Olympus E-PL5 Comparison Review
The Olympus PEN E-PL5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was revealed to the public in September 2012 and is equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. It offers a resolution of 15.9 megapixel.
Is the Olympus E-PL5 a good camera? The E-PL5 has a Camera Elo of 1622. This rating puts the E-PL5 below average of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (Four Thirds cameras), the E-PL5 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Olympus E-PL5 is more than 13 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2012.
| Olympus E-PL5 |
|---|
| Mirrorless system camera |
| Micro Four Thirds lenses |
| 15.9 MP, Four Thirds Sensor |
| 1080/30p Video |
| ISO 200 - 25 600 |
| Viewfinder optional |
| 3.0 LCD, 460k dots |
| Tilting touchscreen |
| 8 shutter flaps per second |
| In-body stabilization |
| 360 shots per battery charge |
| 111 x 64 x 38 mm, 325 g |
Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.
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Body comparison with a credit card
An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Olympus E-PL5 vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Olympus E-PL5 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.
| Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-PL5 | 111 mm | 64 mm | 38 mm | 325 g | 360 |  | Sep 2012 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Olympus E-M10 | 119 mm | 82 mm | 46 mm | 396 g | 320 | | Jan 2014 | US$ 699 | ebay.com | |
| 3. | Olympus E-M10 II | 120 mm | 83 mm | 47 mm | 390 g | 320 | | Aug 2015 | US$ 649 | ebay.com | |
| 4. | Olympus E-P5 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 37 mm | 420 g | 330 | | May 2013 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 5. | Olympus E-PL3 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 37 mm | 313 g | 300 | | Jun 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Olympus E-PL6 | 111 mm | 64 mm | 38 mm | 325 g | 360 | | May 2013 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 7. | Olympus E-PL7 | 115 mm | 67 mm | 38 mm | 357 g | 350 | | Aug 2014 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 8. | Olympus E-PL8 | 115 mm | 67 mm | 38 mm | 357 g | 350 | | Sep 2016 | US$ 549 | ebay.com | |
| 9. | Olympus E-PL9 | 117 mm | 68 mm | 39 mm | 380 g | 350 | | Feb 2018 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PM2 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 34 mm | 269 g | 360 | | Sep 2012 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Panasonic G6 | 122 mm | 85 mm | 71 mm | 390 g | 340 | | Apr 2013 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
| Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
| Camera Model |
|||||||||||
The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Olympus E-PL5 was launched in the US market at a price of $599. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Check E-PL5 offers at
ebay.com
Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide
The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
The Olympus E-PL5 features a Four Thirds sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Olympus E-PL5 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.
For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.
| Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-PL5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 889 | 72 | |
| 2. | Olympus E-M10 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 884 | 72 | |
| 3. | Olympus E-M10 II | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.5 | 842 | 73 | |
| 4. | Olympus E-P5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.4 | 895 | 72 | |
| 5. | Olympus E-PL3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.9 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
| 6. | Olympus E-PL6 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.5 | 12.0 | 717 | 68 | |
| 7. | Olympus E-PL7 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.7 | 12.4 | 873 | 72 | |
| 8. | Olympus E-PL8 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 23.0 | 12.6 | 1030 | 73 | |
| 9. | Olympus E-PL9 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 23.1 | 12.8 | 1162 | 74 | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PM2 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.7 | 12.2 | 932 | 72 | |
| 11. | Panasonic G6 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 21.3 | 11.5 | 639 | 61 | |
| Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. | |||||||||||
| Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
| Camera Model |
|||||||||||
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The E-PL5 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the E-PL5 can use is 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-PL5 and comparable cameras.
| 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-PL5 | optional | | 3.0 / 460 | tilting |  | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | | |
|
| 2. | Olympus E-M10 | 1440 | | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | | |
|
| 3. | Olympus E-M10 II | 2360 | | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | | |
|
| 4. | Olympus E-P5 | optional | | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | | |
|
| 5. | Olympus E-PL3 | optional | | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | | |
|
| 6. | Olympus E-PL6 | optional | | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | | |
|
| 7. | Olympus E-PL7 | optional | | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | | |
|
| 8. | Olympus E-PL8 | optional | | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | | |
|
| 9. | Olympus E-PL9 | | | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | | 1/4000s | 8.6/s | | |
|
| 10. | Olympus E-PM2 | optional | | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | | |
|
| 11. | Panasonic G6 | 1440 | | 3.0 / 1036 | swivel | | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | | |
|
| Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. | |||||||||||
| 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 |
||
| Camera Model |
|||||||||||
The LCD screen on the Olympus PEN E-PL5 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.
One feature that differentiates the E-PL5 from many older cameras is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-PL5 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while cameras without IBIS have to rely on optical image stabilization in OIS-equipped lenses to achieve the same effect.
Connection 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 PEN E-PL5 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
| Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-PL5 | | stereo / mono | | | mini | 2.0 | | | |
|
| 2. | Olympus E-M10 | | stereo / mono | | | micro | 2.0 | | | |
|
| 3. | Olympus E-M10 II | | stereo / mono | | | micro | 2.0 | | | |
|
| 4. | Olympus E-P5 | | stereo / mono | | | micro | 2.0 | | | |
|
| 5. | Olympus E-PL3 | | stereo / | | | mini | 2.0 | | | |
|
| 6. | Olympus E-PL6 | | stereo / mono | | | mini | 2.0 | | | |
|
| 7. | Olympus E-PL7 | | stereo / mono | | | micro | 2.0 | | | |
|
| 8. | Olympus E-PL8 | | stereo / mono | | | micro | 2.0 | | | |
|
| 9. | Olympus E-PL9 | | stereo / mono | | | micro | 2.0 | | | |
|
| 10. | Olympus E-PM2 | | stereo / mono | | | mini | 2.0 | | | |
|
| 11. | Panasonic G6 | | stereo / mono | | | mini | 2.0 | | | |
|
| Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
| Camera Model |
Further information on the features and operation of the E-PL5 can be found in the free online Olympus E-PL5 Manual or on the Olympus support site.
Expert reviews
While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-PL5 handle or perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is why expert reviews are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).
| Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-PL5 | 3/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Olympus E-M10 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2014 | US$ 699 | ebay.com | |
| 3. | Olympus E-M10 II | 4.5/5 | + + | .. | 80/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2015 | US$ 649 | ebay.com | |
| 4. | Olympus E-P5 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 78/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2013 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 5. | Olympus E-PL3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Olympus E-PL6 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | May 2013 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 7. | Olympus E-PL7 | 4/5 | + | .. | .. | 5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2014 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 8. | Olympus E-PL8 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2016 | US$ 549 | ebay.com | |
| 9. | Olympus E-PL9 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2018 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PM2 | 3/5 | .. | .. | 77/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Panasonic G6 | 4/5 | + + | .. | .. | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2013 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. | |||||||||||
| Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
| Camera Model |
|||||||||||
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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.
Check E-PL5 offers at
ebay.com
Olympus E-PL5 FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the E-PL5.
What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Olympus E-PL5?
The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.
Which image processing chip is used in the Olympus E-PL5 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Olympus equipped the E-PL5 with the TruePic VI image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Olympus E-PL5?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600.
Can the Olympus E-PL5 be equipped with an optional viewfinder?
Yes, Olympus provides the VF-3 as an accessory (here on amazon) that can be mounted on the hotshoe.
Does the Olympus E-PL5 have a selfie-friendly screen?
Yes, the LCD-screen of the E-PL5 is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Olympus PEN E-PL5?
Olympus does not publish a shutter rating for the E-PL5. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Olympus E-PL5?
Olympus embeds the number of shutter actuations in hidden menus. You can check the number of shots that your E-PL5 has taken up to now by carefully following the steps described on the Olympus E-PL5 shutter count page.
Does the Olympus E-PL5 feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Olympus E-PL5 for flash photography?
The E-PL5's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.
Does the Olympus E-PL5 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?
Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).
Which battery does the Olympus E-PL5 use?
The camera gets its power from the Olympus BLS-5 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Camera to camera comparisons
In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon SX720 vs Olympus E-PL5
- Leica M8 vs Olympus E-PL5
- Nikon D3200 vs Olympus E-PL5
- Nikon D3300 vs Olympus E-PL5
- Olympus E-P5 vs Olympus E-PL5
- Olympus E-PL5 vs Panasonic LF1
- Olympus E-PL5 vs Samsung NX500
- Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony A6700
- Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony A7
- Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony A99 II
- Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony NEX-5R
- Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony RX1R
| Camera Model | Olympus E-PL5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
| Camera Lens | Micro Four Thirds lenses | |
| Launch Date | September 2012 | |
| Launch Price | USD 599 | |
| Sensor Specs | ||
| Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
| Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | |
| Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | |
| Sensor Area | 225 mm2 | |
| Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | |
| Crop Factor | 2.0x | |
| Sensor Resolution | 15.9 Megapixels | |
| Image Resolution | 4 608 x 3 456 pixels | |
| Pixel Pitch | 3.76 μm | |
| Pixel Density | 7.08 MP/cm2 | |
| Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
| Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | |
| ISO Setting | 200 - 25 600 ISO | |
| Image Processor | TruePic VI | |
| DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 72 | |
| DXO Color Depth (bits) | 22.8 | |
| DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 12.3 | |
| DXO Low Light (ISO) | 889 | |
| Screen Specs | ||
| Viewfinder Type | Viewfinder optional | |
| Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
| LCD Framing | Live View | |
| LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
| LCD Resolution | 460k dots | |
| LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | |
| V-logging Friendliness | Front-flip possible | |
| Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
| Shooting Specs | ||
| Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | |
| Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000s | |
| Continuous Shooting | 8 shutter flaps/s | |
| Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | |
| Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
| Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
| Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
| Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
| Storage Medium | SDXC cards | |
| Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | |
| UHS card support | UHS-I | |
| Connectivity Specs | ||
| External Flash | Hotshoe | |
| USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
| HDMI Port | mini HDMI | |
| Wifi Support | no Wifi | |
| Body Specs | ||
| Battery Type | Olympus BLS-5 power pack | |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 360 shots per charge | |
| Body Dimensions |
111 x 64 x 38 mm (4.4 x 2.5 x 1.5 in) |
|
| Camera Weight | 325 g (11.5 oz) | |
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