Olympus E-5 Digital SLR Camera

The Olympus E-5 has a large pentaprism like most of the other pro and semi-pro digital SLRs, but part of that size is due to the pop-up flash. The large pentaprism inside is big and bright, looking similar if not identical to that on the E-3, sporting a magnification of 1.15x.

The Olympus E-3's viewfinder has eleven autofocus points, which appear as black squares until they are illuminated with bright red LEDs. The green status display runs along the bottom. It's still a little tight to see all of the frame plus the status display with my glasses on, but there's a nice big rubber eyepiece protector to prevent my glasses from scratching.

Just beneath the E-5 logo on the front is the camera's unique Auto White Balance detector.
The grip on the Olympus E-5 is pretty much the same as the E-3: very comfortable, with a nice indentation for the middle finger, and a good counter-grip on the back. Its tacky rubber surface really helps the hold; it may be the best grip surface I've felt on a digital SLR camera.

The Olympus E-5's shutter button is in just the right position when I grip the camera, with a nice finger well to guide me to the button. Though the button itself doesn't have a firm break between half-press and full, it still responds just right to increased pressure, firing just right.

There's no Mode Dial on the Olympus E-5; instead you press a button on the top deck, left of the pentaprism, and turn the Rear Main dial, while changes appear on the both the top and rear Status displays. Turning the Front or Sub dial changes the Drive mode. Autofocus and Metering also split one button between both dials, while White balance, EV, and ISO are adjusted with either dial.

The rear is where the primary physical differences lie between the E-3 and Olympus E-5. Most of the changes come due to the LCD's size increase from 2.5-inch to 3-inch, while retaining the swivel hardware. Text on the new 920K LCD is razor sharp, which makes composing images and focusing when in Live View mode a pleasure too.

Three of the buttons that used to run along the bottom of the LCD on the E-3 are now above the LCD. The Delete button moved to just beneath the Four-way navigator. The navigator and power switch have also been shoved over, and the card door release lever was omitted, and the more common sliding door lock was put in its place. Despite the changes, though, my thumb and the heel of my hand still fit comfortably on the back of the Olympus E-3 without pressing any of the buttons unintentionally. The SSWF (super sonic wave filter) lamp is gone, as is the IS button.

In the upper right corner, the AF-point selection button is now also the Movie start/stop button when in Live View mode.

A new light sensor appears between the optical viewfinder and the LCD, dimming the LCD when you bring your eye to the viewfinder. A similar sensor was positioned in the upper left corner of the LCD on the E-3, but here it serves a dual purpose.

The E-5's four-way navigator, which Olympus calls an Arrow pad, is well-positioned for easy access. Other buttons on the back and top are clearly marked for easy comprehension. The Olympus E-5's rear LCD also serves as a Status display whose settings are accessible via a press of the center OK button.