Field Review: Olympus E-5 (Day 4)

So far in the review we’ve found out that the Olympus E-5 is a tough cookie from Day 3, that the raw image files are very versatile, and we’re beyond the first impressions. But the E-5 has a much sexier side to it. There are art filters built into the camera. The chart above can be clicked on (and shared) to show off the effects on one image. This will literally be nothing else but a huge image dump with other samples from each filter.

Gear Used

Olympus E-5

Olympus Zuiko 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 Digital ED SWD

B&W 72mm filter

Art Filters

Please note that all images for this test were shot in JPEG mode. Also, I feel that the similarity between Pale&Light Color and Light Tone is almost negligible, which is why the latter was left out of this image gallery.

: Pop Art Filter

: Soft Focus

: Pale&Light color

: Grainy Film

: Pin Hole

: Diorama

: Cross Process

: Gentle Sepia

: Dramatic Tone

Would you ever really use these filters? Most professionals and semi-professionals prefer to do all this work in post-processing. Olympus’s purpose of putting these in was to spend less time in programs afterward.

Because of this, the camera gets flak from many professionals because they wouldn’t use the art filters at all. Most of these shooters are also RAW only photographers.

Coming soon: a controlled photo shoot using these filters.

Let us know your thoughts on the filters.

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Tagged as: art filters, cross process, images, Olympus E-5, pin hole, pop art, raw files, review, samples, soft focus

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http://www.brucelsnell.com Bruce L. Snell

As a pro of 25 years, I could see where it could be handy if you were lucky enough to be able to replace what you do in post with them, but I’m just not confident you could. In my case most of my post involves dodging/burning and localized enhancements. Wish it weren’t that way, but it is.
- Chris Gampat
  
  To be honest with you Bruce, I’d only use the filters for fun. Otherwise, I find post-production to be part of making each photo a piece of artwork. I put time, effort, care, and hours of debating my own editing into each photo.
  
  I want to make it perfect, not the camera.
Alfons

Hi again, Chris and thank you of review!

I was shooting floorball this week with my E-3. What really bothers me when I’m in using automatic focus point selection in AF-C mode is that the camera doesn’t blink the selected focus area while it sure changes from focus point to another constantly. Any changes on E-5?

The arena was dark lit (1/160s F4 at 2000 ISO) and in those conditions E-3′s focus hunts sometimes. The worst is, when it starts to hunt, it doesn’t stop it until I crank the focus manually or change the composition (happens on both Zuiko 12-60mm F2.8-4 and 40-150mm mk I). Any improvements on this area?
- Chris Gampat
  
  Yes. They’re to come in a future posting.