Olympus E-P5 vs Olympus SH-50: A Thorough Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts

In the ever-expanding Olympus lineup of 2013, the Olympus PEN E-P5 and the Olympus SH-50 emerge as two very different contenders aimed at distinct user groups. The E-P5 represents Olympus’s push to win over photographers who desire mirrorless sophistication with their Micro Four Thirds system, while the SH-50 targets users looking for an all-in-one, travel-friendly superzoom compact.

Having put these cameras through their paces across multiple real-world settings - portrait studios, bustling streets, wild landscapes, even dimly lit astro scenes - I bring you an in-depth, hands-on comparison grounded in practical photography needs, technical nuance, and value considerations. Let’s dig in.

Form, Feel, and Handling: Size vs. Pocketability

At first glance, the E-P5 and SH-50 differ drastically in size and ergonomics, reflecting their core design philosophies.

The Olympus E-P5 is a compact, rangefinder-style mirrorless camera measuring 122x69x37mm and weighing 420g without a lens. Its retro-inspired body offers a satisfying heft and grip, feeling solid yet manageable. The use of premium materials makes it clear Olympus aimed for enthusiasts who want a camera that invites manual operation and deliberate shooting. In contrast, the SH-50 folds everything into a slim, pocket-sized compact at 112x63x42mm and only 269g. This camera slips easily into a jacket pocket - perfect for spontaneous shoots or travelers wanting minimal baggage.

Examining the top layouts provides more insight into how Olympus designed these for different user interactions.

The E-P5’s top plate is adorned with dedicated mode dials, exposure compensation, and a front command dial - delighting photographers who enjoy tactile controls and instant adjustments. There's space for an external flash and the optional electronic viewfinder, enhancing compositional flexibility.

The SH-50 keeps controls minimalistic with fewer physical buttons and no external flash capability, respecting its compact form factor and casual use case. I found the E-P5’s ergonomics superior for extended shooting sessions, especially with larger lenses mounted, while the SH-50's straightforward layout suits quick grab-and-go scenarios.

Sensor & Image Quality: Micro Four Thirds vs. 1/2.3-Inch Compact Sensor

At the heart of any camera comparison is sensor performance. The E-P5’s Four Thirds sized sensor (17.3x13mm) dwarfs the SH-50’s 1/2.3" sensor (6.17x4.55mm), promising a significant IQ advantage before processing even kicks in.

The E-P5 sports a 16MP CMOS sensor with a native ISO range of 100–25,600. This sensor supports Olympus’s hallmark 5-axis in-body image stabilization - a boon for low-light handheld shooting and macro work. In contrast, the SH-50 also offers a 16MP sensor but of the smaller BSI-CMOS variety limited between ISO 125–6400. The smaller physical pixels gather less light, meaning more noise and reduced dynamic range at higher ISO settings.

Technical assessments back this up: the E-P5 scores a DxO Mark overall rating of 72 with exceptional color depth (22.8 bits) and dynamic range (12.4 EV), while the SH-50’s sensor remains untested but based on size and class, it's safe to expect lower performance in critical image quality metrics.

As a user, this difference manifests clearly. Outdoor landscapes show richer tones and cleaner shadows on the E-P5, while SH-50 images lose fine details and introduce more noise indoors or at night. For portraits, the E-P5 renders more natural skin tones and smoother gradations.

Display & Interface: Touchscreen Dynamics and User Feedback

The rear interface complements shooting style immensely, and both cameras offer a 3-inch LCD, but the implementation differs.

The E-P5’s 3-inch, 1037k-dot tilting capacitive touchscreen provides versatile shooting angles - great for low or high framing, enabling more creative compositions. The touchscreen responsiveness and menu navigation feel crisp and intuitive, aiding rapid setting changes.

Meanwhile, the SH-50 includes a fixed 3-inch screen with a 460k-dot resolution. While the resolution is modest and the screen non-tilting, it remains useable for quick framing outdoors under decent light. The touchscreen accommodates focusing and shutter release similarly to the E-P5, but menus feel more basic.

Given the E-P5’s enthusiast audience, these interface refinements elevate the user experience dramatically, while the SH-50 keeps things simple and functional for casual users.

Autofocus Systems: Precision vs. Versatility

Autofocus (AF) performance is a crucial factor and differentiates the two cameras significantly.

The E-P5 features a contrast-detection AF system with 35 focus points and face detection. It supports single, continuous, selective, and tracking AF modes, granting more control in diverse shooting scenarios. Eye detection AF is also available, a must-have for portrait work. The 9 fps continuous shooting capability combined with reliable AF tracking makes it possible to capture fleeting action, symbolizing Olympus’s push for an all-rounder mirrorless camera.

Contrastingly, the SH-50 offers single and tracking AF modes with contrast detection, but only center and multi-area AF, lacking continuous AF for action sequences. Its maximum continuous shooting speed is a faster 12 fps, but practically autofocus hunting at this rate limits capturing well-focused sports or wildlife photos.

In real-world tests under bright daylight, both cameras lock focus acceptably, but the E-P5 shines indoors and in low contrast with its more advanced AF algorithms and face detection reliability. For photographing pets or moving street subjects, the E-P5’s selective and tracking autofocus outperforms the SH-50.

Lens Ecosystem & Focal Range Flexibility: System Modularity vs. Superzoom Magic

This is where the cameras diverge in philosophy explicitly: system cameras rely on interchangeable lenses, compacts lock in a fixed zoom.

The E-P5 accepts the vast Micro Four Thirds lens range - over 100 lenses at last count - allowing photographers to tailor focal length, aperture, and image quality precisely to task. From ultra-wide landscapes to macro close-ups, Olympus and partners offer stellar choices, often with optical stabilization complementing the body’s 5-axis IBIS.

The SH-50 packs a fixed 25–600mm (24x zoom in 35mm equivalent) lens with an aperture range from f/3.0 to f/6.9, favoring telephoto reach for wildlife and travel snapshots that require extreme zoom in a pocket-sized package.

Here’s the thing: The E-P5 plus a quality lens generally surpasses the SH-50’s image quality and creative breadth, but requires carrying extra gear and larger bags. The SH-50’s all-in-one lens appeals to casual shooters or travelers wanting simplicity and versatility without lens changes.

Burst Speeds & Shutter Speeds: Freezing Action and Creative Flexibility

Burst rates and shutter speed ranges impact how well a camera captures dynamic moments and controls exposure creatively.

The E-P5 offers a respectable 9 frames per second burst, paired with shutter speeds from 60 seconds minimum to 1/8000th maximum. This range enables long-exposure night shots and freezing fast action alike. Electronic shutter options, however, are absent.

The SH-50 provides an even faster theoretical 12 fps continuous shoot but with limited shutter speed range from 1/15 to 1/2000 second, restricting bright light shooting with wide apertures. It also lacks high-speed electronic shutter modes found on modern mirrorless bodies.

In practice, the E-P5 offers greater flexibility for creative photography across disciplines - from slow shutter trails at dusk to sports freeze frames.

Video Capabilities: Full HD with Distinct Strengths and Constraints

Videographers will find both cameras offer Full HD, but the devil’s in the details.

• E-P5 Video Specs: 1080p at 30 fps, using H.264 codec. No microphone or headphone jacks limit audio control. The 5-axis stabilization aids handheld shooting, smoothing out footage despite the lack of 4K or high frame rate modes.

• SH-50 Video Specs: 1080p at up to 60 fps, H.264 & MPEG-4. No external audio inputs. While lacking stabilization efficacy compared to E-P5, the 60 fps mode enables smoother slow motion playback.

Neither camera targets serious video production, but the E-P5’s IBIS offers better handheld video usability, whereas the SH-50’s extended zoom range can provide cinematic framing for casual projects.

Battery Life & Storage: Shooting Days and File Management

Battery endurance and storage convenience are just as critical on extended shoots.

The E-P5 provides approximately 330 shots per full charge using its Lithium-Ion battery pack, a moderate figure for mirrorless bodies. USB 2.0 connectivity and a single SD card slot standardize workflow but don’t impress. The absence of GPS or Bluetooth reduces features for geotagging or quick sharing.

The SH-50’s battery life wasn’t officially rated but generally compacts of this caliber manage similar or better endurance due to smaller sensor processing loads. It uses the SLB-10A battery - a common compact battery - and to its credit, USB and HDMI ports support seamless tethered shooting and playback.

Neither provides rugged environmental sealing, so caution in challenging weather is advised.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Handling the Elements

Neither the E-P5 nor the SH-50 boast weather-sealing or robust environmental protections like freezeproof or crushproof certifications.

This is somewhat surprising given the E-P5’s enthusiast positioning. Olympus arguably should have included better sealing, considering many photographers use MFT cameras in the field. The SH-50’s compact nature clearly precludes serious weatherproofing.

If you plan to shoot outdoors in harsh conditions, be prepared to add protective gear for either model.

Real-World Performance Across Photography Genres

Portrait Photography

The E-P5’s large sensor, advanced autofocus with eye detection, and the Micro Four Thirds lens ecosystem combine to offer excellent portrait results. Skin tones remain natural, bokeh smooth - especially softened by fast prime lenses. The SH-50’s smaller sensor and slower lens limits depth of field control and detail rendering, producing more ‘snapshot’ style portraits.

Landscape Photography

Superior dynamic range and high resolution make the E-P5 the hands-down choice for landscapes. Its tilting screen aids composing from creative viewpoints, and if weather sealing were present it would be almost perfect. The SH-50’s compact size is tempting but images often lack tonal subtlety and richness, especially in shadow detail.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

The SH-50’s 25-600mm zoom range makes it appealing for casual wildlife and distant action shots, but autofocus limitations and no continuous AF reduce keeper rates. The E-P5’s faster, more versatile autofocus combined with Lenses optimized for sports (e.g., Olympus M.Zuiko ED 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro) allow more consistent tracking and burst shooting, balancing reach and quality.

Street Photography

The SH-50 is smaller and lighter, aiding discretion and portability on city streets. However, the E-P5’s modest size for a mirrorless system, fast AF, and quiet shutter help it blend into urban scenes well. The E-P5’s superior image quality and control tilt the scale toward it for serious street shooters.

Macro Photography

The E-P5 paired with dedicated macro lenses outperforms the SH-50’s limited close focusing (5 cm minimum). Olympus’s 5-axis IBIS also helps get tack-sharp, handheld close-ups, while the SH-50 relies on optical stabilization only.

Night and Astrophotography

The E-P5’s broader ISO range, long shutter speeds, and superior noise control enable ambitious nightscapes and some astrophotography, although it lacks full bulb mode. The SH-50’s sensor size limits high ISO usability under stars, making it less ideal for serious night shooters.

Video Work

The E-P5 is better-suited for handheld Full HD video, thanks to IBIS, despite lacking external microphone input. The SH-50 offers 1080p60 recording but no stabilization or audio control. Neither camera is a pro video rig, but the E-P5 offers more creative potential.

Travel Photography

Here lies the greatest contrast in use-case. The SH-50’s camera-in-a-pocket convenience and enormous zoom versatility make it a delightful travel companion for those who want minimal kit and rapid framing flexibility. The E-P5 requires extra lenses and slightly larger bulk but rewards with much higher image quality and operational control.

Olympus E P5 front Olympus E P5 screen back Olympus SH 50 front Olympus SH 50 screen back

The gallery above shows side-by-side samples illustrating differences in color rendering, sharpness, low-light noise, and zoom reach.

Price, Value, and Who Should Buy Which?

At launch, the E-P5 retailed around $389 (body only), while the SH-50 was priced near $300 all-in. Both reasonable, but very different bang for the buck.

The Olympus E-P5 delivers a robust, enthusiast-grade package well-suited to serious hobbyists or semi-professionals valuing image quality, system flexibility, and manual control. If you plan to shoot portraits, creative landscapes, macro, or video with modest gear investment, it’s a solid choice.

The SH-50 suits casual photographers who want a single versatile camera without hunting for lenses. Its superzoom and compactness make it ideal for family travel, day trips, or beginners hesitant about interchangeable systems.

Summarizing the Numbers and Ratings

Based on combined practical and lab testing, the E-P5 outpaces the SH-50 in core photography foundations - image quality, autofocus, and flexibility - while the SH-50 shines in portability and zoom.

Detailed genre-specific scoring further clarifies strengths:

Final Thoughts: Which Olympus Suits Your Photography Best?

Both cameras are competent but belong to very different niches. My experience underscores this clearly:

• Choose the Olympus E-P5 if: You want a serious, compact mirrorless camera with excellent IQ, manual controls, and access to a vast lens line-up. You shoot a variety of genres including portraits, macro, landscapes, and low light.

• Choose the Olympus SH-50 if: You prioritize portability and massive zoom reach in a lightweight package. You value convenience over ultimate image quality, and mainly want snapshots, travel photos, or wildlife shots at a distance.

This dog is a good boy, whichever you pick, but understanding their distinct purposes and performance profiles ensures you get the camera that empowers your vision best.

I hope this detailed comparison offers the clarity and insight you need to decide between the Olympus E-P5 and SH-50. Both cameras made waves in 2013, and even years later, they demonstrate the divergent paths Olympus champions to meet diverse photographers’ needs. From hands-on testing under varied conditions to evaluating their menus, controls, and lenses, I approach this conclusion with confidence backed by thousands of hours behind cameras just like these.

Happy shooting!