Olympus launches retro OM-D E-M5 camera

by Steven Mostyn - Feb 8 2012, 15:55

Here comes the retro Olympus OM-D E-M5, which we showcase for you today as a cutting-edge camera from yesteryear that will be released for the very first time this coming April. Confused? Read on…

Although it may look like a classic manual snapper, the sassy new E-M5 is set to join the existing line of upper-tier Olympus devices with an array of features that will probably prick the ears of enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Beyond being armed with a 16 mega-pixel CMOS sensor and able to accommodate low-light conditions via an ISO that extends to 25,600, the E-M5 also has a 3.0-inch tiling OLED touch-screen display with fast refresh and a wide viewing angle.

It also promises to further belie the gloriously old school aesthetic of it magnesium alloy chassis with a 1.44 mega-pixel electronic viewfinder that boasts eye-level viewing, 18mm eye point, and a magnification factor of 1.15x.

Other aspects of note include a dustproof and splash-proof exterior, image shooting at 4.2fps, 5-axis image stabilization, 1080i video capture, an improved image- processing engine, and continuous autofocus at 9.0fps.

And, speaking of autofocus technology, while the E-M5 uses the same platform previously utilized by Olympus aboard the PEN E-P3, this version has been tweaked to produce a sensor-readout of 240fps (double that of the E-P3).

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 (catchy branding, that) will be available in April attached to a body-only price of $999 USD. An extra $100 USD will secure prospective buyers both the camera body and an M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II R lens.

Pushing the price up by a further $100 USD to $1,299 USD provides the camera body and the weather-sealed M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ zoom lens, which usually retails for a standalone price of $499 USD.

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