OM-G, OM-D Review Posted

DPReview has posted its review of the Olympus OM-D/E-M5 and the results are very good. The noise performance and detail retention of the sensor still indicates that, at its heart, it is the Panasonic G3 sensor. That said, Olympus worked their magic on it in a big way. Color retention is excellent, and dynamic range is finally in the same ballpark as the APS-C competition.

While the detail is similar between this and the G3, every other element of the images is a complete and total win for the Olympus. This reminds me of the same startling noise difference between the E-P1 and the Panasonic GF-1 at the beginning of this whole Micro 4/3 thang.

All of that said, there appears to still be a significant sensitivity problem. The OM-D image, while good, is the most exposed of all its competitors. The NEX-7 is significantly less-exposed. That means that in any given environment, you will have to use a smaller larger aperture, slower shutter, or higher ISO to achieve the same image.

Still, what's important is that it is still in the same ballpark. It is easily the best Micro 4/3 camera, and if you are invested in the Micro 4/3 system as I am, then that may very well be enough. It's not enough for me to ditch my trusty, old GF-1, but I have hopes for the E-M6. This hope is enough to keep me from jumping ship to Sony, and that's a big deal. This is the camera that Olympus should have produced three years ago.