DPReview has been around for many years and is probably the biggest photo gear review and forum site on the web. This year they ran a poll for readers to vote on what they considered to be the best camera of 2012. Fifteen thousands readers voted; and in a world that is dominated by Canon and Nikon, coupled with the perceptions of most people that only a DSLR is a real camera, third place was no surprise (unless you expected it to be first):
The Canon 5D is a fine camera, with a decent autofocus system compared to the previous model and spectacular images if you are prepared to buy the lenses to do justice to the sensor and are happy to employ someone to carry around the resulting baggage for you.
So what managed to beat the Canon into second place?:
Nikon’s top of the line full-frame offering with monster megapixels and an impressive specification; but again needing the best lenses to resolve on that sensor and a separate seat in business class if you want to take it travelling.
So what was in first place? One of the entry level full-frames from Canikon? The innovative Sony RX1? The utterly magnificent Canon EOS-M (joke)? No, this:
Cue an outpouring of childish comments from various entrenched views, but the fact remains that the EM-5 has been recognised as the camera of 2012 by the gear-obsessed readers of DPreview. What happened?
Truth be told, the EM-5 is not dramatically better than the Micro Four Thirds cameras that precede it. But there are a number of incremental improvements that seem to have pushed it over the edge into mainstream acceptability. Magnesium construction, weatherproofing, a stonking new sensor from Sony and a 5 axis stabilisation system that really delivers, all bundled together into a retro package which may or not appeal, but at least it is not a boring box. The end result is an attractive, tiny camera with a comprehensive feature set that delivers great images. What more do you need?
A wide choice of lenses is the answer and both Panasonic and Olympus (but mainly Olympus) have delivered some great lenses over the past year, making MFT an even more complete and attractive system than it was before.
The arrival of the EM-5, together with the lens selection, seems to be tipping more and more DSLR owners over the edge and into the wonderful world of Micro Four Thirds, hence the result of the DPReview poll.
If you want to soak up some more love for this camera:
The Online Photographer - “Top camera of the year 2012.”
Sans Mirror - “Serious Camera of the year.”
Finally, and most importantly, Pattaya Days - “EM-5 is the camera of the year because this is a good way of getting more hits by linking you back to the same post.”
This might be an appropriate moment to warn you and my currently flimsy bank account that I may need to add an E-M5 to my stable of cameras this year. This not because of the above results, but because of a post on a website I picked up from Wolfgang. The author is John W. Griggs and he has some fine photos; but what really caught my attention was some shots with the Olympus 75mm where the EM-5 stabilisation allowed him to use a shutter speed as low as 1/5th second and still capture a sharp image. I want some of that, especially as old age makes my hands as steady as a palsy sufferer using a road drill on a trampoline.
So well done Olympus, a company with a fine tradition, currently struggling with finances and no doubt with a fraction of the development resources of the big boys whose concept of innovation seems limited to adding megapixels and incrementing model numbers; or, in the case of the EOS-M, adding mediocrity.
Comments 🔗
2013-01-04| Grant saysI’ve seen you using the road drill but it was electric, not pneumatic, and you’d hidden the trampoline… I’m just dealing dealing with a swingeing UK invoice for Morgan parts and then I’m OM-D on to it!
2013-01-04| Wolfgang Lonien saysThe IBIS of these Olympus cameras really is amazing. And while my E-PL1 isn’t as good (probably because it’s lighter) as my E-520 in that regard, I still managed to hand-hold 1.6 seconds in this photo - tho with 14 instead of 75mm. And tho I rarely do things like these, and firmly believe in tripods, that IBIS always was a strong point towards Olympus (vs. Panasonic) for me. That this also stabilizes my old “legacy” OM Zuiko prime was the icing on the cake.
2013-01-04| Sproggit saysHeard an interesting discussion at work yesterday among some fellow photography fans… one of who felt that SLRs had always been the size of the Canon 5D or 1DX. Which got me thinking. A bit of on-line research revealed that, in fact, my very first film SLR camera (The Minolta 7000i, back in the 1980s) was actually roughly the same size as my Panasonic GX1.
I’m really not sure why Canon and Nikon felt the need to “go large” (XXXL, more like) with their gear over the last few years (unless it was due to requests by Spike’s mate, Phalusonic Nick) but that old Minolta (a full-feature 35mm SLR) stands as proof that you can indeed fit everything you need into a compact camera body. [ I took that Minolta and a small clutch of lenses round China for a month-long holiday in 1996 and shot 64 rolls of 36-exposure film… I honestly couldn’t imagine lugging my 7D and lenses round China for a month…].
It certainly looks as though others are starting to think that the bloat at the top end of the DSLR range has gone too far. Maybe the tide has turned …
2013-01-04| Kim Jong Un saysVoted Camera Of The Year in DPRK too !
2013-01-04| Spike saysThank you your imperial Kimness; great honour is bestowed upon us by your visit. And congrats on the baby, unless that just is just an imperialist Western rumour.
2013-01-04| Robin Parmar says“Truth be told, the EM-5 is not dramatically better than the Micro Four Thirds cameras that precede it.” Or maybe the opposite. The EM-5 is the first FLT from Olympus that significantly improves the sensor, improves the handling (grip), improves the ergonomics (front and back dials), improves the IBIS, improves the dynamic range, and integrates the EVF. If that isn’t a “dramatic” difference, what would be?
2013-01-04| Robin Parmar saysFLT -> MFT (wish I could edit my posts)
2013-01-04| Spike saysIs it that much better than the GH2 or the GX1 (with a viewfinder)?
2013-01-05| Wally saysObviously a case of double dealing.
2013-01-05| Grant saysWhich is almost what I’m tempted to expect from the nice man in dear old Blighty…
2013-01-05| Grant says…as was undoubtedly the recent news that your late father, the Dear Leader, died of none other than a good old-fashioned fit of apoplexy and as that apparently means screaming your tits off until your head explodes it may well have been an entertaining watch. Must check YouTube…
2013-01-05| david saysI’d go for the Fujifilm X-E1.it’s a killer combination with the 35mm lens.
2013-01-06| Spike saysJust needs better autofocus, more lens choices and improved RAW support; but I am sure it takes lovely pictures (my X100 did).
2013-01-17| John Griggs saysGood gracious! I wondered where all those hits on my blog was coming from – and it’s here!
I don’t think the E-M5 is any kind of “perfection” – but it’s good enough for me to drop my D7000’s and pick up an E-M5 and an E-PL5 as a backup. I’m traveling astoundingly light these days and that is a “specification” that is in it’s own way as important as the image quality.
Thanks so much for linking me and showing my work some love – very much appreciated. I was looking at my blog stats and traced back to here and I’m glad I did. I’ll be reading your blog now as part of my regular roll through a bunch of sites.
Spike, if you read this, it’s not image quality wise so much better than the Panasonic offerings in my opinion – but the stabilizer has to be experienced to be appreciated. 5 axis IBIS means nothing until you use it – then you become a believer!
Thanks and great to meet you!
Regards, John Griggs