Olympus PEN LITE E-PL5 Review

There’s one thing that Olympus has mostly got right: stylish camera designs, with clearly labelled functions and layout.

However it seems like decades have been spent as the company has fumbled around with its viewfinder menu layout … and the PL5 is no exception. It is absolutely ghastly, confused and tricky to follow.

Design of the PL5? Well, to be truly honest, the camera appeals at first sight and then, as you live with it longer, you get the impression it is fiddly, with a small textured grip near the right hand and the top deck cluttered with chromey controls. But that’s only my opinion.

Aside from these whinges, the PEN series of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras has won many friends: they’re small, lightweight and give access to not only Olympus’ own Zuiko lenses but those from other manufacturers such as Carl Zeiss, Sigma and Schneider and Voigtlander (Cosina).

Olympus PEN LITE E-PL5 Features

The top dial offers entrée to the camera’s various modes, including iAuto, Program, shutter and aperture priority plus manual exposure as well as 23 scene modes (portrait, macro etc), 12 Art Filters (Pop Art, Grainy Film etc) and movie mode.

On a lower, slightly angled deck are buttons for replay, erase, Function, screen magnification plus movie record.

Rear: the delicious LCD screen tilts 170 degrees upwards and 65 degrees downwards but not sideways. I really don’t miss the sideways option I found that, when using it, I tended to unconsciously tilt the camera … but an upwards tilting LCD is perfect for handheld video shooting on the move.

To the screen’s left is the control dial, info and menu buttons.

The camera is well-balanced, despite the added 75mm front extension of the review 14-42mm kit lens which when used for table top photography tilted the camera forward.

The camera’s 16 megapixel Live CMOS can capture a maximum image size of 4608×3456 pixels and lead to a print size of 39x29cm.

Video is shot in MPEG4 up to Full size HD 1920×1080 pixels.

In video recording you can shoot stills but the video is interrupted.

There are a couple of neat features:

• The Touch Shutter is marvelous. Simply aim the camera, touch the screen and the shot is captured; hold your finger on the screen and it shoots continuously. I found only one hangup with this: you have to arrange your camera holding fingers so the camera is steady …otherwise, you’ll capture heaps of blurry shots.
• The camera accepts EyeFi cards so you can wirelessly download your images to the computer, tablet or mobile phone.
• 3D photography with a 1920×1080 pixel size image, with a suitable lens is supported.

Olympus PEN LITE E-PL5 ISO Tests

It was only when ISO 6400 was reached that noise began to intrude. By ISO 12800 it was very visible and even more so at ISO 25600. But that’s quite a performance!

Olympus PEN LITE E-PL5 Review Verdict

Quality: above average in sharpness and colour accuracy.

Why you’d buy the Olympus PEN LITE E-PL5: small, light, access to an enticing range of lenses.

Why you wouldn’t: no reason!

There’s a lot to like in the PL5, once you get used to the chromey look!

Available in black, silver and white.

Olympus PEN LITE E-PL5 Specifications

Image Sensor: 16.1 million effective pixels.
Metering: Multi pattern, centre-weighted averaging, spot.
Exposure Modes: iAuto, Program AE, shutter and aperture priority, manual.
Effective Sensor Size: 17.3×13.0mm (22.5mm diameter) Live MOS.
Lens Mount: Micro Four Thirds.
35 SLR Lens Factor: 2x.
Shutter Speed: 2 to 1/4000 second, Bulb and Time.
Memory: SD/SDHC/SDXC/EyeFi cards.
Image Sizes (pixels): 4608×3456 to 640×480. Movies: 1920×1080, 1280×720, 640×480 at 30fps.
LCD Screen: 7.6cm LCD (460,000 pixels).
File Formats: JPEG, RAW, JPEG+RAW, MPEG4.
Continuous Shooting: up to 8 fps.
Colour Space: sRGB, Adobe RGB.
ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 200 to 25600.
Interface: USB 2.0, HDMI mini, AV, accessories.
Power: Rechargeable lithium ion battery, DC input.
Dimensions: 110.5×63.7×38.2 WHDmm.
Weight: 325 g (inc battery and card).
Prices: Get a price eon the Olympus E-PL5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-42mm Lens at Amazon.