New E-M5, E-PL5 GH3, 60mm macro and 12-35mm X lens (p-)reviews.
The super fats spedd of the E-M5 compared to the Fuji X PRO 1 (found via Fujirumors)
I have to catch up with some recent Micro Four Thirds camera and lens review. This time we have quite a lot of popular blogger and website tests. Hope you have enough time to read them all today:
Robin Wong posted the second part of the E-PL5 review: “E-PL5 is what an Olympus PEN has always been famous for: light-weight, small in size, full with features, such as the built in Image Stabilization, full manual controls and customization, and now, add the highly regarded image quality of OM-D to the E-PL”
Craig Litten posted a full E-M5 review. Some E-M5 image samples from the deep water at Digitaldiver. A full review has also been posted by Gianni Galassi: “All in all, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 is a camera that one can be tempted to build a system around. Which is exactly what I have been doing this summer after selling my whole Leica equipment. No regrets here.”
Matti Sulanto posted a new 60mm test on his blog and writes: “I liked it so much that I bought one after trying it.” Doens’t happen that often that a reviewer buys the tested stuff! Some image samples have been posted by the dutch guys from Focusmedia. A full Japanese review of the lens has been posted by DC.watch (funny comlicated google translation here).
ePhotozine posted the 35-100mm X lens review: “It is a fine lens that is priced reasonably, especially when compared to lenses covering the same angles of view for 35mm format, with the added bonus of being much more compact, and lightweight.”
The french friends from Hybridcams (Translation here) posted a first GH3 hands-on article. Also the other french friends from Openpn (Translation here) posted a GH3 and a 35-100mm hands-on.
So that’s all for today! It’s always great to see how many positive reviews we can read about the recent MFT cameras and lenses. The system popularity is really growing day by day!
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Panasonic and Olympus Preorder Links with specs and price:
Special GH3 page at Amazon (Click here) and a full Olympus presentation page at Amazon (Click here).
GH3 at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here) and in Europe at Wexphotographic UK (horrible price in UK!).
35-100mm X lens at Amazon (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
E-PL5 at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here). In EU at Amazon Germany, Amazon UK, Amazon France,
E-PM2 at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here). In EU at Amazon Germany, Amazon UK, Amazon France,
XZ-2 at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
60mm macro at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
12mm Black prime lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
15mm cap-lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
gf
8 months ago |the review by craig litten is for the e-5 not the e-m5
Tobias W.
8 months ago |Yes, a good review by the way.
As an E-5 owner, I can subscribe to all of what he wrote.
sadwitch
8 months ago |If you compare feature by feature, the E-system really falls short. But in usage it’s usually more than the sum of its parts.
On the E3,
Super control panel is genius once you get to understand it
Mirror lockup in drive mode is so handy
IS LIVE preview is in MF magnification mode
Selectable AEL metering
Bracketing quick access by holding down 2 buttons
All they need is to put the E-M5 sensor, its focusing ability plus 5 axis IBIS, the fine details imaging pipeline and remove aliasing filter, silent shutter and we’ll have a compelling E6 or 7.
Mymaco
8 months ago |Question: Fuji lens used in the comparision is a f1.4. Should it be an advantage, compared to the f3.5 14-42 mounted on the OMD?
Karen
8 months ago |Maybe so.
This 35/1.4 features old fashion to run the focus system. In fact I’m wondering why they don’t use 18-55 in this test. The 18-55 is upgraded with a Fuji’s Linear Motor system which is pretty much faster.
Anyway I’m glad that Fuji’s focus is improved. I have no question about Fuji’s stunning IQ from their superb sensor. Hopefully a next firmware version will make FUJI’s focus be on par with E-M5. I love competition !
ph
8 months ago |No, a disadvantage. The 1.4/35mm should have been compared with the panasonic 1.7/20mm or the olympus 2.8/17mm.
Mymaco
8 months ago |I mean: f1.4 is faster than f3.5, therefore it should be a little advantage for the Fuji. BUT OMD still wins.
Torstein
8 months ago |Maybee the very thin focus depth at f1.4 may make it more difficult to lock focus for Fuji?
TheVoiceoverman
8 months ago |Maybe the huge amount of extra light should make it easier for the Fuji?
Mymaco
8 months ago |Exactly what I mean. The amount of light gathered is (maybe a little, but still) more, and thus should be an advantage. I don.t think the smaller depth of field is a disavantage, since the tester was aiming randomly around the kitchen and not a specific small/thin target. I’m just saying that OMD can focus faster than this. I’m not judging Fuji specs: I believe it’s a really good camera from the reviews on the web, but I wouldn’t choose it from its fast focus.
Albert
8 months ago |This test is more comparable: Fuji Xpro1+35mm @1.4 and OMD+45mm @1.8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwBhw2rjUi4&feature=player_embedded
Eric
8 months ago |I now own both cameras thanks to the OM-D factory refurb deals, so I feel like I’m pretty unbiased on this one. So I don’t mind saying that I think this test is clearly unfair to the Fuji. There is no doubt the OM-D is faster than the Fuji regardless of lens used, but had the tester used comparable lenses it would have been much closer. He should have used the Panasonic 20mm vs the Fuji 35mm (since they both have slow focus motors). Then used the new Fuji 18-55mm vs the Olympus 12-50mm. I don’t think you can go wrong with either camera at this point. It just depends on which you prefer.
Jordan S.
8 months ago |Or maybe he should have used the Leica 25/1.4, since they have the same maximum aperture and similar FOV. Intentionally handicapping the OM-D doesn’t make sense. The OM-D is sold with the 14-42 most often. The Fuji is sold with the 35/1.4 most often. It’s fair.
Eric
8 months ago |The 25mm would also work, but it has a faster focus motor than the 20mm does. So it seems more natural to compare slower 1st generation primes against each other (the 20mm vs the Fuji 35mm). The 14-42mm IIR is also fine lens to compare against the Fuji 18-55mm. Both are 2nd generation standard zooms from each manufacturer. I have no issues with that.
I really don’t have a horse in this race, I love both cameras, but this test of a first generation prime vs a 2nd generation zoom is just silly.
ph
8 months ago |This was exactly what my unclear and misunderstood post was trying to say.
Sören
8 months ago |That AF-comparison sucked. I have no doubts, that the E-M5 is faster,
but you should at least compare similar focal lenghts and apertures…
Anonymous
8 months ago |the 35-100 bokeh is very nice:
http://www.magezinepublishing.com/equipment/images/equipment/Lumix-G-Vario-X-35100mm-f28-4721/large/Panasonic35100mmIMGs32593_1349336363.jpg
Bob B.
8 months ago |It is amazing how broad the MFT system is in such a short period of time!
Arkersaint
8 months ago |+1 : that’s the benefit of 2 nice companies being strongly committed ! Really a very special conjunction…
DingieM
8 months ago |Any Dutch reader who knows when the 60mm F2.8 is to be expected in Holland? http://www.tweakers.net still does not publish it.
Sam
8 months ago |The 60mm 2.8 is already available at CameraNu.nl for €599
DingieM
8 months ago |Thanks
QBNY
8 months ago |That was such a biased vid for the omd. The dude even took more pics with it over the Fuji. Even with the hand shot, he took it again because the first one was out of focus. He didn’t take a hand shot with the Fuji.
Bobafett
8 months ago |Anybody knows in which store I can buy the Oly 60/2.8 in NYC and maybe how much it costs there? I appreciate your replies!
SSP Eric
8 months ago |B&H and Adorama are the biggies — they don’t have the 60mm in stock (per se), but are filling back orders (I pre-ordered when Adorama started taking back orders for them, and it arrived via UPS yesterday). I don’t know about B&H, but am pretty sure Adorama will let you order the lens then go pick it up when they have one for you.
Oh, and in person it’ll cost you $499 + sales tax.
Bobafett
8 months ago |Thanks for your swift reply Eric!
I hope that they’re going to have the 60mm in stock from 25th October on.
Chris
8 months ago |I am disappointed, the fact that the GH3 is not got huge improvements to the GH2. I would of really liked to see a bigger megapixcel sensor and fast shooting modes.
The fact that the GH2 can output 142 mega bit video (practically braodcast) is all you need. However the progressive scan feature would of been nice. I dont see any menstion of the ETC mode and whats improved in the audio encoder.
The the fact that its more expensive too buy the GH3 compared to the GH2 when it came out is a real turn off.
Sorry but I think i wait till the GH4 or GH5.
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