My Olympus OM-D EM-5

My Olympus OMD EM5 in silver- taken with a Canon 500D

8 Reasons why I choose the Olympus OM-D EM-5

To start off, this is not a professional review of the Olympus OMD EM5. Views are from an amatuer. So any pros out there reading it, do correct me if I made any technical mistakes.

I have my Silver Olympus OM-D EM-5 for over a month now. I had taken quite a few photos in the month of May and I must say this camera had replaced my Canon 500D as my essential camera. I am so amour by it that I think I should state why I love my camera. A month into the Camera, I had dressed it in a Gariz special edition half case which is an excellent stylish alternative to a battery grip. For the neck strap , I had opted for the Arnuvo brown leather strap. Other than the cosmetic changes, I had decided to invest in my first prime lens, the Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f1.4 to give more sharpness and bokeh into the pictures.

See a quick peek into te Panasonic Leica DG Summilus 25mm f1.4

In a nutshell, this camera had been given alot of love and I would like to share with you the reasons why i choose the camera. As mentioned, I am but a novice photographer. The insights are from one that only most recently understands the difference between Aperture and Shuttle Speed. However, I must profess that I had yet to efficiently apply the theories to practice. So if you are a pro photographer, you may want to skip this. If you are new to DSLR and Micro Four Third and would like to 'upgrade' from a point and shoot photographer, you may find this a little useful in your search for your first Micro Four Third or otherwise known as a mirrorless camera.

1 Small Size
I love the size and weight of the OMD EM5. The camera is about 3/4 of the size of the Canon 500D. This means the possibility of taking a small inconspicuous bag when I am out. It also means less weight on the shoulders which could be a boon especially if you are carrying a 20kg boy. This is especially useful when you are travelling as size and weight is ideal for those vacations and weekend activities. I am currently using Herringbone Atlantis (small) bag and its a perfect bag for the OMD EM5 with kits lens plus 1 extra lens.
The small size is attributed to it being a mirrorless system, thus eliminating the bulk found on DSLR.

Silver or Black OMD E

2 Low Light Performances

As much as I enjoyed taking photos with my Canon 500D, I always have a problem with it under low light conditions.I try not to use flash as I do not like how the colours will turn out with it. Needless to say, I do not have much success with quality photos from the Canon in dark conditions. However the OM-D EM-5 impresses with the low light capabilities. The below photo was taken in the evening with only a faint garden light in the foreground. Yet the picture turned out to be useable. I had since taken many photos in dark conditions and love how much shots I had saved as a result.

3 Toy Photography

With the new prime lens, toy photography has become a joy. I usually had problem shooting toys. With this Camera, the colour rendering is as close as to what my eyes can see. I love the Bokeh effect on the background as well and it allows the focus area to pop in the pictures.

4 Olympus Colour

I love the infamous Olympus Colour. The hues in the photographs are much more vivid and refreshing comparing to the Canon. The photos you have seen in this series are all shown as it is without any edits.

The below photo depicts the skyway at Garden by the Bay and it is my favourite due to the colours.

5 Weatherproof
Weatherproof is not waterproof, but it is splashproof. This gives me the confidence of taking it a pool for a closeup of the kids having fun! Even rain would not ruin this little workhorse.

6 Sharpness

The photos taken are sharp and vivid. Compare the below photo of the Canon with the first photo of the OM-D EM-5 (taken with the Canon), the naked eye can pick up the sharpness between the photos. The OM-D EM-5 with the right lens should be able to produce picture quality similar or better compared to a full fledge DSLR.

Canon 500D - Taken with the OMD EM5 on Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 lens

7 Black and White photography

I have discovered black and white photography with this camera. I must say the option is in the Canon as well. However, I find myself using this option more often on the OM-D EM-5 as it is easier to switch and customise with the interface of the OM-D. You can easily swtich to Black and White at one touch of the button.

7 Art Filters

The Canon does not have art filters in them. With the OM-D EM-5, the pre-set art filters present a creative way to shoot the subject. With this, you can shoot with special effects and forget about wasting time on photoshops. The OM-D EM-5 comes with 11 types of art filters and 5 times arts effects. With several permutations available, you have a total of 78 effects available on the OM-D EM-5.
Thumbs up to the Art Filters ( which is by the way what Olympus is famous for as well)

These 8 reasons are not exhaustive. There are many more reasons why I choose an OM-D

• Fastest autofocus in its class (for the moment)
• The high-end Electronic View Finder
• The world's first 5 AXIS IS for excellent image stability.
• 9 high-Speed Sequential Shooting (Only available in the high-end DSLR system that cost twice as much)
• Tilting OLED touchscreen monitor (That helps you with taking photos at a different angle)
• Full HD Movies
• Widest range of Prime Lens  and zoom lens options for mirrorless camera

Nevertheless, these are the core reasons why I decided to replace Canon with the OM-D. However, the main gripe about the system, is that battery life is much shorter compared to the Canon. As a result, I do encourage you to pick up an extra battery as well.

Looking forward to many more memories to be made from the OM-D EM-5.

* If you are looking for a pro view check these reviews
Steve Huff's take on OMD-EM5
Robin Wong's take on OMD-EM5
Olympus Singapore OMD-EM5 specs