Olympus PEN E-P5 Review | 108 Data compared

The DPReview evaluation of the Olympus PEN E-P5 praises the mirrorless camera for its stylish design, excellent JPEG output with rich colors, and a 5-axis stabilization system. Key advantages include a fast autofocus, a highly customizable twin-dial interface with a 2x2 switch, and a 1/8000s shutter speed. However, the review highlights significant downsides, including the lack of a built-in electronic viewfinder, underwhelming 1080p video quality with noticeable AF shimmering, and potential shutter shock issues, making it a challenging choice against the weather-sealed E-M5 at launch.

The ePHOTOzine review highlights the Olympus PEN E-P5 as a premium, retro-styled Micro Four Thirds flagship that delivers excellent image quality, low noise up to ISO 3200, and highly effective 5-axis image stabilization. It boasts significant performance upgrades, including a fast 9fps burst rate, 1/8000s shutter speed, built-in Wi-Fi, and a versatile 2x2 twin-dial control system. Key disadvantages include the lack of an integrated electronic viewfinder (EVF) and no weather-sealing. Additionally, the camera features a non-removable grip, a complex menu system, and a high, premium price point that faces stiff competition from APS-C alternatives.

The Amateur Photographer review highlights the Olympus PEN E-P5 as a premium, retro-styled compact system camera featuring exceptional all-metal build quality. It shares the 16.1-megapixel sensor and TruePic VI processor from the OM-D E-M5, delivering superb image quality, fast autofocus, 9fps continuous shooting, and effective 5-axis image stabilization. YouTube · However, the E-P5 carries a high price point compared to competitors and lacks a built-in electronic viewfinder, requiring a separate accessory for eye-level shooting. Additional drawbacks include a complex menu system, small continuous shooting buffer, high battery consumption, and video recording capabilities that are limited to 30p. YouTube ·

The MirrorLessons review of the Olympus Pen E-P5 highlights it as a highly capable mirrorless camera that successfully packs many of the brand's flagship OM-D E-M5 features into a compact, retro-styled body. During a multi-day travel test, the reviewer praised several major pros, including its outstanding 5-axis internal image stabilisation that delivers sharp handheld photos at shutter speeds as slow as 1/3 to 1/5 of a second. Performance-wise, the camera shines with an extremely quick, near-silent shutter, a rapid autofocus system that rivals DSLRs in daylight, and a snappy continuous shooting drive that manages up to 15 rapid-fire shots before experiencing lag. Additionally, the camera’s 16-megapixel sensor offers excellent image quality, high ISO performance up to 6400 with minimal noise, a rich dynamic range, and a highly functional tilting touchscreen that is great for shooting at awkward angles. Newer premium features like the mechanical 1/8000s shutter speed, built-in Wi-Fi, an innovative 2x2 control dial toggle, and focus peaking for manual focus further bolster its utility. Despite these strengths, the review notes several design flaws and performance cons. A prominent drawback...

The Olympus PEN E-P5 is an outstanding mirrorless camera that offers incredible speed and top-tier features, though it falls slightly short of its sibling, the OM-D E-M5. In terms of pros, the camera boasts a highly compact and solid build, incredibly fast autofocus, and blazing burst shooting at 9.7 frames per second. It features an impressive 5-axis in-body image stabilization system, a bright 3-inch articulating touchscreen, and useful built-in Wi-Fi that pairs easily via a QR code. The camera shoots crisp 1080p video, features a fast 1/8,000-second shutter speed, and gains access to a massive native Micro Four Thirds lens library. When bought as a kit, it includes the award-winning 17mm f/1.8 lens and a stunning, sharp external electronic viewfinder (VF-4). Despite these high-end specs, the camera has notable cons that keep it from earning the top spot. A major drawback is that the excellent EVF is not built into the body, making the camera quite bulky when the viewfinder is attached. Additionally, the body lacks weather sealing, and the internal stabilization system makes an audible whirring sound while operating....

The reviewer Christopher Lin describes the SLR Lounge Review of the Olympus Pen E-P5 as a lightweight, versatile camera that is excellent for travel photography. During a trip to Colombia, the reviewer found that its retro look and small size kept him safe by not attracting thieves. The camera weighs only one pound, which made it very easy to carry on long hikes using a simple running belt instead of a heavy bag. Performance pros include a quick, accurate focus system and a bright touchscreen that lets you tap to snap a photo. The camera also delivers very accurate colors that require minimal editing in programs like Lightroom. However, the reviewer also highlights several specific cons during his field test. The E-P5 struggles in low-light situations compared to large DSLR cameras like the 5D Mark III. It also lacks built-in features for HDR photos and panorama stitching, requiring extra computer work later. Finally, the camera body does not have weather sealing, which caused some anxiety during sudden downpours. Despite these limits, the reviewer concludes it is a wonderful, on-the-go choice...

The Olympus Pen E-P5 stands out as a highly versatile and responsive mirrorless camera, ranked by the reviewer as the best PEN camera to date and the second-best Micro 4/3 option behind the E-M1. It is highly praised for its premium build quality, aesthetic appeal—particularly in its solid, silver finish—and rapid autofocus performance. A major benefit highlighted is the camera's compatibility with the VF-4 external electronic viewfinder, which offers an exceptionally large, clear view that makes manual focusing legacy lenses—such as Leica M-mount and Voigtlander primes—remarkably easy. Furthermore, the reviewer commends the camera's exceptional low-light capabilities, citing sharp RAW images with zero noise reduction at ISO 1600, alongside vibrant and pleasing out-of-camera JPEG color rendition. Despite its strong performance, the E-P5 does present several design and functional drawbacks. A notable ergonomics downside is that the camera body lacks the substantial built-in grip found on the E-M1 or E-M5, making it less comfortable to hold securely, particularly for photographers with larger hands. While the external VF-4 viewfinder provides superior performance, it introduces a bulky external hump that detracts from the camera's...

The Olympus PEN E-P5 is a premium, retro-styled compact system camera featuring a 16-megapixel sensor, top-tier OM-D performance, and an improved "2x2" twin-dial interface. Key advantages include a rapid 1/8000 sec mechanical shutter, 9fps burst shooting, and a sharp 3-inch tilting touchscreen. However, the review notes significant drawbacks, specifically the high price point and the lack of a built-in electronic viewfinder, requiring a bulky external attachment for eye-level shooting. While delivering excellent image quality, the Micro Four Thirds sensor faces resolution limitations compared to larger APS-C competitors, leading the reviewer to suggest better value alternatives.

The DXOMARK review of the Olympus PEN E-P5 highlights that this flagship camera achieves an impressive overall sensor score of 72 points, cementing its status as one of the best performing Micro Four Thirds (MFT) models of its time. It provides a vast performance leap over its predecessor, the PEN E-P3, offering an additional 1.3 stops in colour depth and a massive 2.3 stops of wider dynamic range. The primary pros highlighted in the sensor evaluation include excellent color depth (22.8 bits), strong dynamic range (12.4 Evs), and premium hardware additions like focus peaking, a 1/8000 sec top shutter speed, 5-axis image stabilization, built-in Wi-Fi, and a high-resolution tilting LCD touchscreen. However, the review outlines several prominent cons, specifically focusing on the camera's low-light limitations. The compact MFT sensor struggles to match the low-light capabilities of contemporary, larger APS-C format sensors found in competing models like the Nikon D7100, Ricoh GR, or Nikon Coolpix A. Furthermore, DXOMARK points out a lack of sensor innovation, as the E-P5 recycles the exact same unit found in the cheaper PEN E-PL5 and OM-D...

The Olympus PEN E-P5 is a flagship mirrorless camera based on the Micro Four Thirds standard that inherits the impressive 16.1 Megapixel MOS sensor and highly effective 5-axis image stabilization from the OM-D E-M5. It is highly praised for its exceptional build quality, outstanding handling, and an updated 3-inch tilting touchscreen with 1.03 million dots. Serious photographers will appreciate the highly customizable "2x2 Dial Control" system for seamless setting adjustments, a blazing-fast top mechanical shutter speed of 1/8000 seconds, focus-peaking for manual focus assistance, and built-in Wi-Fi with a convenient QR-code setup. Performance is further bolstered by a swift 10fps continuous burst rate (9fps in RAW) and a quick, responsive autofocus system. Despite its strengths, the camera has notable limitations, such as a lack of weather-sealing and an insubstantial front grip that can feel somewhat insecure. Video functionality is also a mixed bag: while it delivers high-quality 1080p30 video with smooth touch-autofocus, the handy focus peaking feature is frustratingly disabled during video recording. Additionally, the built-in flash pops up far too easily by accident, and the innovative intervalometer feature is...

The Trusted Reviews evaluation of the Olympus PEN E-P5 praises the mirrorless camera for its premium retro design, high-quality build, and an intuitive, customizable dual-dial control system. It delivers excellent image quality with quick autofocus, bolstered by a 3-inch tilting touchscreen that facilitates shooting from various angles. However, the camera is criticized for lacking a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) and having a high price point compared to rivals, with an external VF-4 EVF recommended to unlock the best experience.

The Olympus PEN E-P5 is a highly responsive mirrorless camera that blends a vintage film-era design with robust performance updates. It features a 16-megapixel sensor, ultra-fast autofocus, and an impressive continuous shooting speed of 9 frames per second. The camera excels in low-light conditions, producing remarkably smooth JPEG images at ISO 3200, which significantly improves upon earlier PEN models. Key hardware strengths include a highly capable built-in 5-axis image stabilization system and the external, pin-sharp 2.36-megapixel VF-4 electronic viewfinder accessory. Despite its stellar performance, the camera has a few functional omissions. Its main design drawback is the lack of a built-in electronic viewfinder, requiring users to rely on an external hot-shoe attachment instead. Additionally, videographers may find it limited due to the absence of dedicated, integrated microphone and headphone ports, forcing them to use the SEMA-1 accessory for audio monitoring. Overall, the review notes these drawbacks do not overshadow the camera's superb ergonomics, accurate focus, and excellent image output.