How can such a camera give the worst rating (1 star) has AMAZON offer and then also underpin this with an apples and oranges comparison par excellence? This to find out I will probably not succeed, because even after reading the entire comment tree I still have all your hair on end. Sure you can be divided over has to look like a clear menu structure and I would even agree with the OLYMPUS not the paradigm delivers this. But if you get used to the structure it is very easy to use this camera. Be able to adjust the way all important for the recording camera settings directly on the rear display particular - without first enter the menu or to use a possibly existing hot key is simply unbeatable.. Olympus calls sieses way, the "Super Control Panel" or short SCP.
But maybe it's true that competitors their own editors commission to evaluate the products of the other negative. Other I can not really imagine, because the camera is an absolute hammer and also provides with the kit lens offered here (12-50mm) very impressive photos that really is absolutely no comparison with double or triple expensive camera and lens combinations to need be afraid. But if you have a fixed focal length, for example, offered for just under 250.00 EUR ZUIKO 1.8 / 45mm lens to the OM-D screwed up, then remains a stand looking at the photographs simply open the mouth. For portrait photography, this lens is unbeatable in my opinion. At best it create much more expensive lenses and rotberingte here to keep up, but better go m. E. after not easy!
The retro design (and yes, Marianne: It's retro design!) Is incredibly well done. From some distance can this ultramodern camera that is equipped with everything you can hit the photographer's heart beat faster, almost no more of the Olympus OM-1 from 1972 differ. The very high-quality, stable, and really very little housing is dust and splash proof. The thumb rest provides a security and makes for a really good feel to the touch. The rubber coating on the front of the camera feels wonderful and non-slip. I can understandably write nothing about the durability of the rubber.
The autofocus is - according to Olympus - the world's fastest and seated really quickly and precisely. In particular, facial recognition is working properly and focusiert always fail on the front eye, so you have set for it so. The camera has a total of 35 AF points that operate very reliably even in poor lighting conditions.
The foldable 3-inch OLED touchscreen display is really very true color and has a great contrast. It also allows Bodennahe- or overhead shots without this having to use an angle viewfinder. The wide viewing angle allows even here to take pictures when you can not even stand at right angles behind the camera. The electronic viewfinder that can turn on automatically when one leads his eye from the viewfinder, although initially a bit unusual, because you look at a small monitor and does not mirror through the lens and it shows of course. I find this picture very well and to be able to do without the advantage thereby the mirror mechanism does anyway all the disadvantages mentioned might compensate loose again. Who ever had to let his camera reaprieren because the mirror mechanism was worn know what I'm talking about.
The 5-axis image stabilization works. More I can not say this only once. When recording motion pictures while walking, the picture remains very quiet in the viewfinder. Assuming static subjects I am sure that a good and sharp photos will succeed with this stabilizer with shutter speeds of 1/30 sec..
The separately supplied mini-flash is a tiny gripe in an otherwise very harmonious camera concept. Spontaneous flash photos are hereby simply not possible. He must be removed from the Transportbeutelchen and applied to the camera's hot shoe namely. Since it would be nicer if is (emergency) flash because more is a built-in flash simply no camera, just have to be just fold.
The Olympus is the lens hood for far too expensively sold separately at his lenses extremely annoying. But the fact that the SLR cameras Obhektive with the same performance cost five times softens the bitter taste somewhat.
My Conclusion:
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This camera is not for those who want to take pictures flowers for little money. But ambitious amateur photographers (or professionals), who are tired to drag kilo heavy backpacks through the area, will find everything to be happy.
For me this camera and the 1.8 / 45mm a very strong buy recommendation.