olympus said they’ve improved the dynamic range greatly but then again they make a lot of claims on tweaking sensors that don’t quit pull through.

    Anyone else commenting on the subject is highly welcomed as well and thanks in Advance.

    • I found the DR of the E-P3 to be just fine, never had any issues with it and in fact found it to have more DR than some larger sensor bodies. So I am sure this camera will have acceptable DR. But I will see when I get a hold of one to test.

      • It is using G3 sensor so DR should be about the same. And DR is indeed limited when you compare it with Sony’s latest sensors like the one in nex5n, pentax k5 and Nikon d7000, sony nex7 and latest canon sensors and it is quite noticeable but depends on what you are shooting.

        • See, now that is my concern. I was thinking of upgrading to an NEX 5N and the OVF, but I find the build on the 5N to be not as nice as the NEX 5. Perhaps the ISO range is a tad better, like everyone writes, but when I tested the camera, the thing made so much noise and the build wasn’t as nice, I ended up sending it back and am now just keeping the NEX 5 for its sensor. I was really hoping the Olympus would have an APS-C sensor as I love their retro design and features list. Sony has been dragging its feet with their lenses and I’m not that impressed with what they came out with lately. I wish I was a true geek and could take the sensor out of my Sony and put it in the new Oly. LOL!

          • Elaine,
            If you print an A4 size photo from the Oly and from any APSC DLSR and the NEX 5 or 7, you and your audience could not tell which was which. Possibly with this new one up to A3 and only a very few might pick it.

  28. This year will be an exciting year for digital cameras. Just be a little patient, you will see a lot of attractive ones later this year.

    • My order is in for a silver body. Reminds me very much of my first “real” camera. An OM-1 purchased in the summer om 1978. Loved that thing, sure I’ll love this one too.

  29. Very sexy camera! I love that it is weather sealed and the new in body shake reduction! If i do jump on one i would get silver… I wonder if i should sell my Fuji X100… I really love that camera also.

  30. Thanks Steve! I will pre ordered a black body only model through your site. Glad I didn’t buy the ep3 for $899 when this beast is only $100 more!!!

  31. I eagerly wait Steve’s review on this.

    I own a lovely E-P3 which is good, except for the poor sensor performance in low light. I’ve read that this new sensor is the same as the GX-1’s, so maybe the benefit is a 1 step better noise performance over the E-P3. Worth it? Are the other upgrades worth it? Hmmm. Difficult to tell.

  32. Finally, Olympus, you bring weather sealing to the system!

    As a hiker and climber, I need something dust and splash proof. I really wanted to get an E-5, but it felt silly to buy into a system that looked like it was ready for a coma:)

    This is going to the top of my wish-list!

    • Agreed–it’s a nice backcountry alternative to the large and heavy weatherproof E-5. OTOH, the 4/3 HG and SHG weatherproof lenses are so far, irreplacable; hopefully they’ll work will with this new body and the new adapter. I’d love to pair it with my ZD 7-14 and 12-60..

  33. Beautiful camera no doubt but the design seems wasted on a Micro 4/3 sensor. I’ll reserve judement until I see some photos but I cant imagine the photo quality surpassing the NEX 5N. I rather go retro design with the Fuji X-Pro 1. The APSC is worth the extra cost.

    • This is why I’m waiting for reviews of IQ between this and the NEX/Pentax K-01 before placing an order.

      As someone who doesn’t also own a fancy high-end FF or ASPC DSLR (though I do have an aging Pentax K10D) I’m not sure I’d be welling to sacrifice IQ for a bit more portability. But that may change if I ever get an opportunity to hold one…

  34. I think they’ve gone a bit too retro with the design here.

    Why design a camera to look exactly like a 40 year old film SLR, when the camera doesn’t use film and isn’t an SLR?

    • I agree but look at the excitement the OM-D is generating. Nostalgia sells and Olympus is the biggest offender when it comes to wrapping a modern camera in vintage cloth. At least they put a tilt screen on it and it certainly is an attractive camera with those angular design cues.

      This will sell like hot cakes and make for many satisfied customers so a win win.

        • I agree. I think m4/3 meets the needs of the vast majority of enthusiast photographers out there who are looking for a smaller than SLR body to travel and shoot with daily.

          Looking at size comparisons, the OM-D looks to be in the E-P3 category (very nice) with an external EVF attached and can be scaled up in size and weight with the battery pack and grip – great flexibility.

          I hear all the FF and APS snobs (I’m one of them) but people need to understand that m4/3 is great if you don’t need low light performance and super shallow DOF.

          I’ll be sticking with NEX but if I was in the market and didn’t own a mirrorless system, this would be high on my list.

    • Agreed. The design is a little bit too “truly” retro for my tastes.

      I would have preferred something more “nuevo” retro, if that makes any sense. In other words, incorporate some design cues from the original OM, but in a modern form/function package. Olympus was pretty good about it with their EP-3, etc.

      I think next they need to work on a Digital Stylus to compete with Canon’s S100.

    • Back at the start of the internet rumor mill, I thought most prospective OM buyers wanted this to be a full frame SLR model …

      One that was compatible with original OM lenses – with no loss of focal length/s ….

      A ‘legacy’ Olympus OM model that could compete squarely with Canon & Nikon FF models ….

      This doesn’t seem to fit the bill – so why is everyone (metaphorically or literally) clutching their genitals and jumping around excitedly …. did I miss something?

      • Well, Steve’s site is mostly about m4/3, so there’s a selection bias where it comes to us readers, so that’s why our comments are biased.

      • I never assumed or thought for one second that this would be a full frame camera. Olympus is not interested in producing a whole new line of lenses now that that have just started rolling out some incredible Micro 4/3 glass. A FF model would be an all new mount and all new lenses. I am thrilled that they kept this as M4/3. Perfect for the size of the camera and the small lenses. A FF model would have been much larger, with much larger lenses and they would have started from scratch again. Micro 4/3 is highly capable and can deliver stunning results. I am sure this will be a knockout.

        • I thought it was going to be an APS-C camera. I was kind of bummed when I found out it was 4/3 system. I do like the Olympus a lot, also love the APS-C sensor cameras.

          • Why an APS-C, the sensor some made to replace FF. M43 is a system on its own and has never pretended to be anything else.

          • Why on earth did you think it was going to be APS-C?

            Why would Olympus have gone to the bother of developing a strong lens line-up for M4/3 (not to mention 4/3) only to release a flagship model that isn’t compatible with any of them?

          • Rob, because this is like the fourth Olympus camera with the same tired sensor in it. Olympus needs to CHANGE the sensor.

          • This camera has an ALL NEW Sensor Elaine, totally different sensor than the EP1-EP3. Sensor is new, not tired 🙂 From the samples I have seen, the high ISO beats any M4/3 to date and color and details are superb. Very rich.

          • If you’re going to bash the camera at least stick to the facts. This camera doesn’t have the same sensor as the other Oly M4/3 cameras.

      • The “miss” if you will, was folks projecting their desires into an impossible scenario. There’s simply no viable market for a low-volums, multi-thousand dollar body to accommodate 20-40 year old manual focus lenses, presuming it’s even technically feasible to use OM lenses with a 24x36mm imager.

        The new body is a necessary step forward in transforming µ4/3 to a semi-pro system. Presuming it sells well, it will anchor a parallel lineup with the Pens, alongside an ever-growing set of advanced lenses.

  35. I have a GX1, which I still think will prove to be a better choice if you’re going to carry the camera all the time. The question is, as someone of modest means, do I get both? The OM-D is really tempting, although I’m a bit disappointed that the for the added cost and weight the screen isn’t fully articulated. Can’t complain about no on camera flash since they’re providing that clip on, but man, it seems like an oversight to not make it bounce 90degrees like the flash on the GX1, which trust me, is a very big deal. So, it doesn’t look like it does all that much more then the smaller, lighter, cheaper GX1 (with the hot shoe EVF of course) It’s got the same sensor, costs and weighs more, but it is weather proof, has a tilting screen, supposedly better jpeg compression, manual video controls and external mike jack (I rarely do any video), evf activation sensor, extra dial, in camera IS, am I missing anything major? Is it really worth me spending that much for a second larger and slightly more powerful camera for days when I’m not commuting on a crowded subway, want to use multiple bodies with multiple lenses, or want to have an off camera flash and EVF at the same time? I did get a GH1 to compliment my GF1 for similar reasons and I did enjoy it, but I got a cheap used GH1. I’m seriously on the fence about this and would appreciate any input. If I go for it, it will be hard to pass up the kit lens even though I rarely use zooms anymore. Sooooooo glad I passed on the panny power zoom! Oh, and then there’s the color. I always get black because it looks cool, is more discrete, and therefor more practical, but that silver looks pretty sweet. Help me!

    • Although to be fair, the GX1 is almost the same price with the hot shoe EVF. It also occurs to me that a drawback to Olympus in body IS is that they never put it in their lenses, so I wouldn’t have IS with that lovely zoom if I use it on a Panasonic, which sucks. Probably won’t stop me from getting the kit if I decide to pick up the OM-D.

    • “..Is it really worth me spending that much for a second larger and slightly more powerful camera for days when I’m not commuting on a crowded subway, want to use multiple bodies with multiple lenses, or want to have an off camera flash and EVF at the same time?..”

      No. Just imagine that the GX1 is the shape of the OM-D. Or write “OM-D” on the GX1.

      • Why would I imagine that? I love my GX1! Of course you’re right. I think the GX1 is better for someone like me who wants to be strapped to is all the time in New York City walking and subway travel, but there’s no really good reason to have both. Either of these cameras are great choices on their own, and to be honest, I can’t say with absolute certainty that I would have picked the GX1 if they were both released at the same time. Still, I’ll probably order the OM-D anyway, knowing that it’s an excessive luxury and had more to do with my nerdy camera collecting. Hey, I don’t have a car or a game console and I don’t drink, this is where my money goes! I’ll probably pre order, leaning toward black because it makes more sense even though for once I think I really want the silver, but I think I’ll cancel the order if I can’t find some place that will have it on display so I can play with it a little before my card gets charged.

  36. I think the silver looks really cool, especially with the 12 and 45mm lenses, plus it makes you look like you’re shooting with a proper old film camera so everyone will ignore you thinking you’re a dinosaur!

    If only Amazon UK would get their act together like Amazon US and get them up for pre-order!

  37. I don’t understand either. To me it seems with the EVF that the OM-D is not THAT much smaller than a small DSLR. They could have made a real viewfinder within the same volume, instead of the EVF. And why on earth would you put a giant grip on it? To make long lenses handle better? I thought the MFT was supposed to be small, discrete, rangefinder-style, hence, no long and bulky lenses.
    The OM-D shares the looks of the classis OM-bodies, but lacks every functional similarity with it. And that at a price where a 2nd hand M8 is getting very close. I think the Fuji XP-1 is a lot more interesting, but even then I prefer the M8.

    • It’s much smaller than a DSLR. Thinner, and smaller all the way around, and the lenses are MUCH smaller. It is only slightly taller than an E-P3. The 12 and 45 are tiny but high performance. Id take an EVF over an OVF these days anyway. The grip is an option, without it the camera is small. At $999 it is much less than a $2500 used M8.

      • Thanks for clearing that up. I still don’t get why Olympus decided to use an EVF, instead of an optional OVF. With the EVF built in, it seems impossible to mount an OVF on the hotshoe, whereas on the PEN you could choose between both.
        As far as the M8, in Europe, the OM-D will cost 1100 euros, whereas the M8 sells from 1500 euros. That’s quite another story than 999 vs 2500 dollar…

  38. Really curios how it will stand against the new Zoom module for Ricoh GXR. Both are very different in design, but very comparable in resolution and zoom range. Steve – we rely on you in that regards 🙂

    • ..It looks (a bit) like a previous Olympus camera.

      (That previous Olympus camera didn’t look like others: it was designed from the ground up, was a third smaller and lighter than other manufacturers’ behemoths, had supremely accurate metering (matched only by Polaroid cameras) and had perfect through-the-lens flash metering. It’s a lasting memorial to Mr Maitani, who designed it.)

      This one pretends to be that one, while attempting to outdo the Fujifilm X100 ..by the simple ruse of accepting existing interchangeable lenses.

      This cake on my plate will – I just know! – taste so much better than that cake, because this one’s in the shape of a camera.

      Same logic.

      • I understand that it looks like an OM film camera. I don’t see why this is causing countless individuals to dump their current camera in favor of this one that is pretending to be another.

        • I think because it is the first Digital Olympus M4/3 that is weather sealed, has a built in EVF, a new improved sensor with the Oly colors (not Panasonic colors) and the design, tilt LCD, etc. It’s pretty awesome actually. Has everything we have been wanting in a M 4/3 camera. The weather sealing is fantastic, as is the design. The Silver OM-D with the 12 and 45 and soon to be 75 lenses…sweet.

          • I like all of those features that Steve mentioned, but wish it was an APS-C sensor. I wonder what the quality will be like in low light in comparison to the EP-3?

          • @Elaine

            If you go up to APSC lens size changes.

            As an example, check out the Fuji 60 f2.4. It’s relatively small at 2.8″ long, 2.52″ in diameter, and 215g. But now take a look at the Olympus 45 f1.8. It’s 1.8″ long, 2.20″ in diameter (only at the base), and 116g. Same equivalent focal length, and faster, but still smaller.

            This isn’t the case for every lens, but for many. Think of the 14-42 X lens from Panasonic, or the Oly 14-42, or the 9-18. Once you add AF motors and whatever other electronics go in these modern lenses things get bigger. And the bigger the sensor, the bigger the lens.

            Besides, low light performance is not the defining factor of good photography.

          • Still, this is the same sensor as in the EP-3. Seems to me that Olympus should have raised the bar a notch.

  39. Gosh, why did they name it the “OM-D”? Vaguely inspired by the original OM cameras, but with a different mount, different lenses, a different format and, of course, it’s digital. The name “E-M5” almost underscores the fact that the OM name is just there as an incidental historical reference. At the same time, it may prove to be a very fine camera. If that’s the case, then the confusing double name will be irrelevant. Eager to see the reviews …

  40. The shape is beautiful ok… But it still not a full frame sensor. They are all friends of phoebus company.. Too bad.

    How long time they need to make à standart camera 24×36? 10 years again?20? 50?

  41. Five customizable buttons. And metering can’t be assigned to any of them. Someone please explain to me why Oly does stuff like this over and over again. Is it cost? Is it that hard to program? Or just Oly making subjective decisions that photographers don’t care to change metering?

  42. I ordered it in silver w/ the 12-50mm. Is the 12mm f/2 still worth getting? (I have been waiting for the lens to drop in price, but is it now even worth it at $799?)

    • Well, I love the 12f/2 – amazing lens all the way around. The 12-50 will not be as good, will be slower and will be larger. BUT it will be more versatile being a zoom, and weather sealed. All depends on your needs/wants. The 12 is a little expensive and i have seen it at $689 about a month ago but it seems to have gone back up.

      • Thanks for the insight. My budget is limited, so I chose to order the Zuiko 45 mm for portraits and will supplement it with the next generation 14mm pana pancake. The 12-50’s size is my biggest concern for street photography, but it will have to do for now.

  43. It looks great, but I can’t help feeling that all Olympus have done is reinvented the wheel. Like many I already have a perfectly good SLR so why would I buy this?

    • The pros and cons of mft versus traditionals DSLRs are widely known. So if you still have to ask, you shouldn’t buy mft.

  44. I feel young again, the appearance makes me go back to seventies. I want the silver one of course. But it is getting more and more complicated now. Nex7, Fuji Pro x, or Olympus??
    Further we have new Nikon 800 too tough a different catogory.
    I wonder what Panasonic will offer now, they are quiet silent.

    The effort from camera producers is wonderful, there is something for every taste but so far Olymus looks like as if their model is the best among other mirrorles gang

  45. Looking very good and ticking most of “my boxes”. And compared to the EP3 with EVF it’s priced surprisingly attractive with all the new features included. Black or silver is really a tough decision in this case. I’m tempted to pre-order, but will probably wait until Leica’s news come out later this year, provided I can resist this mft beauty. For my needs, a mft system with the OM-D trumps over the new Fuji, Pentax and NEX7.

  46. I Preordered mine a few hours ago, I was just curious. I have look all over and cannot find anything in regards to a expected release date?

      • Thanks! Can’t wait. I started with olympus as my first camera, an e-520 and still to this day have taken all my best photos with my cheap lenses for it. I have a nice setup now with Nikon but I don’t get that same love olympus gave my photos. I can’t wait to return home. =)

        I’ll be slapping the 25mm panaleica lens tho haha! Can’t wait for your review!

  47. Is it just me or is this camera simply a dslr without the R bit? ugly “pentaprism” hump. Unless this is seriously tiny I don’t see the point over using an e-p3 with a VF2. Sony etc have managed to include an evf without spoiling the lines of the camera. Is another small dsl”r” really what everyone was hoping olympus would unveil? I, for one, am disappointed. I would have preferred a smaller lcd and cleaner “pocket-friendly” lines.

      • That’s good to hear, Steve, thanks. Pictures i have seen so far have nothing for scale. Still not sure on looks though. However, I am sure that, knowing Olympus, this camera will have it where it really counts!

    • It looks like the addition of the accessory port under the hotshoe, so that the smart accessories like the EVF (yeah, weird, huh), GPS, lights, etc. will still work. If they would have went with a dumber hot shoe, they could have shaved a bit of height off the pyramid, making it easier to pocket. That said, as Steve mentioned, this thing is still tiny by DSLR standards and will be in the same ballpark as other CSCs. I am just excited that we now have an Oly body, with even an updated IBIS, and the latest sensor!

  48. Silver one for me no question. The FL-600r flash is pretty interesting too. It has the same GN50 rating as the FL-50R, but is smaller, costs $200 less, and has a continuous LED light for video. It could turn out to be the sleeper product in all the E-M5 announcement hype.

    I’m on the fence about the grip though. I’ll definitely want it if I pick up the adapter and some 43 glass. Eh, I can wait.

  49. Thank you Sony so much, for not putting a fake pentaprism on the Nex 7! As a right-eye shooter, I prefer the eye-level-finder to sit on the very left upper corner of the camera body. I don’t like to press my nose against the camera body and to smear the LCD screen.

    • If you’re left-eyed, it really doesn’t matter. You’ll be smearing the screen whether the finder is on the left or in the middle.

      For me (left eyed) this only mattered with film cameras. Rangefinder cameras were sort of OK, but on most film slrs, the wind lever poked your right eye.

  50. why olympus have to come up with complicated name ,.OM-D E -M5,..anyway,,.just OM-D or E-M5

    I prefer a black one is more stealth,..thx steve

    • Because it’s the OM-D series and the model number is E-M5. Later on, we’ll see more cameras from the OM-D but with a different name.

  51. A lot of people are getting the black one, do you think if they were marketing the silver instead of the black on the forefront more people would go for the silver? I personally prefer the silver, the black just ultimately looks like every other camera.

    • It’s all good… Some folks like the way black and silver interact and others like the all black. Nothing but personal taste. When they have sold a million, I bet it’s close to 50/50 or so.

    • My silver E-PL2 always attracts to much attention from strangers. They find the camera both interesting and attractive. I will go for the stealthy black Oly myself.
      Regards,

      P.s. after it’s been tested and reviewed.

  52. Pre-ordered the black with 12-50… then cancelled it. Ordered the silver body instead, and the Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 separately. Will look for a faster zoom!

  53. ohhh….i am getting weak!
    i still remember the feel of my OM-4 in my hands….i also remembered saving up for it and the moment i sold it again to jump on the canon wagon….

    i better start nurturing the second feeling again!haha

  54. It is indeed a hard decision to make…

    I pre-ordered the black one about two hours ago, but I’ve been comparing the silver version and black version for two hours now.

    • Does it make any sense to trade my Canon 7D for the Olympus OM-D?

      I’m starting to really like the next generation 4/3.

      • Well if you are going to do something so foolish, you might as well give the 7D away… to me!

      • 7D + glass = a few kilos
        Lugging that around.
        Weather sealing not as good as 1D series.
        No tilt screen & not OLED.
        Too many buttons.
        Pointing that monster at peoples faces
        (sorry for causing offense to monsters).

        OMD + Glass quality is all there (fast primes to fast telephoto, fast zooms)
        No need to be Mr Universe to carry.
        3D tracking 4.5fps whilst AF tracking
        9fps continuous keep it going & fill up SD card in jpeg.
        Fastest single shot AF of ANY dslr, mirrorless (with Pen3 & OMD lenses).
        5 AXIS image stabilization.
        That OLED tilt touch screen near instant focus & shooting is to be seen to be believed (as on Ep3).
        Weather sealing (youtube bottle of water being poured on OMD).
        Light AA filter = pixel level detail & sharpness.
        Dials: intuitive.
        Olympus colours.
        Mount almost any legacy lens with appropriate adapter.
        Point this beaut at people and watch them go starry eyed.

        • Yeah, try holding the om-d and a big fat lens. No ovf, just thinner than a comparable dslr…why didn’t Olympus make this to begin with instead of taking their users through the 43, e300 and ep series swamps? That om-d aint fooling anybody, it’s an ep3 body shaped like a dslr and with an evf built in…something Olympus could have already done with the ep3…years ago. Why would anyone buy this when 1400 gets you a pretty damn good dslr with an ovf? Just because its about 2 inches thinner?

          Fastest AF blah blah, Dslr AF wasn’t slow to begin with these days. Weather proof? I guess that’s the first time a camera’s been weather proofed.9 fps? Not the first time either. 5 axis stabe? The old 2 lens and body ones worked fine.Adapters for legacy lenses? Not new either. Olympus colors? that’s preference. 4.5 fps with af tracking? See nikon V1.Pointing a monster into ppls faces? I doubt you could get away with pointing that om-d thing with that 2 piece grip at ppls faces and not have them notice either.

          If this thing doesn’t sell, what Olympus going to do next, start building another m43 body in another style of body? I guess the old saying does hold true. “There is a sucker born every minute.” I can almost hear Canon and Nikon laughing and saying” You guys go and build COMPACT system cameras and then end up with something that we already have?”

          • I say do what I did. Bite the bullet, do overtime, go on austerity, sell a kidney, buy the OM-D (or the GX1, same sensor, almost as many features, and half the weight) and keep your 7D. If I’m honest, I rarely touch my 7D anymore since I’ve gotten into micro 4/3, but it’s really nice to have for big important things when you’re willing to carry it or you’re being paid. True, they’re not going to match the performance of a nice large sensor DSLR, but the micro 4/3 are wonderful, and your just not gonna carry that 7D everywhere all the time, like I do with my fantastic GX1. Honestly, I’ve grown to prefer EVF over OVF. Having all of that info and exposure simulation is totally worth it. No more taking a shot and looking at it on the LCD to see if I got exposure right! Just smooth shooting. I immediately miss it when I use my 7D. And the size, quality, and brightness on the newer EVFs is amazing. I really don’t miss OVF at all. These mirrorless systems are really a great compliment to a DSLR.

        • Oh, and every micro 4/3 is so much smaller then every DSLR, and if people even notice you’re shooting them, they usually react positively, and I’ve almost never been told I can’t enter somewhere with it. People HATE people with DSLRs!

          • Yes, agreed… many ppl don’t like having their picture taken with a dslr. Now look at the Om-d..what does it look like to you? Yes..that’s right..a DSLR. Would a person who objects to having their picture taken with a Canikon DSLR then turn around and say ” No photo please…oh wait, that’s not a DSLR, that a micro four thirds camera! It looks like a DSLR but it’s not as big so go ahead and take my picture, because it a micro four thirds camera!” LOL.

            People KNOW when you’re pointing a thing that looks like a camera at their faces..we are not living in the 1940s…people even object when you point cell phone cameras at them. The notion that m43 is more discreet is way way way way overblown. Some people in different parts of the world would come after you with the intent of doing bodily harm if you so much as looked at them the wrong way, let alone point a camera at them for that matter. There is no real discretion when you lift your arms up to take a picture in most cases, even with a m43 cameras.

        • LOL. Apparently, dgd, you’ve been taking something other than medication. For you to respond like that shows you agree with what Iam saying but you are too much of an olympus cheerleader to admit it.I like Olympus but I’m not gonna march over to my bank and hand over 1400 to a company every time it announces a so called ” new” camera. this camera is anything but new. Samsung and Panasonic already made a camera like this already..it was called the NX 10 and the gh series.. they were mirrorless system cameras shaped like an slr with an EVF. And how is the om-d any different?

          Come on man, let’s call a book for what it is. There are many types of books, some even play music when you open the cover…but a book is a book. The om-d is no more than a 43 camera without the mirror box.Now I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade, but what I’m trying to inject here is some common sense. i don’t use dslrs anymore but I have to say one thing. At least dslr’s all have an OVF leading up to their flagship model.The problem with CSC is that except for the nex 7 and nikon v1, no other rangefinder shaped CSC has a built in viewfinder. you wont’ do well if you leave out key features such as a built in EVF.. For Olympus to finally put one into their top range CSC is a joke. Does anyone want to spend 800 on a dslr and have to fork out an extra 300 on a viewfinder?

          CSC cameras will never take the place of dslr’s until the cost of making a built in EVF is equal to that of a dslr OVF. Look at the facts, i work in a camera store, I know what ppl are willing to buy..who’s gonna spend 1400 on the om-d when the same amount gets you a Nikon d7000? Yes, the om-d is smaller but so what? It won’t be any use if it hurts your hand when you hold big zooms on it, will it? Many will trade the smaller size of the om-d for the Nikon d7000 sensor. Olympus should stick with making their d-pens instead of trying to make CSC dslr wannabe cameras.

          These are COMPACT system cameras. They are not dslr’s. They should not look and be like dslr’s. They should not have big fat 2.8 whatever lenses on them like dslr’s. The day you see big fat zooms for these cameras, that day will also bring bigger and fatter CSC bodies made in order for you to hold them with those big lenses. And when that day comes, what will be the difference between a “Compact”SC and a dslr? Nothing, right? And when CSC cameras are practically the same size as dslr’s, it will be the end of them cause they wont be COMPACT anymore.Iam all for preserving the compact nature of these csc cameras. i don’t know about you, but I aint going to kill the CSC niche by going out and purchasing that big fat om-d dslr wannabe with a 2 piece brick grip stuck on the bottom of it. If you think by supporting the om-brick your helping the CSC cause then you’re just playing into Canikon’s hands. Try to look at the facts before you get all “monthly emotional” over a camera that is not so new.

          • Actually cameraman, it’s been my personal experience that I get by much easier with my 4/3 then my 7D, and yes, I think that would carry over to the OM-D. I’ll be more specific, people hate large modern Darth Vader DSLRs being shoved in their faces, and cops and security people don’t like them either. Yes, the OM-D looks like a DSLR, but it’s still way smaller, and it’s rertro, and therefore charming, and people genuinely warm to that. Ask anyone who uses a much bigger Leica M. It’s not just cool design, it makes a real practical difference, even if it’s purely psychological. Your position perhaps makes sense on paper, but not it the real world. I’ve also used a GH1, which really looks like a DSLR, and people still dismiss is or not notice it just because of it’s small size. Not so with my beloved 7D. I even prefer the EVF. I like the info, exposure simulation, and not having to check the photo on the LCD every time I take a shot to check if the exposure’s right. I miss it on my 7D. I agree, the fact that it has a built in EVF and looks like and old school camera isn’t that big of a deal, it’s just cool, which, is cool! It still is at the very least an evolutionary step leading to what looks like a fantastic tough little light weight well built camera with great performance and controls, yeah, no big deal! The same can be said for my GX1 minus the weather sealing, but it’s lighter still. I don’t care that the EVF was extra. The total price was expensive, but worth it, and it actually has a great genuinely useful on camera flash so I don’t mind the EVF taking up the hot shoe. You can lug around your heavy or plasicy but always bulky and obtrusive DSLR absolutely everywhere, have fun. I’ll living a normal life getting actual use out of the wonderful micro 4/3 permanently and unnoticeabley strapped around my neck, thank you very much!

          • Iam not saying one cannot use the m43 cameras and have a good experience. i have one m43 camera myself. To compare an m43 camera to the 7d is like comparing a P&S camera to the ep3. there are smaller cameras, such as the given up for dead 43 cameras. I don’t think the smallest 43 camera is that much larger to the new om-d. that being said, my point is that for now, the om-d may be smaller than let’s say a canon rebel t3i, but how much longer will it be before olympus releases a larger pro model?

            I don’t think Iam alone when I say olympus does not have a good track record of stay on the same path! One must be weary of these new so called “creations” from olympus. As for the EVF over the 7d OVF, bear in mind that todays OVF’s are nothing compared to what they were and what they can be…example the Pentax ME OVF. No pro DSLR even comes close to the size that old Pentax’s OVF. The EVF has an advantage in many some situations but at night it’s like looking through a microscope of a bright dotty bacteria colony.

            Olympus is clearly desperate to make something “new” as nikon is now on board with their csc and with the looming distribution of the nex 7. Their history of abandoning camera lines are now part of history and with all due respect, you may like to spend 1400 on the new om-d, [ and i sincerely hope you enjoy the om-d] but most ppl have a hard time forking out over a grand on any Nikon or Canon..let alone an Olympus. 1400 is not chump change for 99% of the world..especially in this world recession.

          • Cameraman aka Nurse Ratched 😉 🙂

            McMurphy says
            “Aw come on, you’re not gonna say that now! You’re gonna pull that hen house sh*t” 😉

        • Looks really interesting. Olympus understands that fast but the fastest AF performance matters and their fly by wire MF on the micro lenses really works.
          If only they can develop a peaking mode like sony nex cameras got.
          Olympus AF puts Fujis Xpro AF too shame.

      • True, there’s a bit of a Porsche vs. Lamborghini factor here. They’re both expensive, perhaps overpriced, high-end, high-power machines. The Lambo is faster. more powerful, and more expensive, but you’re not going to take for groceries every day. But if you can only have one, which was Pete’s original question, I’d have to say hands down I’d rather have a micro 4/3, though I might recommend the GX1. As per your argument, I recommended going the extra mile and having both. Different systems for different purposes. I still would be very reluctant to show up with a 4/3 if I’m being paid, even though I’d probably get acceptable results. Of course, I have a GX1 and a 7D and I’m thinking of getting the OM-D anyway even though I’m not rich by a long shot, but I’m just nutty.

        • I’m not trying to convince you not to buy an om-d, oh believe me, i believe that you’ll be the one to buy one. Camera companies don’t make most of their money on high end cameras but on the consumer P&S market. Im sure Olympus would like about 5 million users like yourself who will buy a om-d. But the reality is that there is not. I’m sure you’re not going to like it very much should olympus abandon the ” om d” series someday or the m43 line altogether if it doesn’t sell. But hey, don’t take my word for it…take a good long look at Olympus history of cameras and where they are at now.They’re too busy dealing with their money groping scandal. It’s written all over the walls…once aps-c gets to a level where not even the best m43 can touch and when sales slump..it will be another BYE BYE and a new Olympus line. But by that time, Olympus may have been bought out by a few other companies.

          As for the 7d, iam not interested in dlsrs anyways. I watch the csc cameras closely and looking at them they have serious flaws with regards to key features missing and price point. Most csc cameras have no built in VF. The EVF cycle time from shot to shot is not quick enough and shutter lag is not as fast as it needs to be. My customers don’t want to buy a camera and then go out and realize they can’t see a damn thing on the lcd once they use the camera outdoors because the of lack of an EVF. I don’t worry about the enthusiast or the rich camera folks cause they will always buy high end stuff, the PROBLEM is that they are few and far in between. Which is why Olympus and the other csc companies should concentrate on making better base csc models instead. It is the cheaper models where the margins are higher, that the money is made.Making money is good for a camera company because it prevents cameras to be abandoned, cameras like the om, pen f and 43 stuff. Olympus has to think of the future or there won’t be a future for them or their users.

    • SILVER!! – nods to the origianl OM line up – to me the Black looks like any other DSLR out there, the Silver keeps true to the old OM look & still looks like an analogue camera in my opinion, plus the silver will match the nice pro lenses, Panda Black & silver always looks odd to me

    • Having been defending Fuji XPro1 re focus speed, image quality, lens quality and unknowns as how well the hybrid vf will work with interchangeable legacy lenses, how manual focus will be
      It is rather refreshing to find a mature product in the OMD where almost all aspects are already known and matured.

      • I’ve been holding out for the Fuji Pro too, but at this point I’m so invested in m4/3 lenses and adapters for my leica glass, I just can’t buying into another platform. The E-M5 looks like Oly addresses all the grips I had with the Pen series.

      • dgd- aka Gilligan. Hahahahahaaaaaa
        Hey Gilligan, try using wood to build a ship to get off that Olympus island instead of coconuts, then you might get somewhere. to ” find a mature product in the om-d?”
        Hey, how mature was the om cameras, the pen f cameras, the 43 cameras? Mature enough to be abandoned eh? LOL i think you must love olympus cause you probably enjoy buying their stuff at 2nd hand thrist stores once the company gets tossed into their junk pile. LOL

    • Black all the way – I use my E-P2 as a stealth shooter at press conferences and chamber concerts, the whisper shutter is so suited for those situations. The E-M5 in black is the perfect ninja cam especially when you gaffer tape the logos and white type.

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