Olympus E-M5 PDF User Manual
Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Olympus OM-D E-M5? It happens all too easily, but fortunately Olympus makes a soft copy available that you can browse through online, print out, or download (see the pdf file below). It is certainly good practice to carefully familiarize oneself with the many different functionalities and options that the E-M5 offers, and the official user manual is without doubt an authoritative and comprehensive source of respective information.
That said, the instruction booklet can be a dry read, so that a dedicated camera guide book from a professional photographer that illustrates the camera's core functions in a real life photography context can be a very helpful complement. Yes, getting one of these camera guides (see here at amazon) would involve an additional expense, but if that book helps to exploit the camera's potential to the full, the (small) additional investment may well be worth it.
Also, you might want to check out the video tutorial on the Olympus OM-D E-M5 below.
In any case, the E-M5 is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This mirrorless interchangeable lens camera was revealed to the public on February 8th, 2012, which means that, as of today, the camera is 4612 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued and was succeeded by the Olympus E-M5 II as a replacement in the same line of cameras.
Olympus's instruction manual for the E-M5
The camera's instruction manual is 133 pages long. The pdf version is embedded below. As you browse through, you will hopefully find the information you are looking for. You can also print out a hard copy by right clicking on the manual and then choosing the respective menu option. For convenience, a summary of the key specs of the E-M5 is included towards the bottom of this webpage.
Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference (Ctrl-Shift-D on a Windows PC; Cmd-Shift-D on a Mac). Happy browsing!
Click on the button below to download the pdf version of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 manual to your computer. The file will open in a new browser window.
If you prefer to read the user guide in another language, please check the respective availability on Olympus's support site. That site also provides complementary online resources, such as information on the compatibility of various camera accessories or the availability of firmware updates that are not necessarily comprehensively covered in the instruction manual.
Printed, hardcopy versions of the Olympus E-M5 manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.
Video tutorial for the Olympus OM-D E-M5
Perhaps instead of reading through a manual or operations guide, you might prefer to better familiarize yourself with your E-M5 by watching a video tutorial. It can notably help to quickly get to know the key functions and to set up your camera according to your particular preferences and needs.
Once again, the Olympus E-M5 is a sophisticated imaging tool and not exploiting its capabilities to the full would be a pity. Hence, taking the time to study online information material or to read through a well-written camera guide book is highly recommended to make the most of your purchase.
Olympus E-M5 FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the E-M5.
What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Olympus E-M5?
The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.
Which image processing chip is used in the Olympus E-M5 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Olympus equipped the E-M5 with the TruePic VI image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Olympus E-M5?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Olympus OM-D E-M5?
Olympus mentions a shutter rating of 100 000 actuations for the E-M5. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the E-M5 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Olympus E-M5?
Olympus embeds the number of shutter actuations in hidden menus. You can check the number of shots that your E-M5 has taken up to now by carefully following the steps described on the Olympus E-M5 shutter count page.
Does the Olympus E-M5 feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Olympus E-M5 for flash photography?
The E-M5's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.
Does the Olympus E-M5 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?
Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).
Which battery does the Olympus E-M5 use?
The camera gets its power from the Olympus BLN-1 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Olympus E-M5?
Yes, Olympus offers the HLD-6 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Further reading
How does the E-M5 stack up against available alternatives? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon G15 vs Olympus E-M5
- Canon R10 vs Sony A9 II
- Fujifilm XF10 vs Sony A9 II
- Nikon D500 vs Sony A9 II
- Olympus E-5 vs Olympus E-M5
- Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic ZS100
- Olympus E-M5 vs Sony A900
- Olympus E-M5 vs Sony HX99
- Olympus E-M5 vs Sony RX10
- Pentax Q vs Sony A9 II
- Sony A9 II vs Sony ZV-E1
- Sony A9 II vs Zeiss ZX1
Core camera specifications
Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Olympus OM-D E-M5.
Camera Model | Olympus E-M5 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
Camera Lens | Micro Four Thirds lenses | |
Launch Date | February 2012 | |
Launch Price | USD 1 299 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | |
Sensor Area | 225 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 15.9 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 4 608 x 3 456 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 3.76 μm | |
Pixel Density | 7.08 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | 1080/60i Video | |
ISO Setting | 200 - 25 600 ISO | |
Image Processor | TruePic VI | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 71 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 22.8 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 12.3 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 826 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.58x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 1440k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 610k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | No front-flip | |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 9 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | |
UHS card support | UHS-I | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Olympus BLN-1 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 360 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
122 x 89 x 43 mm (4.8 x 3.5 x 1.7 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 425 g (15.0 oz) |
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