Olympus E-5 Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Despite the price and weight this is an excellent and worthwhile camera which along with the unbeatable Zuiko lenses makes a really good system for a practical photographer. Outstanding image quality up to ISO 800, good IQ at 1600 at 50% crop factor and usable images up to (just about) ISO 6400 if you expose to the right and do a little work in post on noise reduction.

Excellent dust-busting in Oly cameras means that in three years of using other Oly DSLRs I have never had to clean a sensor. Very good in-camera image stabilisation for any lens mounted gives you good low-light ability especially with the pro and top grade lenses. With those lenses the system is high-performing, very weatherproof, cold-proof, robust and reliable. Battery life is good. Olympus has improved the autofocusing performance, fastest in class, by extending its performance in low light unassisted. Sweet to hold and good to operate, with extensive customisation options. The out of camera jpegs are outstandingly good for speed and convenience, and if you shoot RAW then with Zuiko lenses you will have excellent detail and pretty much edge-to-edge sharpness even at widest apertures. I haven't used the HD video capability.

While a few other manufacturers' products may beat any one of Olympus' characteristics by a short head, the overall system is up with the best or better.

I'm not an Olympus fanboy but was critical of my last, lesser, Olympus DSLR. This one, however, is the goods and I very much doubt it will be the last four-thirds camera unless they can beat its all-round spec (including fast focusing) with micro four-thirds.

First thiings first this is NOT the body for you if shooting video is a priority.

However for still work it seems unbeatable to me. Specifically because:-

The 4/3 system delivers significantly smaller lighter lenses than the manufacturers who rushed into digital with camera bodies whose sensors ape the size of a 35mm frame, unlike Olympus who started with a clean sheet of paper. And Zuiko lenses are exceptional.

The viewfinder beats every other DSLR I have tried. It is bright and informative and is a genuine 100% representation of the captured frame.

Autofocus is fast, accurate and versatile.

The controls are well placed and out of the box allow a sensational degree of control with the camera to the eye. The level of customisation on offer is extraordinary.

Many professional reviewers have called the menu system over complicated - well smell the roses guys, DSLR are extremely complicated pieces of equipment, (is there is any single person in any of the serious camera companies who truly understands every process and mechanical function going on inside), and I can't think of a relevant featurewhich cannot be accessed and managed.

The E5 feels incredibly well built and is a joy to use.

I was talking to a technician at a very high end inkjet print shop a while ago and he told me two things which mark out the E5 from the persepctive of those who regularly print out very large prints: Firstly you never see sensor dust marks, and second Olympus users never complain about how much work they have to do on their images because the cameras are so accurate.

I had been using an Olympus E510 for the last 5 years and wanted to upgrade the camera, I am a published photographer but its not my main source of income. I thought about changing systems as the Canon or Nikon's out there looked a good way to go for someone working at my level. However after 5 years I also had a serious investment in Olympus glass and to switch would have meant a huge outlay. Maybe 3 times the cost of this camera! Truth was I really liked the Olympus system, the lens are amazing and they offer to me a very detailed and attractive image quality. They are also very easy to carry around all day. Furthermore dispite the critic of the Olympus system I knew my way around the E510 and the E5 has a very similar albeit more advanced Menu.

So I decided to stick with Olympus until I could afford to switch or I could claim the tax back as a professional photographer. Having said that the E5 has proved so far to have been an excellent choice. My photography has moved up to a new level, so much more is possible. The AF is stunning, it claims to be one of the fastest systems and it has certainly proved itself very capable with a Pro-lens coupled with Olympus's SWD system it is amaziingly fast but even with other kit it snaps into focus very quickly. Lots of my work is landscape photography and even using manual focous it is quick and easy to adjust. For the landscape photographer it also has a very useful sprit level.

The sensor which has come in for a lot of flack is incredible, Olympus have managed to squeese so much from it! My pictures using the E5 are incredibly detailed, I mainly shoot RAW and the upgrade in picture quality is stunning. Even at high ISO they are sharp.

The tilting live view is very useful allowing you to get interesting shots, recently at a Wedding I used it to get overhead images of the reception. Its also great for composition at ground level.

Don't let the weight either put you off! It is no heavier than the Canon or Nikon's in the same price bracket and they are not weather sealed. It also fits into your hand very well even with a 50 - 200 mm telephoto mounted on the body.

I have only been using the E5 for just over 2 months but it has proved for me the best upgrade. It is an incredible camera and everytime I use it I am discovering something else I like about it but having said all that it is expensive. If I did not have such an investment in the Olympus system I maybe would had switched?? But having used it I don't think I would, it is that good a camera and I am very pleased with it but if your just starting out on your first SLR I would give it a lot of thought, there are cheaper SLR's out there which are just as good. So to sum up, a great upgrade for existing Olympus users!