Cameras with a retro look and feel are big business right now, a trend Olympus arguably started with its original E-P1 Compact System Camera (CSC) from 2009, which harked back to its maker's ‘Pen' camera range of the 1950s/60s.

Solid build and retro style; Angle-adjustable OLED; Integral viewfinder

Backplate buttons are tiny

Olympus reached back to its design roots when crafting the new OM-D E-M5 micro four thirds camera . The original OM line of film SLRs was known for its rich feature set and stylish, compact design. Now, released as a digital body, the first offering in the new OM-D line is the E-M5.

Outstanding image quality; highly customisable feature set; compact design; wide seleciton of accessories and lenses; weather resistant body; art filters add fun factor; good macro mode on 12-50mm zoon; fast autofocus and burst mode

Menu system can be daunting; no built-in mic adapter; small buttons can be difficult for large fingers; soft humming when powered up

After having updated its 35mm Pen cameras for the digital age, Olympus is trying the same trick with its legendary OM SLRs. While the SLR-style optical viewfinder has been ditched, the OM-D E-M5 'recycles' plenty of the...

Weatherproof finish (and weatherproof 12-50 mm lens; Great retro design; Picture quality up to 3200 ISO; Two settings dials; Effective stabilisation system; Sharp; smooth EVF; Tilt LCD touchscreen; Quiet shutter release

No built-in flash (separate accessory supplied; Battery life could be better; Menus can be confusing; Handling - room for improvement; No headphones or mic sockets for video; 3D AF tracking isn't always reliable; No GPS; no Wi-Fi

Three years after making its first entrance into the compact system camera arena with the PEN E-P1, Olympus has gone back to its roots again to produce the OM-D E-M5, with its retro styling owed to its analogue predecessor.

For anyone doubting the ability of mirrorless / compact system cameras, this is the camera that should answer a lot of concerns. It has a weather-sealed compact body, an excellent range of lenses and most importantly excellent image quality - that is significantly improved over previous Olympus PEN...

Excellent noise performance; Excellent image quality; Excellent Image Stabilisation; 9fps continuous shooting; Extremely fast focus; shutter response; shot-to-shot etc; Weather sealed body; Excellent range of lenses

12-50mm Lens not the best - but good for macro; IS system noise

Olympus raises the bar for compact system cameras, but this capable all-rounder fails to shine in the company of upmarket DSLRs

Over the past year there has been an influx of retro-styled cameras making their way onto the market; now it's the turn of Olympus to enter the ring with the film SLR-inspired Olympus OM-D E-M5.

The classy Olympus E-M5 is one of the most desirable Compact System Cameras. With its SLR-like controls, speed and feature set, it would be a fine choice for photo enthusiasts.

With the look of a classic camera and the innards of something truly modern, the latest Micro Four-Thirds camera from Olympus is one of the best devices we've seen all year.

Solid build; Looks and feels just like an old camera; Awesome kit lens; Features both a viewfinder and a multi-angle touchscreen OLED display; Insanely fast autofocus

No built-in flash; Tilted touchscreen needs more angles

Olympus reached back to its design roots when crafting the new OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera. The original OM line of film SLRs was known for its rich feature set and stylish, compact design, and this new generation is destined to achieve even greater glory.

Outstanding image quality; highly customisable feature set; weather resistant body; fast autofocus and burst mode

Menu system can be daunting; no built-in mic adapter