Olympus PEN E-P5 Review

Olympus Pen E-P5  

Olympus introduced the original Micro Four Thirds PEN E-P1 almost 4 years ago in June 2009, it was the first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera to adopt a compact, 'rangefinder-style' body that made no pretence to look like an SLR.. The PEN E-P5 - the fourth model in the E-P range - continues this theme, while adding an array of updates that make it easily the most desirable PEN yet. It includes many of the features that made the E-M5 such a compelling package, such as the same 16MP MOS sensor, advanced '5-axis' in-body image stabilization (now with automatic panning detection), 9 fps continuous shooting, and tilting rear touch screen. It also inherits the refinements debuted on the PEN E-PL5, such as enhanced in-camera RAW conversion, a broad-range 'HDR bracketing' mode, and the ability to specify whether you wish to use in-lens or in-body image stabilization with Panasonic OIS lenses.

 Olympus PEN E-P5 specification highlights:

1.  16MP MOS Four Thirds format sensor 
2.  Twin control dials (front and rear) with '2x2' dual-mode option 
3.  1/8000 sec top shutter speed, 1/320 sec flash sync 
4.  '5-axis' image stabilization with automatic panning detection ('S-IS Auto') 
5.  ISO 'LOW' (100 equiv) - ISO 25,600 
6.  Up to 9fps shooting (5.0 fps with continuous AF) 
7.  Focus 'peaking' display • Intervalometer and Time Lapse movie creation 
8.  1.04m dot 3" LCD touchscreen display - tilts 80° upwards and 50° downwards 
9.  Built-in Wi-Fi for remote shooting (iAuto only) and image transfer to smartphone or tablet 
10.  Optional VF-4 electronic viewfinder: 2.36M dot LCD, 0.74x magnification (equiv), eye sensor

Additional features 

AF' mode that allows extremely precise positioning of the AF point when using magnified live view, very much like the one seen on recent Panasonic models. It gains timed intervalometer shooting, along with the ability to assemble time-lapse movies in-camera. The Live Bulb mode, that allows you to monitor the progress of long exposures while the shutter is open, now features an on-screen histogram to help monitor exposure build-up. The image stabilization system is also now always active by default, to provide a stabilized live view feed (especially useful when using telephoto lenses). The E-P5 also gets Olympus's 'Photo Story' feature that first appeared on the XZ-10 enthusiast compact. This is essentially an In traditional Olympus fashion the E-P5 gets a few new features compared to previous models. There's a 'Super-spot extension of Art Filters, allowing you to generate multi-image composites rather like the pages of a photo book, in a wide variety of themes. It may not be something enthusiast photographers will use all the time, and arguably better suited to lower-end PEN models. 

One key change compared to previous E-Px models is a rearrangement of the controls - gone are the thumb roller and tiny rear dial, replaced by 'proper' front and rear dials that protrude horizontally from the top plate. The E-P5 places emphasis on speed: it has a top shutter speed of 1/8000 sec, which Olympus says should help make best use of the company's F1.8 prime lenses, allowing them to be shot wide open in sunlight.

Read More

Canon EOS 100D review

Canon Camera EOS 100D

The Canon EOS 100D marks something of a sea change for Canon as a response to the growing popularity of Compact System Cameras (CSCs)

DSLR Canon Camera

Features:

Despite being the smallest and lightest DSLR in the world, the Canon EOS 100D is by no means stripped back in order to make that grade. In fact, it has much the same specification as Canon’s larger triple-digit models. 

For instance, the Canon EOS 100D sensor is the same resolution as the EOS 700D, although the 18MP APS-C Hybrid AF II CMOS sensor is smaller and thinner sensor to help make the 100D smaller than typical DSLRs.

The sensor itself has an ISO range of 100-12,800, extendable to 25,600 in the ‘H’ setting. The sensor, as the name suggests, features built-in phase-detect autofocus (AF) technology and as a result supports continuous AF when recording HD video. 

The 100D supports HD video capture at a range of frame rates – including 30, 25 and 24fps – as well as offering the option to shoot at 50fps, albeit at the lower 1280 x 720 resolution. 

PROS:

• Good design including rubberised handgrip
• Creative filters feature live preview
• Strikingly small body

CONS:

• Similar price to the Canon EOS 700D
• AF system only features one cross-type point
• Small design means small battery

Read More