Overpriced Silver E-M5 in Stock and reviews roundup (first battery grip review)
As I told you last night Olympus didn’t expect to sell the Silver E-M5 models as well as the Black models. And if you are lucky you will find just a couple fo them in Stock here and there. I found two (overpriced) Silver models at Amazon US (Click here) and in Europe at uw-photo.ch (Click here). 43rumors readers told me that February Silver E-M5 preorders are now shipping from different stores. I hope you can get your soon too!
And now let’s check the latest E-M5 news roundup:
Golftoimpress (Click here) tested the Konica Hexanon f/1.7 on the E-m5: “I have to say I love this lens, how can I not considering its price and its performance. It is not hard at all to manually focus on the E-M5 which makes it a great choice for those photo enthusiasts who own a stash of legacy lenses“. You may wonder ow much this lens costs? A used Hexanon costs between $30 and $60 only on eBay (Click here).
E-M5 impressions by John Brawley (Click here). Test charts at Pixelmania.nl (Click here).
Admiringlight (Click here) is the first to revie the E-M5 battery grip: “The well thought out control placement and solid build make it worth the price in my opinion. While it’s a shame the horizontal grip blocks the battery door, it’s a tradeoff I’m glad to make for the two piece construction.”
E-M5 (Pre)order links (Click on store name): Amazon, Adorama, B&H, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.
Doug
12 months ago |I am stuck with a silver one, trying to get a black one
Cool! “first!”
BLI
12 months ago |Black OM-D kit with 12-50 spotted at Schipool Airport for €1169.
Ulli
12 months ago |i was always drooling there, in the corner of that electronics shop
BLI
12 months ago |I’m always drooling there
. I’ll check for batteries on my return flight on Saturday. If not, I’ll relax in Het Paleis…
Camaman
12 months ago |They went for the retro model revival and they didn’t expect the silver one to sell?! ahhaha! Yeah right!
Olympus marketing is brilliant! They keep finding excuses to talk about the camera!
You just know they are making 2 times less of the silver model. Its game!
Silver was the only option for me. Mine came 3 weeks after blacks and I am the first one in Croatia to have it! What makes it even more sweet i that they received only 1 Silver with no ETA on more!
Bug
12 months ago |I pre-ordered the silver body in March in Germany, on a shop where they still did not receive it.
When wandering in Esslingen, I found one kit in a shop and they were OK to sell the body only.
I am now using it since 2 weeks and am pretty happy with it!
Still waiting for batteries to ship though…
Bob B.
12 months ago |I guess I did REALLY well! I never pre-ordered (actually I did at the Olympus Store a couple of weeks ago, not very pro operation there..did not inspire confidence and then I saw that they were charging me NJ sales tax when the store was in NY…so I canceled the order). I then sent out an email to H & B Digital (who I have purchased a number of MFT items from from in the past. Tony and Mario said that they would “keep me in the loop”. Then last Friday Tony actually CALLED me to tell me he had a Silver Olympus OM body for me if I wanted it. What cool people! It gets better, he charged me only $999 and had the Olympus-Rebate-Qualifying FL-300R Flash for the appropriate price of $165. No tax no shipping charge..AND as H & B has done in the past..they surprised me with cool gifts in the box! They sent me an extra large Canon microfiber lens cleaning cloth AND a Canon Stainless Steel Bullet Thermos!!!! Tony and Mario ROCK! Then today I received delivery of the Oly Battery Grip from B&H…I guess I checked the site at just the right moment as I see they are out of stock again. Sometimes things work out really well!!!!!!!!
jrworthy
12 months ago |What type of adapter ring is needed for the hexanon lens? Anyone know?
ysoligard
12 months ago |Kipon AR to M43
peroni
12 months ago |This italian webstore claims to have it in stock (within 6 six days) at 798 euro http://www.starstore.it/727501/prodotto-E-M5-BLACK-OLYMPUS-FOTOCAMERE-DIGITALI-OLYMPUS-E-M5-BLACK.aspx
and 975 euro with the 12-50 lens
http://www.starstore.it/726060/prodotto-E-M5-BLACKEZ-M1250-OLYMPUS-FOTOCAMERE-DIGITALI-OLYMPUS-E-M5-BLACKEZ-M1250.aspx
I wonder if it is a scam
caver3d
12 months ago |As the saying goes “if it’s too good to be true then…”
Fan
12 months ago |Got a silver one, see absolutely no use for the grip.
BLI
12 months ago |I switched to the black (I had an “urge” to get it, and the silver was 1-2 months away — my shop told me…). It is not as slippy as my first impression, and I have no problems holding it without the extra battery grip (which was part of the deal).
hoenes
12 months ago |I got my silver E-M5 two weeks ago (preordered in mid march) from amazon germany.
Amadeo
12 months ago |Ugh. I hate this. I was just at Willoughby’s, who called me about two hours ago, to tell that they had a silver kit in for me. I wanted the body only, but was willing to part with the extra cash. Problem was, they were selling it for $1500 as well, and throwing in a filter kit and cheap 8GB memory card.
As much as I want the camera (and boy does it feel great), they were price gouging. I can’t stand that as a business practice. So, I walked away. I couldn’t bring myself to drop $1500 + tax ($133) when I originally just wanted the body, and the MSRP for the lens kit is $1300.
When I asked what the $200 premium was for (filters and a memory card are not worth $200), his response was: “Supply & Demand”, then he cited this Amazon listing. I walked out after that. I work in advertising. And as someone who represents a client that advertises to children, I felt like he was being overly predatory.
Amadeo
12 months ago |Holy crap! Now Willoughby’s is selling it on Amazon for $1600. These guys are the worst.
mahler
12 months ago |Honestly, 1500 $ or even 1600 $ are a very fair price! You still pay considerably less than in Europe, where the silver kit sells for 1299 €. So your whining is from a very comfortable situation. I have no sympathy for that. It is time that the other than US markets do not pay the rebate and try and return battle prevalent on the US market. So I don’t feel sorry for you.
caver3d
12 months ago |No Mahler, you miss the point. And we don’t feel sorry for you.
mahler
12 months ago |Which point do I miss?
Amadeo
12 months ago |I mean no disrespect, but I’m unfamiliar with the European markets. And in the context of our (US) market, a $200 markup on a $1300 kit is a lot to swallow.
Dave
12 months ago |The point is would you buy yours for 100-200 pounds over retail where you are? No, you would be ticked off and walk out. That’s about the equivalent of what he is experiencing. The economies are relative.
Mr. Reeee
12 months ago |Willoughby’s is a tourist ripoff shop. EVERYTHING there is overpriced because they’re near the Empire State Building, Penn Station/Madison Square Garden, Macy’s and a short walk from Times Square. With the dollar in the toilet, to touristas it looks like a great deal, to the locals… stick ‘em up! At least they can’t get the 5 7/8% (or whatever it is) sales tax back!
Amadeo
12 months ago |Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. The couple who were handling the camera before me clearly looked like tourists. It was so frustrating. Because it is a nice camera. But at that price, it’s highway robbery. I ought to find a camera store back home in Queens. Haha.
Eric
12 months ago |Wow — the cameras available via Amazon are either sold by 17th St. Photo ($200 over list), or by Willoughby’s ($300 over list).
Can’t wait for Amazon’s stock to build up so the scalpers will go away…
BTW — one semi-related bit of good news today: Apple’s just released a Camera Raw compatibility update that covers the E-M5. So once folks finally receive their new gear, they’ll be able to work with images in Raw format (on a Mac) right away. Back when the E-5 was released, we had to wait *months* for this…
Jace
12 months ago |Re: Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.13
I just downloaded the above Mac update that adds RAW image compatibility for the following cameras to Aperture 3 and iPhoto ’11:
• Canon EOS-1D X
• Nikon D800E
• Nikon D3200
• Olympus OM-D E-M5
• Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF5
• Sony Alpha SLT-A57
That was fast ! Now if Amazon/Adorama will clear my E-M5 backorder sometime this month I’ll be a happy camper
Christoph
12 months ago |A hint for all german guys looking for a silver one : Wiesenhavern in Hamburg has them in stock. Had three at least when I bought mine. Best piece of camera I ever owned, and we’re still just getting to know each other…
Wade J
12 months ago |I got my Silver OMD yesterday. Amazon US shipped it on Monday, after what seemed like an eternity. I pre-ordered it on Feb 14, and really didn’t expect to get it until mid June. I have to say, it’s really nice. Be patient people Amazon is shipping them as they come in from Olympus.
Kineda
12 months ago |Wow I ordered on Feb 7th from Amazon and still didn’t get it. I like how pre-ordering an entire week earlier makes ZERO difference.
JoeSchmoe
12 months ago |The guy who got his Feb 14 order probably ordered the silver kit rather than body.
Riki
12 months ago |Got notification my Silver, Body Only has shipped from Adorama!
So don’t be putting up with pricing above retail anymore. (Granted I ordered it on the 8th of Feb – but still…)
So excited!
dau
12 months ago |What is the hexanon 1.7? Do i need an adaptor for micro 4/3?
bbking
12 months ago |I went and ordered a Kipon AR to M43 adapter
From the link provided (golftoimpress).
Yep. It’s “legacy” glass, which will always need an adaptor.
EDIT: HAHA!!! I made all the recent comments on the right panel on the main page bold! XD
Art
12 months ago |Yes, Konica made some amazing glass. The 50mm 1.7 is excellent. I ordered an adapter too.
Art
12 months ago |I pre-ordered with Olympus and waited a while. I called around one morning and found out Mike’s Camera in Boulder, CO had the Silver Body in-stock. So I ordered it along with the grip and MMF-3 adapter for the rebate on 17-May and it arrived today. I have the M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 to pair with it. Looking forward to the 75mm in June/July.
rootkit
12 months ago |Just got the last silver body from Cathay Photo in Singapore. I was on the waiting list, but they didn’t call. I called on the off chance they might have one before heading to Courts, who apparently have the silver 12-50 bundle in stock.
Buttons feel more spongy than E-5, perhaps due to them being so small. Will get used to that quickly. Play & Fn 1 buttson are a bit fiddly. Strap lugs not annoying. Had to put it to my ear to hear the hum. Not an issue. Viewfinder is great. Dual dials are great. Very responsive. Feels much more solid than my GH-2. Think my EP-3 might be more comfortable in my hand, but will compare later. Might get the grip.
The image stabilization is some kind of dark magic, and makes manual focusing easy.
ChrisT
12 months ago |Ordered silver body only from Jessops in the UK in February – still no sign of it shipping, and customer service last week said they didn’t even have an ETA for when they will have it in stock.
If it weren’t for the battery grip I would have cancelled my pre-order from them and got it shipped from Germany or somewhere! Really frustrating…
Bob B.
12 months ago |OM-D QUESTION:….does anyone know if you can playback your images in the viewfinder like I can on my Panasonic. It is very helpful for brightlight viewing and for people who are far sighted. I have searched and searched in the menus and can find nothing.
Jace
12 months ago |Hmmm… a used E-M5 black body on e-bay – search for item:
330737904273
Currently $810, I’m guessing it goes for $1100-$1150
Jace
12 months ago |Ding ding
The above unit sold for $1100 with extra batteries plus shipping. I wonder if Olympus is keeping allocations tight to minimize discounting ? Hmmm 
Renaud
12 months ago |I ordered a Silver one,which arrived this week in Images Photo Shop, in Nice, France.
They were kind enough to let me try a black one during a weekend two weeks ago.
Little deception about the silver one : the leather-like coating is quite hard, and doesn’t feel as good as the black one. The grip material and feeling is different. Maybe i’ll change back for the black one.
Very good deal, as images photo offers -25% on the lenses, and Olympus offers cash back checks from 50 to 150€ on lenses and accessories (flash, additional grip..)