Introduction
Olympus has today announced Pen E-P5 – the latest addition to the manufacturer’s Pen series of Compact System Cameras.
The Olympus Pen E-P5 arrives as a straight replacement to the E-P3 in Olympus’s Pen range, offering a host of new features while also inheriting a selection from other Olympus models.
Olympus Pen E-P5 - Specs and Features
At the core of the Olympus Pen E-P5 sits a 16.1MP sensor, TruePic VI processing engine and 5-axis image stabilisation – a trio of features found in Olympus’s flagship OM-D E-M5 model.
As far new features, the Pen E-P5 is the first of Olympus’s CSC range to feature built-in Wi-Fi, wireless transfer of images and remote capture through a dedicated app.
Other new headline claims include the model’s maximum shutter speed. Olympus claims that the E-P5 is the first CSC to offer a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 sec through a mechanical shutter, as opposed to the electronic shutter found on the similarly-swift Nikon V2.
On the rear of the Olympus E-P5 sits a 3-inch, 1.04-million dot capacitive touchscreen. It’s similar to the screen found on the OM-D E-M5, but almost double the resolution.
Alongside from the core specs, the E-P5 sees a design overhaul. Olympus is keen to emphasise that the new model borrows heavily from Pen F film models, with an all-metal finish and selection of control dials around its body.
Olympus Pen E-P5 - Handling and Hardware
We managed to get our hands on one of the first pre-production samples Olympus Pen E-P5 in the UK for a closer look.
The first thing to strike you upon picking up the camera is its large size. Although it’s just a few millimetres thicker that the E-P3 that it replaces on a straight specification comparison, it’s noticeably bulkier in the hand.
This added bulk may be in some small part due to the articulated display, and although it’s by no means a huge camera it might not suit those looking for a smaller CSC.
Despite this chunkiness, the Pen E-P5 generally handles and operates well. The dials found variously around the camera are of a good size and rotate freely, while the dedicated rubberised thumb rest on the rear of the camera is welcome.
The performance of the touchscreen on the rear of the camera is also a plus point. It offers a good level of sensitivity and only the gentlest touch is needed to scroll through the camera’s functions or pick a focus point.
The Olympus E-P5 display also offers a good clarity and contrast, and if you’re familiar with the screen of the OM-D E-M5 you’ll notice they’re in fact very similar in this regard.
Although we weren’t given a great amount of time to fully put the Olympus Pen E-P5 through its paces, we were able to get an early impression of the model’s new FAST AF focusing system. The good news is that it seems to live up to its name, with only a short amount of time needed before focus was acquired.
The Olympus Pen E-P5 looks like an interesting CSC that should provide an alternative to the OM-D E-M5 towards the top end of Olympus’s range. It should start shipping towards the end of June, although a UK RRP is yet to be confirmed.
