Pixiq

When Olympus announced its E-5 flagship dSLR in September, I was decidedly lukewarm about the spec on paper. To be perfectly honest, for a top-end camera, I was expecting an awful lot more for £1,500 than rugged durability. At least some sparkle, some pizazz. It’s been a few months now and the reviews are starting to trickle in. Is it as uninspiring as I thought it would be?

Well, the reviews seem to fall into two camps: those who, indeed, believe that the E-5 should be offering buyers a lot more for their money and can’t really compete with the Canon-Nikon duopoly; and those who think it’s a great camera that deserves a look-in. Here are the highlights.

CNET Asia says ‘On its own, the E-5 is Olympus’ best dSLR to date. However, when you consider rival brands makes, the camera’s specifications pale in comparison. While its image quality may be good for a Four Thirds camera, it’s hard for the E-5 to stand out among the APS-C-sensor equipped EOS 7D and D7000.’ – Read the full review on CNET Asia.

Digital Camera Review says ‘Unfortunately for Olympus, the E-5 might not be so compelling to non-Olympus shooters when compared to pro-grade DSLRs from Canon and Nikon. In a world with so much competition it’s a shame that the E-5 lacks a “WOW” feature to motivate people to buy it. I’m quite certain that any photographer who uses an E-5 will fall in love with it regardless of whether the spec sheet says it’s the best. This is simply a fantastic photographic tool.’ – Read the full review on Digital Camera Review.

ePHOTOzine says ‘For Olympus and other Four Thirds users this may well be the camera of choice, for other users the cost and limited range of lenses is unlikely to mean a change of system. But it is a very, very good product.’ – Read the full review on ePHOTOzine.

Photography Blog says ‘…it would be surprising to see masses of Canon, Nikon or Pentax users switch systems at that price [£1,500], especially given that there are some highly capable cameras in their own systems available for considerably less money. If you are already a Four Thirds user though, we can highly recommend the Olympus E-5 to you – it’s simply the best companion for your Zuiko Digital lenses.’ – Read the full review on Photography Blog.

PhotoRadar says ‘While the Olympus E5 automatic focusing system is fast and accurate (provide the right lenses are used) in most situations, it lacks a little of the functionality (and complication) of the systems in the Canon EOS 7D and Nikon D300S. The handling is also a little less slick, although there are plenty of opportunities to customise the controls.’ – Read the full review on PhotoRadar.

Pocket-lint says ‘Images have real punch and should the natural setting not deliver the colours you’re looking for, the vivid or pop art options will. The E-5 then comes across as a very capable if not the most affordable option for anyone looking for a top quality return from a very durable DSLR body.’ – Read the full review on Pocket-lint.