Olympus E-1 vs E-5

The Olympus E-1 and the Olympus E-5 are two professional cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2003 and September 2010. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The E-1 has a resolution of 4.9 megapixels, whereas the E-5 provides 12.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-1		Olympus E-5
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses		Four Thirds lenses
4.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor		12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		720/30p Video
ISO 100-800 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 100-6,400
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 134k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
750 shots per battery charge		750 shots per battery charge
141 x 104 x 81 mm, 738 g		142 x 117 x 75 mm, 873 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-1 and the Olympus E-5? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-1 and the Olympus E-5 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-5 is notably larger (13 percent) than the Olympus E-1. Moreover, the E-5 is markedly heavier (18 percent) than the E-1. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-1	141 mm	104 mm	81 mm	738 g	750	Y	Jun 2003	1,699	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-5	142 mm	117 mm	75 mm	873 g	750	Y	Sep 2010	1,699	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
4.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
5.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	1,999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-3	142 mm	116 mm	75 mm	876 g	750	Y	Oct 2007	1,699	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-30	142 mm	108 mm	75 mm	701 g	750	n	Nov 2008	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	699	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Technology-wise, the E-5 uses a more advanced image processing engine (TruePic V+) than the E-1 (TruePic), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-5 offers a higher resolution of 12.2 megapixels, compared with 4.9 MP of the E-1. This megapixels advantage translates into a 58 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-5 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.29μm versus 6.78μm for the E-1). However, it should be noted that the E-5 is much more recent (by 7 years and 2 months) than the E-1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-5 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-5 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 20.2 x 15.1 inches or 51.2 x 38.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 16.1 x 12.1 inches or 41 x 30.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 13.4 x 10.1 inches or 34.1 x 25.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-1 are 12.8 x 9.6 inches or 32.5 x 24.4 cm for good quality, 10.2 x 7.7 inches or 26 x 19.5 cm for very good quality, and 8.5 x 6.4 inches or 21.7 x 16.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus E-1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 800, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus E-5 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the E-1 is build around a CCD sensor, while the E-5 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-1	Four Thirds	4.9	2560	1920	none	20.0	9.7	-145	44
2.		Olympus E-5	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.6	10.5	519	56
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
4.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
5.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
6.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
7.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
8.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
9.		Olympus E-3	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.6	10.5	571	56
10.		Olympus E-30	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.4	530	55
11.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
12.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
13.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
14.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The E-5 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-1 does not. The highest resolution format that the E-5 can use is 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-1 and the E-5 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the E-5 has a higher magnification than the one of the E-1 (0.58x vs 0.48x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-1 and Olympus E-5 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Olympus E-1	optical	Y	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
2.		Olympus E-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
5.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
7.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Olympus E-3	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus E-30	optical	Y	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
12.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the E-5 and the E-1 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-5 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the E-1 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-1 and the E-5 write their files to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus E-1 and Olympus E-5 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Olympus E-1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus E-5	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-3	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-30	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the E-1 and the E-5 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-1 was replaced by the Olympus E-3, while the E-5 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-1 and E-5 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-1 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-5 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Olympus E-1 better than the Olympus E-5 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus E-1:

• More compact: Is smaller (141x104mm vs 142x117mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 135g or 15 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2003).

Advantages of the Olympus E-5:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (12.2 vs 4.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 58%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (TruePic V+ vs TruePic).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 720/30p video.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.48x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 134k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More modern: Reflects 7 years and 2 months of technical progress since the E-1 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-5 is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 3 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-1 and the Olympus E-5 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-1 or the E-5 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-1	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jun 2003	1,699	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-5	4/5	..	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,699	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
4.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
5.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-3	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	4/5	Oct 2007	1,699	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-30	..	..	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2008	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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