Introduction
As one of the early innovators in the compact system camera market, Olympus has enjoyed great success with its PEN range of Micro Four Thirds cameras. The retro designs of the PEN series have always appealed to those photographers hankering after the golden age of photography. The Olympus PEN E-P5 is no different – and now we have some initial sample images from a pre-production sample camera to show you.
The original digital PEN camera, launched all the way back in 2008, was a bit of a game-changer. In terms of camera technology, five years is a long time, so expectations for the fourth generation of the top-of-the-line series are high.
Olympus says it has pretty much gone back to the drawing board for this latest PEN incarnation, but there’s no denying that it takes its lead from both the Olympus PEN cameras of old, and the fantastic Olympus OM-D, which made its debut at the beginning of 2012.
Inside the Olympus PEN E-P5 is the same 16 million pixel sensor and TruePic VI image sensor as in the Olympus OM-D, which should mean it is capable of the same impressive image quality.
The design is very much inspired by the original film PEN, and particularly the black and silver incarnation. It’s enough to make anyone looking at the front of the camera do a double take.
Of course, the technology inside the camera far surpasses that of its film forebears, and is also a significant jump from the previous Olympus PEN E-P3 camera. There’s also enough here to make it, in some respects, a step up from the Olympus OM-D itself.
Aside from the same sensor and processor as the Olympus OM-D, the Olympus PEN E-P5 boasts an impressively fast maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 sec. That’s something that is currently offered by the likes of professional DSLRs, such as the Nikon D4 and Canon 5D Mark III, so to see it on a CSC priced at just £899 (around AU$1,368 / US$1,399) is quite something.
That fast shutter speed means that not only should the camera be capable of capturing fast-moving subjects, it can also shoot at wide apertures in bright sunlight. Combine that with the new low sensitivity setting of ISO 100, and you’ve got a recipe for some really creative outdoor work.
Olympus knows that it is a brand enjoyed by the creative photographer, so it’s no surprise to see a high number of digital filters, such as Cross Process and Dramatic Tone, making a reappearance on the latest model of the camera. There’s also the addition of Focus Peaking, a great tool for those who want to focus manually.
Live Time and Live Bulb, the innovative way of shooting long exposures as introduced on the Olympus OM-D, is also found on the Olympus E-P5. This enables you to shoot very long exposures while watching the image build up on the screen. It takes the guesswork out of this kind of photography, since you can see exactly when to stop the shutter. Olympus has now included a histogram view while using this mode to further assist the user.
A Photo Story mode is also included. This is something that made its debut on the Olympus XZ-10 compact camera and basically enables you to create a montage of photos within the camera itself. Unlike on the Olympus XZ-10, however, each photo that makes up the montage is saved in raw format, as well as a JPG of the finished montage. This means you can use each individual photo at a later date if you want to.
Another feature brought across from the Olympus OM-D is the 5-axis image stabilisation system. Compensating for pitch, rolling, yaw and horizontal and vertical movement, the results of this stabilisation can now be seen in Live View thanks to improvements in battery technology. We’ll be especially keen to put this particular feature to the test when a full Olympus PEN E-P5 sample comes in for review.
Shooting at up to 9fps is possible, but again this has been improved from the Olympus OM-D as this 9fps also includes continuous autofocusing. Add in tracking and the rate is a still pretty impressive 5fps. This is another feature we’ll be keen to put through its paces.
Improving the speed of the camera is something Olympus has seemingly worked very hard on. The new Olympus PEN E-P5 boasts a start-up time of just 0.5 seconds, something that is matched only by the Fuji X-E1 when in its fast switch-on mode. We’ll be interested to see how short the shot-to-shot and processing times are, though with the TruePic VI processor onboard, it’s likely to be very fast.
Olympus admits it has been late to the Wi-Fi party, but the PEN E-P5 is now fully equipped with this built in. The company claims being late has enabled it to study and improve upon the competitor’s offerings. One such feature is the ability to scan a QR code to connect the camera, rather than having the hassle of entering passwords.
While the Olympus PEN E-P3 had a fixed touchscreen, the Olympus PEN E-P5 has a tilting, capacitive device. It’s the same 3-inch device as found on the Olympus OM-D, so we expect a very responsive and easy to use design. The touchscreen enables the autofocus point to be altered, or the shutter itself fired.
Build quality and handling
Olympus has used a very similar handling design to the previous incarnation of the camera, but with some very noticeable and welcome improvements on the Olympus PEN E-P5. The chassis is very similar to its predecessor, featuring a fairly chunky grip, which is particularly useful when shooting one-handed. A rubberised thumb rest sits at the back of the camera to give a bit of extra purchase too.
Unlike the Olympus PEN E-P3, the Olympus PEN E-P5 uses a switch to turn it on, rather than a button. This might seem like a trivial point, but it enables quicker start-up times. It has been recessed slightly into the body of the camera to prevent accidentally switching it on while in a bag or pocket.
Like its predecessor, it uses a capacitive touchscreen, which can be used to set the autofocus point or fire the shutter release. One of the most noticeable improvements is the now tilting screen. It’s useful for angling away from any disturbing glare or reflections that might be present – although it didn’t seem to suffer too badly when we used it.
It sits remarkably flush against the back of the camera, so much so that you might not even realise it’s a tilting device at all. While an articulating screen would be more useful for portrait format shots, it would undoubtedly have added to the bulk of the camera.
At the top of the camera is a mode dial enabling quick transitions between the various modes on offer, such as fully automatic, semi-automatic (aperture or shutter priority) and manual modes. There’s also a space here for art modes, scene modes and – new to the PEN range – Photo Story mode.
Also on top of the camera is a Function button, which can be customised to suit your particular requirements. The previous version on the Olympus PEN E-P3 required diving into the menu if you wanted to alter ISO or metering, but a new way of working has been introduced onto the Olympus PEN E-P5.
A small switch around the movie record button marked with positions 1 and 2 enables you to alter the function of the two dials at the back and front of the camera. Position 1 controls aperture/shutter speed and exposure compensation (depending on the mode you’re shooting in), while flipping to Position 2 changes the modes to ISO and white balance. It’s a quick system that should really speed up the basic operation of the camera.
A sort of quick menu can be found by pressing the OK button in the centre of the four-way navigational pad for accessing other commonly used settings. If you need to delve further to change more complicated settings, you can do this via the main menu. As with other PEN cameras, it can be a little disjointed to use when you’re not used to it.
Although the touchscreen can’t be used to navigate through the menu, you can use it with the “Live SCP” panel. This is a type of quick menu overlaid across the screen (and which is different from the menu which appears at the side of the screen) that first needs to be activated from a confusingly placed submenu within the main menu. Why Olympus has chosen to hide this function away is a little confusing, but once you’ve found it, it makes accessing key settings much quicker.
Using the Wi-Fi functionality of the camera is very easy. A “virtual” button on the touchscreen can be pressed for instant access. Once you’ve downloaded the IOS or Android app for your smartphone or tablet, it’s very easy to connect to the camera as all you need to do is scan a QR code generated by the camera and the connection will be made – taking away the need to have to enter fiddly long passwords etc.
Once connected, you can use the app to remotely control the camera, although disappointingly, only fully automatic mode is compatible here, so you’ll lose control over more advanced settings. However, you can use the app to transfer across images to your device for uploading to social networking sites. It’s also possible to switch off the camera via the app, which is useful if you’re controlling the camera from across the room. Hopefully Olympus will consider upgrading the app’s capabilities to include more advanced remote control settings.
The E-P5 doesn’t have a built-in viewfinder, but you can plug one in via the hotshoe and port below it. The VF-4 was launched at the same time as the E-P5 and is a fantastic addition to the camera. With its high resolution and tilting capability, it’s useful if you prefer to work in this way, though of course you will need to pay extra for it. Having an optional viewfinder does help to keep the overall size of the camera down though.
Performance
The Olympus PEN E-P3 was an extremely capable camera in its own right, but putting the proven excellent Olympus OM-D sensor inside the new, even-more-retro styled body is very likely to be a winning combination – dare we say it, even better than the OM-D itself.
We’ve already seen how that incredible sensor can be used to good effect in both the Olympus PEN E-PL5and the Olympus PEN E-PM2, so to see it in the top of the line PEN CSC is very welcome.
Happily, we’ve been extremely pleased with what the camera is capable of. Images are very bright and punchy, while that 16.1 million-pixel sensor can resolve a fantastic amount of detail.
Many Micro Four Thirds doubters will call into question the low light performance of a small sensor. While it’s true it can’t really compete with the likes of full-frame bodies, it’s more than a match for the likes of the larger sensored bodies from Sony and Canon, all the while having the advantage of a smaller overall system.
As we’ve seen on other Olympus cameras, there are plenty of shooting modes to help you get the most from every situation. So, if you’re photographing something with particularly vibrant colours, you could use Vivid modes, while Portrait mode could be more suited to producing neutral skin tones.
Speed is one of the key boasts Olympus is making about this camera, with plenty of stats being thrown around about its start-up, shot-to-shot, and autofocusing times. We have been very impressed by how this translates in reality. Start up, focus acquisition and firing off the shutter can be achieved in just a couple of seconds from cold, while once the camera is on speed is well, speedy.
The fast processor inside the camera means that even while it is busy applying 12 different art filters while in art bracketing mode, you can still continue to shoot. Autofocusing speeds are equally impressing, being almost instantaneous in good light, and only dropping ever so slightly as the light fades.
Speaking of low light, image noise is kept impressively low throughout the sensitivity range. At lower ISOs images are very crisp and detail packed, while noise starts to creep in from around ISO 800. It only starts to become particularly noticeable once you get higher up the scale though, towards the 1600 mark, while even images shot at much higher sensitivities, such as ISO 3200, are still very much useable, especially at small printing and web sizes.
For the majority of shooting conditions, automatic white balance does a good job of reproducing accurate colours, but it does tend to err towards warmer tones under artificial light, in which case you’ll want to switch to a more appropriate white balance setting. Similarly, all purpose metering (named ESP metering by Olympus) does a good job in the majority of conditions to produce a balanced exposure. If shooting very high contrast scenes, you may want to switch to spot metering for the best results.
Like the OM-D, the E-P5 has 5-axis image stabilisation. This system offers compensation for five different types of image shake and does an excellent job of reducing image blur when shooting hand held.
One of the distinguishing features of any Olympus camera is its art filters. The E-P5 has the full range available, like the E-PL5 and E-PM2. It’s worth experimenting with pretty much all of them, but your favourites will of course be down to personal preference. We’re particularly fond of Dramatic Tone, Cross Process and Toy Camera.
Luckily, unlike Panasonic cameras, you can keep control over settings such as aperture and shutter speed while using art filters on the E-P5, and even more luckily, unlike a lot of other cameras, you can shoot filters in raw format – so if you decide down the line you’d prefer a clean version of the shot, you can access that,
The E-P5’s high resolution screen doesn’t suffer too badly from glare or reflection, apart from perhaps in very bright direct sunlight. Of course the benefit of a tilting screen is that you can usually angle the screen away from any offending glare if it’s proving too problematic.
Image quality and resolution
As part of our image quality testing for the Olympus PEN E-P5 review, we’ve shot our resolution chart.
If you view our crops of the resolution chart’s central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 100 the Olympus PEN E-P5 is capable of resolving up to around 26 (line widths per picture height x100) in its highest quality JPEG files.
For a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean, and how to read them, check out our full explanation of our camera testing resolution charts.
Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:
JPEG
Full ISO 100 image, see the cropped (100%) versions below.
ISO 100, score: 26 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 200, score: 26 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 400, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 800, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 1600, score: 20 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 3200, score: 18 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 6400, score: 18 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 12800, score: 12 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 25600, score: 10 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
Raw
ISO 100, score: 26 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 200, score: 26 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 400, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 800, score: 24 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 1600, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 3200, score: 22 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 6400, score: 20 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 12800, score: 18 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 25600, score: 14 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
Noise and dynamic range
We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using DXO Analyzer software to generate the data to produce the graphs below.
A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image.
For more more details on how to interpret our test data, check out our full explanation of our noise and dynamic range tests.
Here we compare the Olympus PEN E-P5 with the Sony NEX-7, Olympus PEN E-P3, Olympus OM-D and Panasonic GH3.
JPEG signal to noise ratio
These results show that the Olympus PEN E-P5’s JPEG files have stronger signal to noise ratios than those from the Sony NEX-7 and Olympus PEN E-P3 at every sensitivity except ISO 200. The PEN E-P5’s JPEGs also show stronger signal to noise ratios than JPEGs from the Olympus OM-D at every sensitivity except ISO 12800 (though at ISO 6400 and 25600 the two cameras’ JPEGs are very similar in their results). The PEN E-P5’s JPEGs have a stronger signal to noise ratio than the Panasonic GH3‘s JPEGs at every sensitivity except ISO 200 and 12800.
Raw signal to noise ratio
The Olympus PEN E-P5’s TIFF images (after conversion from raw) also show some strong signal to noise ratios, beating TIFFs from the Olympus PEN E-P5 with the Sony NEX-7, Olympus PEN E-P3 and Panasonic GH3 at every sensitivity setting. The PEN E-P5’s TIFFs have stronger signal to noise ratios than the Olympus OM-D ‘s TIFFs at ISO 1600-6400, but the OMD’s TIFFs are better at ISO 200-800 and ISO 12800 and 25600.
JPEG dynamic range
The Olympus PEN E-P5’s JPEG images are still reasonably strong in terms of dynamic range, having significantly greater dynamic range than JPEGs from the Olympus PEN E-P3 at every sensitivity setting. The PEN E-P5’s JPEGs also have stronger dynamic range than the Sony NEX-7‘s JPEGs at every sensitivity setting except ISO 100 and 1600. Similarly, the PEN E-P5’s JPEGs have a stronger dynamic range than the Panasonic GH3‘s JPEGs at every sensitivity except ISO 3200 and 6400. The PEN E-P5’s JPEGs are fairly similar to the Olympus OM-D‘s in terms of dynamic range, producing slightly stronger results at ISO 800, 1600, 6400 and 25600, slightly weaker ones at ISO 200, 3200 and 12800, and pretty much identical results at ISO 400.
Raw dynamic range
This chart shows that TIFF images (after conversion from raw) from the Olympus PEN E-P5 have greater dynamic range than TIFFs from the Olympus PEN E-P3 and Panasonic GH3 at every sensitivity setting, and greater dynamic range than those from the Sony NEX-7 at every sensitivity setting except ISO 200. The PEN E-P5’s TIFFs are weaker than the Olympus OM-D‘s for dynamic range though, at every sensitivity except ISO 6400.
Sample images
Click here to see the full resolution image
There’s plenty of detail captured by the Olympus PEN E-P5 – look out for the fine detail of the hair in this shot. Colours are nice and vibrant, without displaying too much saturation.
Click here to see the full resolution image
The standard kit lens offers an equivalent focal length of 28-84mm, making it a good walkaround lens.
Click here to see the full resolution image
The Olympus PEN E-P5 uses the same sensor as the excellent Olympus OM-D, making it capable of resolving plenty of detail. This was taken with a 60mm f/2.8 macro lens, which we’ve also found to be a fantastic performer.
Click here to see the full resolution image
Because of its small size (compared with a DSLR), cameras like the Olympus PEN E-P5 are good for street photography. This was taken with a 12mm lens, which offers an equivalent focal length of 24mm, making it ideal for this kind of work.
Click here to see the full resolution image
Micro Four Thirds cameras have the widest range of proprietary optics of all the compact system cameras. Panasonic lenses can also be used with Olympus cameras – this was shot using the Panasonic 7-14mm lens. Third party lenses are also available.
Click here to see the full resolution image
The Olympus PEN E-P5’s tilting screen is useful when you want to shoot from awkward angles. This was shot with the camera on the floor and the screen angled upwards to compose the shot.
Click here to see the full resolution image
Colours straight from the Olympus PEN E-P5 are natural, without being overly saturated. You can experiment with different contrasts and saturations with different Picture modes, or create your own for complete control.
Click here to see the full resolution image
Using lenses with a wide aperture, such as the Olympus 12mm f/2.0 lens, enables you to get creative with shallow depth of field effects.
Click here to see the full resolution image
As well as a number of different art filters, you can also shoot with a simple monochrome setting for a more classic look.
Art filters
Olympus has become well known for its wide range of digital filters. The E-P5 includes 12 different filters, with most of these being customisable to bring that total up higher.
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Click here to see the full resolution image
Sensitivity and noise images
JPEG
Full ISO 100 image, see the cropped (100%) versions below.
ISO 100 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 200 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 400 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 800 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 1600 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 3200 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 6400 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 12800 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 25600 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
Raw
ISO 100 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 200 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 400 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 800 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 1600 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 3200 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 6400 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 12800 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
ISO 25600 (Click here to see the full resolution image)
Verdict
In a year which is relatively quiet for new camera releases – 2012 saw really big hitters from the likes of Canon and Nikon – the E-P5 is easily an early contender for camera of the year.
We were very excited about all that the latest incarnation of the well respected PEN series had to offer, from the excellent OM-D technology (sensor and 5-axis image stabilisation) to Wi-Fi and the tilting screen.
Very happily we have not been disappointed by image quality from the camera, with it matching the OM-D in terms of detail and vibrance. The camera is well suited to a wide range of different shooting subjects, especially when pairing it with one of the many excellent lenses now available for the Micro Four Thirds system.
That’s another area that cameras such as this excel in. Managing to produce fantastic image quality but keeping the body and overall system size down is something that is only really achieved in good balance by Micro Four Thirds cameras made by Olympus and Panasonic.
The rest either have large sensors which equate to great image quality but large bodies (Fujifilm), lenses (Sony) or both, or small sensors (Nikon and Pentax) which struggle to compete in terms of image quality. We’ve found that the E-P5 is capable of beating some APS-C size sensors in terms of dynamic range and noise – our labs data indicates that it outperforms Sony’s NEX-7 for instance.
In terms of operational speed, this is one of the fastest cameras we’ve had the pleasure of using in recent times. A quick start-up time is joined by swift shot-to-shot times while general processing speeds are impressive. Autofocusing is also remarkably quick – it seems as if Panasonic and Olympus will continue to argue who exactly has the fastest speeds in this department but needless to say, it’s very, very quick.
We continue to enjoy using the range of Olympus art filters. Although we’d argue that the latest Panasonic cameras (GF6 and G6) have a slightly better range, the fact that you keep creative control when using an Olympus does elevate it overall.
We liked
There’s so much to like about the E-P5 it’s hard to distill it down to one paragraph. Olympus has thrown everything it’s got at its latest PEN camera to make it without doubt its best compact system camera yet, and certainly one of the best on the market. Its stand out feature has to be superb image quality, perhaps joined by its stylish retro looks.
We disliked
If we had to nitpick, we’re a little baffled by the menu system on Olympus cameras at times. This could be streamlined, or made more obvious, as some settings can be hard to find without first consulting the manual… and who reads those? Oh and if you’re desperate for a built in viewfinder, you’ll be out of luck here.
Final Verdict
The E-P5 is one of the most fun cameras we’ve used recently, but that doesn’t stop it from also being one of the most impressively performing.
Image quality is superb, while handling, on the whole, is sensible and intuitive. It helps that the camera has some pretty stylish looks too, drawing more than a pinch of inspiration from the original analogue PEN camera, too.
At this point in time, the camera is a little on the expensive side – but you do get a lot for your money. Consider functions such as 5 axis image stabilisation, 1/8000 second shutter speed and that superb screen and you can see where your money is going. It’d be nice if the price dropped a little though.
We’d be tempted to recommend dropping the kit lens when purchasing this, especially if you already have, or intend to purchase, different optics at some point. As well as the standard 14-42mm kit package, the E-P5 is available as a kit with a 17mm pancake lens, which offers the equivalent of 34mm making it an ideal carry around lens for street work – that would be the one we’d go for. If you can stretch, to it, we’d also highly recommend the excellent VF-4 external viewfinder too.
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