Camera Labs

Hi Thomas,

I think RAW comparisons have a place in reviews as well as the standard JPEG shots. Some of us will be content with out of the camera JPEGs while others shoot exclusively in RAW. But weren't those sharpening settings something you developed?

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

A very interesting comparison thanks. I have found that with the M5 the noise at high ISOs using RAW is lower than my Olympus PM1 with the 12MP sensor. I'd say by at least 1EV.

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Frank

Hi folks,

Since acquiring my E-M5 I've not been keeping up with the latest reviews (why would I? ) but I thought I'd share this one by Ming Thein since it sums up my own feelings about the camera pretty much exactly and has a great selection of much better photos than I could produce to go with it.

The only points I'd take issue with, and this is real nit-picking, is that we now know (thanks, Gordon) that the E-M5 sensor isn't the same as that in the GX1 and there is now a second weather resistant lens to take advantage of the E-M5's own weather resistance, namely the Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm/F2.8 ASPH.

Boy, but that looks pretty even if there is no point in leaving the Power OIS switch set to On with the OM-D E-M5 body.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

I haven't paid attention on one detail: does the body IS work during composition or only during exposure?

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Hi popo,

There's an interesting interaction, at least on my LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR 14-150mm/ F3.5-5.6 ASPH./ MEGA O.I.S. (oh, how I miss Canon's simple but effective naming!!!). I haven't tested all the combinations but I normally have my E-M5 set up so that IBIS kicks in on a half press of the shutter button. In that mode if I set the lens IS to On the stabilisation kicks in full time until I half press the shutter button at which point stabilisation appears to turn off completely (body and lens) if the view through the viewfinder is any guide. Whether IBIS reasserts when the shutter button is fully pressed isn't something I've tested as it just doesn't make sense to try and operate the camera like this so far as I'm concerned.

If I turn of the body's IBIS and turn on the lens based IS then image stabilisation works full time. Not having access to a LUMIX G VARIO 100-300mm / F4.0-5.6 / MEGA O.I.S I've no way of knowing but it occurs to me that lens based IS might be more effective and/or sensor-friendly when zoomed in to 300mm (600mm FF equivalent FoV) as in body image stabilisation would have to move the sensor around pretty violently. But on the new Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm/F2.8 ASPH the five axis IBIS of the E-M5 is surely the way to go...

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

So the body IS can work for composition then? Thinking back to the old days (like my E-P1) when they didn't do that, it only kicked in during exposure itself. That was a disadvantage of body IS vs lens at the time. I guess the body vs lens debate continues particularly with longer focal lengths, but you got the best of both worlds there!

Not that I have any intention of re-joining mirrorless in the short term, it still pays to keep up with developments.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Hi folks,

The HLD-6 grip (free promotional offer for those of us who bought early) arrived this morning. As I expected I'm unlikely to use the portrait section but with that removed the grip adds very little height to the camera and certainly makes the camera a lot more secure to hold when a heavy lens is attached. As on the camera body there's a command wheel surrounding the shutter button on the grip and the ergonomics work well for me.

Shown above fitted with my "super-zoom" 14-150mm four-thirds "Leica" the gap between the grip and the lens body is tight but it's still possible (just) to fit my fairly large fingers in there without the middle finger rubbing against the lens and the extra security is worth that needed extra little bit of care. That gap isn't an issue at all when I'm using my regular m4/3 lenses and even when the Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm is fitted the lens still protrudes further forward than the grip when the camera is switched off. As a result I'm going to leave the grip, sans portrait attachment, permanently in place for now but if the minimal extra bulk becomes irksome then I'll reserve the grip for use with heavier glass.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

I was recently trying the E-M5 with the two grip options and like Bob, i was quite fond of the halfway solution which increases the depth and height of the grip, while also centering the tripod thread underneath.

Ken and I have almost finished our full review of the E-M5! Watch this space!

PS - does anyone have any anecdotal evidence on the environmental sealing of the E-M5? Don't forget the weather-sealing thread in the off-topic section too!

.
The Olympus OM-D E-M5 review is now up. Hey, I even got to watch the master reviewer (Gordon) work his magic comparing my E-M5 and the GX1 noise levels (here).

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

A pleasure working with you Bob!

Hi folks,

Gordon was right on the money when he discovered that the E-M5 sensor isn't made by Panasonic. It seems (source) that Sony makes it,

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Hi folks,

Two pieces of E-M5 news today:

1. OM-D E-M5 Version 1.2 Firmware
   .
   Improved sleep recovery operation.
   AF target is indicated when using C-AF+TR while shooting sequential images using Sequential L setting. - Added function to automatically move focus to the following zoom positions when underwater macro mode or underwater wide mode is selected. (Only when M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50 mm F3.5-6.3 EZ is attached)
   
   Underwater wide mode: Wide setting
   Underwater macro mode: Telephoto setting
   .
2. DxO Optics Pro v7.5.2: support for the Olympus OM-D EM-5, and 300 new DxO Optics Modules
   .
   DxO Optics Pro 7 now supports the latest high-end micro 4/3 camera from Olympus, the OM-D EM-5, along with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5. More than 300 new camera/lens combinations have been added since the previous version.

The camera firmware update is available via Olympus Viewer 2 - great system if, unlike me, you regularly use that software.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Hi folks,

Olympus have now released OM-D E-M5 firmware 1.5.

I updated from v1.2 using Olympus Viewer 2 as usual and the first upgrade only got me as far as v1.4. A further pass through the upgrade process got me up to v1.5. As you can see from the list below (source) the upgrade is worthwhile.

Ver.1.5 (Oct. 2, 2012)


• Operating sounds in the photo ready mode were decreased.
• Use of the Image stabilizer function by setting the Focal length of an OM lens attached with an adapter was enabled even in Movie mode.
• All updates up to version 1.2 are included.
  
  Ver.1.4 (Oct. 2, 2012)
  
• Update functions for firmware version 1.2 have been modified. Camera functions are the same as version 1.2. After updating to ver. 1.4, please update the camera to ver. 1.5.
  
  Ver.1.3 (Oct. 2, 2012)
  
• Update functions for firmware prior to version 1.1 have been modified. Camera functions are the same as version 1.1. After updating to ver. 1.3, please update the camera to ver. 1.5.
  
  Ver.1.2 (Jul. 12, 2012)
  
• Improved sleep recovery operation.
• AF target is indicated when using C-AF+TR while shooting sequential images using Sequential L.
• Added function to automatically move zoom to the following zoom positions when underwater macro mode or underwater wide mode is selected.
• (Only when M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50 mm F3.5-6.3 EZ is attached)
  - Underwater wide mode: Wide setting
  - Underwater macro mode: Telephoto setting
  
  Ver.1.1 (Apr. 18, 2012)
  
• Issue of updates stopping while updating firmware has been resolved.
• Image stabilizer function when using the following lenses has been modified.
  - ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 8mm F3.5 Fisheye
  - ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 18-180mm F3.5-6.3
  - LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR 14-150mm

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Hi folks,

It has been a long time coming but DxO have finally released their E-M5 tests. You can read the review here and compare the E-M5 measurements with other cameras here (I chose the Canon 60D).

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

I am wondering in the review in ISO noise compare with NEX-7 was it taken into account the difference between actual ISO and stated Olympus ISO? Or was it just typical compare of Olympus ISO3200 to Sony ISO6400? I had both cameras and Sony was actually little better for me in proper test (with identical shutter speed and aperture).