edwin01

Has anyone had experience with this camera? I am thinking of buying one for use as a light weight flexible travel camera. A viewfinder is a must and so is a menu that is easy to use. Quality of build is another consideration since travel can be rough on equipment. Thanks for you help.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

The em5 is a good camera by today's standards...the EM5ii however, is much, much better. Keep in mind that the em5 came out back in early 2012, and since then Olympus has figured a few things out.

If weather sealing isn't an deal breaker for you, I'd suggest the EM10...if you need weather sealing or want more of a state of the art camera, then the em5ii would be a better choice. Both viewfinders in the EM10 and EM5ii are superior to the one in the EM5 (original).

I'm an EM1 user, and carry it with me just about everywhere...something I was never able to do with my DSLR. I used to have legacy 4/3 glass, which the EM1 is able to take better advantage of with it's dual focusing capabilities (PDAF and CDAF).

Recommended compact lenses would be the 7.5mm f3.5, 20mm f1.7, 25mm f1.8, 45mm f1.8, or the 12-32mm f3.5-5.6. The kit 14-45 is nice, but I find myself wanting a bit more on the wide end, and usually 12mm does it for me. I have both the 12-32 and 12-40. The 12-32 is so small and lightweight, yet it is still very sharp...great for use outside, since it's a bit slow aperture wise.


If you're interested in image quality...my smugmug website can be found by clicking on my user namer...most of it was shot with the EM1

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

I had the OM-D E-M1.

Build quality second to none. Weight on the heavy side for its size.

Electronic view finder. Has many advantages over OVF as well as draw backs.

Image quality as good as many entry level DSLRs but far from the best. High ISO not great.

Lots of available lenses and can use many different brands and older lenses with adaptors.

2X crop factor is a BIG plus for telephoto work.

Lenses relatively inexpensive compared to FF lenses.

It depends on what you are accustomed to and preference.

For me it wasn't the cat's meow.

exposeu Loc: Wenatchee, WA

I moved from Nikon DSLR's to the Olympus EM-5. I am very happy with the camera. I have the Olympus 12-40 pro lens and feel I am taking better photos with this setup. Lighter, faster to me, and so much nicer to work with. I have done 30x40 canvas prints and love them. I have shot senior, family and weddings with this setup. I would love to have the EM-1 but am working more with video these days. I come from 25 years of full time wedding, family and senior work using Hasselblad and Nikon gear, just an FYI.

Randy

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

I have the EM5 original version and EM1, and I use and like them both. The EM5 is very well built, and it can be customized to meet your needs. I have taken it all over the world in every conceivable weather with no problems at all. Though the EM1 does a better job of focusing my old legacy lenses, and has more buttons and a larger/nicer EVF I still pull out the EM5 for everyday and most travel shooting, unless I'm on a photography-focused trip then I take both. The tiny and reasonably priced primes on the EM5 make a wonderful travel kit. My easy-kit for street, hiking and other needs is the EM5, the weatherproof 12-50, the cheap/light but good 40-150, and whichever prime(s) I think I need from the 12, 20 and 45. Less than 2 lbs total. In some ways the EM5 sensor is better than the EM1's, google it.

Some great deals can be had on the original EM5 right now.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Since you mentioned easy to use menus, you may want to consider the em5ii or the em1...those have more customizable buttons, so that you can put the features you want right at your fingertips.

A lot of people complain about olumpus's menu system, but I've never had an issue with it.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

I own a pair of Olympus E-M5MarkII bodies.
They are good cameras. Build qualty is great, as is the EVF (and histogram in the viewfinder), and IQ is good but not as good as a Canon 70D (which I also own) at high ISO values (3200+).
It is relative quiet, even when not in "silent" mode, after you turn the focussing "beep" off especially compared to my Canon DSLRs.

There is a learning curve on the menues, however unce you have the camera set up to how you want it, it isn't a real problem.

I mostly use mine with a Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 40-150 f/2.8 pro and a Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 Lens. I also have a Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro Lens on order.
I probably will not purchase any fast primes for it as I have a good selection of fast Canon primes.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

-FYI-
Smokin deal right now on a refrub em5ii

http://www.getolympus.com/us/en/outlet/reconditioned-cameras/e-m5-mark-ii-silver-body-reconditioned.html

Shadetree Loc: Chattanooga, TN

I have an E-M5 and really like it. The smaller size of the camera and lenses is great as is the lighter weight plus you can adapt almost any lens to it.

Hershel Loc: New York City

I have the Olympus E-M5-MII with the 14-40 2.8 Pro lens, 75-300 telephoto and the grip and am pretty satisfied so far. All of my photos are posted here on UHH and all are straight out of camera without any PP whatsoever, not even a crop.

HERSHEL

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I have never used dSLR style mirrorless cameras but everything I hear about them is very good. Olympus has been very successful selling these cameras.
I use an Olympus EP-5, rangefinder type. Although I have an OVF I find that I can work faster, better and unnoticed if I use the rear LCD.
I have no professional lenses for this camera and my favorite lens is the Panasonic 14-45 f3.5-5.6 although I also shoot often with the Zuiko 14-42, an excellent lens for its price.
Taking one of these during traveling is a breeze and at the end of the day no signs of fatigue.
I have predicted that one day all dSLR cameras will be mirrorless.

DEBJENROB Loc: DELRAY BEACH FL

I recently bought the OM-D E-M10 .... it is on sale with a 14-42mm lens($499)...$200 off .... (yes Hershal , I bought it from B&H}...... it seems to be rated as well as the OM-D M5 .... I bought the M10 for the same reason you state ... it is light .... much lighter that my Nikon D800 .... I received the camera on Tuesday and was able to take a few photos ... it seems like a very good camera ... especially for my purposes ...

RobertW Loc: Breezy Point, New York

I have the EM1 (and a variety of MZuiko lenses), which replaced my EM5. which replaced my PenEP3, which was necessitated when my enormous Nikon kit became too weighty and ponderous to transport. I am hoping the upgrade for the EM1 will have an articulated screen and I will be permanently satisfied. I never got better results with my Nikon kit than I now get with the EM1, although with Hasselblad and Leica there were no comparisons, they were and are the tops.
Go with Oly

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

I never used one but have read reviews about them. Excellent build and top notch photo quality. I really love the silver and black ones, they look like the old range finder cameras from the "60's".

Hershel Loc: New York City

Thank you for your patronage. I hope you enjoy the camera.

HERSHEL