The OM System OM-5 Mirrorless Digital Camera is small, lightweight and very competent camera that’s backed by a range of lenses that are also small, lightweight and very competent. This is the first time a camera has featured the OM SYSTEM brand name. On the outside, that’s — more or less — the only thing that seems to have changed from the previous Olympus E-M5 Mark III Camera. Of course, under the surface, there’s a bit more to it.
Key Features of the OM-5 Camera
- 20MP Sensor
- In Body Image Stabilization up to 6.5 stops
- Stabilization up to 7.5 stops with Sync I.S. Lenses
- IP53 Dust, Splash and Freeze Proof
- 50MP Handheld High Res Shot
- Live ND16 (4 stops) filter effect
- Starry Sky AF
- 4K 30fps video
- 120fps Full HD video
- OM-Log400 high quality recording
- Vertical Video recording
- USB webcam compatible
- USB charging
With the OM-5, OM SYSTEM has taken its tried-and-tested technology found in its larger Olympus E-M1 Mark III Camera, shrunk it down, and squeezed into the compact dimensions of the OM-5. This also includes the camera’s excellent weather-sealed, freeze proof, dust proof, and (very) splash proof design. This is a camera that lovers of the great outdoors will be able to rely on.
The 20-megapixel sensor gets a boost in stabilization from its predecessor and is now up to 6.5 stops. This increases to 7.5 stops if you pair the OM-5 with one of the M.Zuiko I.S Sync compatible lenses. What that means in the real world is sharper photos, hand-held in lower light. It also means you can leave your tripod at home more often.
High Resolution Technology
OM System cameras have always been big on computational photography, where the camera uses its processing power to merge multiple images. The OM-5 is a winner in this department as it gains a couple of neat features.
High resolution shot boosts the OM-5’s resolution to 50 million pixels by taking a series of photos and merging the data. It all happens with a single click and — thanks to the improved image stabilization — it now has hand-held high resolution mode. It’s a very neat trick that works seamlessly on reasonably static subjects like landscapes.
Live ND Mode and Starry Auto Focus
The other use of this technology is found in Live ND. In this mode, the camera slows time to simulate the effect of a neutral density filter. The OM-5 has the equivalent of an 16 or 4-stop ND filter, which you can use to blur moving water, clouds, traffic and so on.
There are some useful improvements in the OM-5 to help with focusing, including custom modes for AF points, manual focus assist, and improvements in face and eye detection for portrait photographers. But perhaps the most impressive is Starry Auto Focus. In this mode, the OM-5 can instantly focus on the stars, something that sounds easy but, in practice, is easy to get very wrong.
New Video Features
With the world of content creation expanding and changing all the time, almost everyone needs their stills camera to double as a video camera. In the OM-5, there are the usual video specs such as 4k 30fps with optional OMlog400 for the highest quality recordings and 120fps in full HD for anyone who needs to slow things down.
Also, if you start your video with the OM-5 in vertical format, that’s exactly what you’ll get — vertical video. No more twisting your head to the side to watch the footage or rotating it on your mobile device. The clips all come rotated in-camera, ready for vertical viewing. Factor in the removal of the video length limit, the small-yet-helpful red frame around the LCD when you’re recording, and the easy connection to the OM app via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and the OM-5 becomes a great tool for content creators on the move.
Check out more about the camera in the AdoramaTV video below:
If you’re serious about your photography, the flagship OM System OM-1 camera is the way to go. Compared to the OM-5, it’s bigger in almost every aspect. Although, if you are beginner or hobbyist photographer, or dabble in content creation (either stills, video or both), then the OM System OM-5 Camera has been designed with you in mind.
