Quite ideal

It has been already written a lot about this camera, and indeed generally very positive. I have read many of these reviews before I have now bought this camera. It's my first mirrorless system camera, before that, I had only numerous analogue SLR cameras and then two DSLRs. Of course, besides still more handy compact cameras such as the XZ-1, but I just still a better sense for the image composition when I can see through a viewfinder.

On the other hand I am rarely inclined to lug a powerful equipment. The home is great, but is at most conscious operations out of the house and so to take away was it then so far rather the Compact. Unfortunately, there is no perfect camera for all purposes and the question of how and where you want its camera (s) mainly began, everyone must answer for themselves.

Another consideration is perhaps how one imagines the future development. Digital cameras obsolete apparently rapidly and so many considerations are also obsolete quickly. Fortunately, that does not seem to be with lenses so, so I had for example still used in the analog camera Nikon lenses can sell very well. At that time I had changed to the APS-C format and Canon. Then I again changed to Four Thirds and now on MFT. Always I am at least very well got rid of the lenses. Nevertheless, I hope that this selection now again last longer, but I've always thought ...

Currently I like much good at MFT system, especially the compactness, the now quite pleasant choice and that you do not have to spend a fortune for acceptable lenses.

Another consideration was, but eventually return to try a Universal Zoom on the go. I had already tried with the Canon 17-85mm when switching to APS-C, and was then very disappointed with the very poor quality in Weitinkelbereich and so it became yet again a rich equipment and several lenses.

Now I wanted to dare to try something again and compact universal search with good quality. My son had an M-Zuiko 14-150 to its pen and I really could not fault the pictures. This lens, I could easily imagine as a frequently used lens in my kit me. But a pen, I wanted to not necessarily for lack of viewfinder. And because of this and many other interesting MFT lenses do not have stability, a OM-D was (with sensor-shift stabilization) quickly on top of the list.

Now this I had 3 to choose from: The E-M5 was now for some time on the market but perhaps the most ideal for my purposes. The E-M10 is not as well protected from the elements and as the camera is far along on the sailboat because I wanted to be more on the safe side, also because I have not done with a Canon 350D in the sea air so good experiences. Yes, and then there's the improved stability compared to the M-E10. Rather, I would still tends to M-E1, because of the old FT lenses, of which I now only have one (50mm 2.0). But larger and much more expensive ... So then but the proven E-M5.

These were the thoughts before buying, I bought the E-M5, an M-Zuiko 14-150mm and a 20mm F1.7 Lumix. One or two lenses will certainly happen.

Now that I've tried the camera a few weeks, I can say that my expectations were more than fulfilled.

The camera is even more compact than I thought, but I can handle it well and the 14-150 in a small neoprene case the set is really handy enough to be almost always present. Although the lens has its weaknesses (pronounced CA in the WW area), it is still probably serve 90% of the images. It is simply practical and the results for me more than satisfactory. In any case, I no longer feel the Weitwinkelbider prefer to throw away as it was with the old Canon 17-85 times that has so put me off of the Travel Zooms.

Combining E-M5 and 14-150 is a clear recommendation. In position 20mm and compared with the excellent Lumix 20mm 1.7, you can see on a full-screen (17 "MacBook) Photo no difference, you really have to take a close look to see the CA and certain edge blurring. Contrast default seem both images the same. On position 50mm and compared to the extremely sharp MF 50mm 2.0 macro, it is similar. Here you can actually see a slight difference in contrast, with a magnifying glass you can see the zoom slight blurring in the edge region, the CA is barely visible at 50mm. In center I can no difference out work.

But actually we are talking about the camera, but I do not want to so completely without lenses involve judge.

After reading so much about this camera, my expectation was correspondingly high, but I was positive of the image quality and low noise at high ISO values ​​surprised. I lit a single candle, and thus illuminates the living room. If you can make the camera what it deems good and iAUTO adjusts, then exposed in this case with F1.7 (20mm Lumix) and 1 / 6s at 1600 ISO. From the hand very little jitter can be seen, absolutely no noise around which flame outshines anything and the whole room is illuminated to see. I then tried it with ISO8000 and get a faster shutter speed accordingly. Noise is minimal visible but not distracting. Incidentally, I have turned off the noise reduction and sharpening on -2 turned back, this camera does not need all, it seems rather exaggerated.

In an old factory I worked in low light with the Universal Zoom. At long focal lengths up to 150mm (300mm Kleinbildequivalent) the camera up to ISO 8000 has highly regulated, but all shots are fine, umverwackelt and noise you have to look. I had shot in the dark room many images with different focal lengths and the camera has values ​​via Auto ISO selected very useful and depending on focal distance between 200 ISO and 8000 ISO. The shutter speeds were between 1/30 and 1/250. I have never been able to make so sharp umverwackelte telephoto pictures in as little light in my previous life photo.

Speaking Tele, greatly zoomed in you can creatively influence the focal plane and get a pretty nice bokeh from the Universal Zoom. Due to the system here talk the possibilities unfortunately limited.

Pleasant, I find that the rich 'slack' the mirror now disappears and you only hear the shutter shortly. Less vibration and continuous shooting to go with 9 / s from very easily. Very nice is for bracketing and I'm now much more frequent shots with three exposures because that happens so quickly and almost unnoticed. The HDS post had never problems with from shot out of hand series. If there are some leaves that move it in the wind verwäscht, but everything else looks the same razor-sharp like in the individual images.

Also the auto focus, especially in combination with the 14-150 zoom convinces with speed and accuracy. I can see no disadvantage to me known phases autofocus systems here. This is true in any case for the two MFT lenses that I have. Dating from the FT system and operated via adapter 50mm Macro is however very slow sharply, but also applies the focus accurately.

The supplied shoe mount, I have never used and will probably never use it because the camera does not make good pictures in almost any light. Sometimes I find though a weak fill-flash just fine, but I do not think that I pay an extra raushole him. This is perhaps a small disadvantage compared to the E-M10.

Negative points:

Since I actually have not had any surprises. I really missing is the creative leeway with sharpening and blurring. Since you can with long focal lengths a bit to do something, but it's nothing compared to full frame. APS-C, however, was in this respect for me no solution.

Operation and menu navigation are sometimes cumbersome and least used to. It takes some time until all settings that are important to, can produce quickly and accurately. The 4 storable settings help as definitely me. For me it is difficult to remember what function I have brought upon which key that can be set individually for different modes of operation. Here caution is appropriate.

When you configure the two dials, one should remember that the front can indeed serve very convenient, but also easy to accidentally adjust. I had the front wheel is for Program AE with exposure compensation and the rear with Program Shift. So the only fail-exposed pictures came along that I had accidentally turned the front wheel. Since these settings are retained even after turning off, it may take some time until you see the problem. Although you can see in the viewfinder is quite like the exposure and each into black or white expiring surfaces are shown in color, but I have repeatedly noticed only after a few pictures, that something is wrong. I have exchanged back in this case, the functions of the two wheels again. Just as an example, that you can reach the optimum configuration only after extensive field experience. For me it will probably take.

I have already mentioned that in general the EVF I prefer the display. For the rare cases in which I set rather on the display I miss the opportunity to really swing the display in all directions.

I can not say much about the video. I currently have no interest in the movies and do not use it because of that. I tried it out briefly, in the gloomy factory, and found the result on HD TV really great. However, I am not in this respect to the prior period. I've just been amazed that I got at the little light so clear, bright and sharp image. But probably that is now simply the art.

I gave the OM-D E-M5 5 star, probably because it has exceeded my expectations and I have long not new camera had when I was really pleased. My Ideal camera there is not (yet) and so a camera is always a certain amount of compromise. But this is a really good compromise.