Olympus E-PL5
- 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
- 3" Tilting Display
- ISO 200 - 25600
- Sensor based Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- Micro Four Thirds Mount
- 325g - 111 x 64 x 38mm
- Revealed September 2012
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Lenses
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
88 Imaging
52 Features
72 Overall
60
Olympus E-PL5 overview
Olympus E-PL5 is Olympus's Entry-Level Mirrorless camera initially introduced on September of 2012. It comes with a 16 MegaPixel, CMOS Four Thirds sized sensor and has a peak resolution of 4608 x 3456.
The E-PL5 is positioned #62 out of 117 in Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras & all-around #314 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. You can check out our Advanced camera finder to see camera results based on your custom factors.
Here is a chart of various criteria used in the scoring system.
Olympus E-PL5 family
The Olympus E-PL5 has a history of related cameras. Down below, you can see all earlier and most recent models along with main features.
Olympus E-PL5 Gallery
You can check the E-PL5 from several angles in the gallery here.
Olympus E-PL5 Pros and Cons
Below is a list of benefits and drawbacks of the Olympus E-PL5 based on criterias which are usually seen as necessary in a camera.
Olympus E-PL5 Sensor details
The specification of the sensor in the Olympus E-PL5 is 17.3mm x 13mm (Four Thirds). The 225 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 4608 x 3456 pixels and aspect ratios of 4:3. The camera has Image Stabilization (Sensor based). Optical stabilization is better than digital stabilization as the latter can cause cropping.
Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD CardsThe CMOS sensor has 16MP and gives a native ISO range of 200 - 25600. RAW photos are supported so the user has wider margin for error.
The picture underneath shows the E-PL5's sensor dimensions in comparison to other common sizes. The E-PL5 sensor has a crop factor of 2.1 and is showcased in green.
Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music videoTo get an idea of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.
Olympus E-PL5 dimensions
Olympus E-PL5 weighs around 0.72 lb (325 gr / 11.46 oz) & has outside size of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5"). The weight of general Entry-Level Mirrorless camera is 329 gr so the Olympus E-PL5 is very similar as compared with various competitors.
Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firmsHere is a shot of the Olympus E-PL5 beside a soda to help you get a sense of its scale.
The top view just below will illustrate the button layout on the E-PL5.
Olympus E-PL5 Lens specs
The E-PL5 fits the Micro Four Thirds mount and has 162 lenses available for sale. Below is a small number of the lenses we have in our collection which will work with the E-PL5.
Olympus E-PL5 Connectivity
The E-PL5 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
- Wireless Yes
- HDMI Yes
Cameras that include NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity can be used wirelessly by smartphones. You can easily transfer pictures and sometimes alter camera settings without the hassle of connecting physically to the camera.
Several applications even allow a Liveview and press the shutter whenever you aren't near the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI port, it can be hooked up to an external screen. The majority of cameras enable you to recharge the battery through the USB socket.
Olympus E-PL5 Video specs
The highest video resolution in the Olympus E-PL5 is 1920 x 1080 and you can shoot in MPEG-4, H.264 and Motion JPEG format. 1080p resolution is an excellent balance between quality vs file sizes but FULL HD isn't going to leave you with any room to downsample. The camera doesn't include a microphone and / or headphone port so you have little control over the audio. It is perhaps a better idea to look into an alternative model should you need better audio for your video clips.
Olympus E-PL5 Weather Sealing
Olympus E-PL5 doesn't include weather sealing so wet conditions can easily ruin the camera.
Olympus E-PL5 Display and Viewfinder
The Olympus E-PL5 comes with a 3 inch tilting display supporting a resolution of 460 thousand dots.
The display is selfie friendly to take self portraits as well as group photos when required. Additionally the display is touch friendly so you can set focus points plus adjust settings using your fingers.
President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or banThe View Finder details for Olympus E-PL5 are below:
- ViewFinder Electronic (optional)
For sunny outdoor situations which make the camera screens washed out and difficult to see, viewfinders are very helpful.
Olympus E-PL5 Shutter specs
Olympus E-PL5 has the ability to shoot continuously at 8.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/4000 seconds.
Olympus E-PL5 Flash and Hot shoe specs
Olympus E-PL5 has external flash ability but comes without built in flash. The maximum flash sync is 1/250 seconds.
Olympus E-PL5 Autofocusing specs
Olympus E-PL5 has just Contrast Detect Autofocus & is missing Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is more snappier & accurate when compared to Contrast Detect focusing. The camera comes with Face detect which is helpful for portrait photography.
The Sensor comes with 35 focus points to pick from. Olympus E-PL5 has tap to focus. You are able to use your fingers in order to adjust where you focus. It also includes Tracking Autofocus for objects on the move. Olympus E-PL5 has the ability to use manual focus in case it is required during low light conditions or you need to have more exact focus control.
Olympus E-PL5 Battery life
The battery power (BLS-5) in the Olympus E-PL5 is made to last for 360 photographs according to the CIPA standards making it about average when compared to it's competition. The typical Entry-Level Mirrorless camera battery life is 343. Fujifilm X-S20 features the highest (750) battery life within this range of cameras.
Following is a listing of Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras having the strongest battery life:
Olympus E-PL5 for various types of photography
The following diagram presents a overview of the Olympus E-PL5 for various types of photography. To learn more, scroll to the specific paragraph underneath.
Olympus E-PL5 Portrait photography highlights
The Olympus E-PL5 receives a points tally of 71 which is nice, and means the camera is a respectable fit to use for portraits. Photographing portrait photos leans greatly towards sensor size, support for RAW photos and option to work with off-camera lighting.
Olympus E-PL5 Street photography advice
Having a excellent points tally of 85, the Olympus E-PL5 is a excellent option for street photography. A very good street photography camera gives a fine balance of picture quality plus portability.
Sports photography with Olympus E-PL5
A very good sports photography points total of 66 suggests the Olympus E-PL5 is a very decent fit for taking photos of sports. A camera should have excellent tracking and fast shutter speeds for sports photography.
Olympus E-PL5 Travel photography details
Size is really crucial when picking a camera for travel. Over-all, the Olympus E-PL5 gets a very good 75 as a travel camera which is a fine pick to take on your vacations.
Olympus E-PL5 Landscape photography features
For anybody who is planning to choose a digital camera for landscape photography, the biggest factor is going to be image quality. The Olympus E-PL5 with it's very good grade of 74 as a landscape camera is a respectable pick compared to it's competitors.
Olympus E-PL5 Vlogging factors
A camera for vlogging ought to offer a articulating display screen, microphone input and preferably image stabilization. Taking all things in to account, the Olympus E-PL5 is a excellent option as a vlog camera as it gets a outstanding score of 78.
Olympus E-PL5 Alternatives
If you want replacements to the E-PL5, below is a number of the highest placed cameras that fall in to the category of Entry-Level Mirrorless.
The graph just below provides you a summary of the E-PL5 versus it's top ranked competitors mentioned previously.
These are various other cameras you may regard as alternative options. To look at a complete comparison, just click on the "compare" link.