There's quite a lot to like about the OM-D EM-5. If I had to mention something negative, it would be the small buttons although they do allow for a larger screen so it's really more of a positive trade off than a minor gripe.

Micro Four Thirds cameras are coming fast and furious, and getting better and more technically impressive all the time. For its latest offering, however, Olympus looked backward for inspiration rather than forward. The OM-D E-M5's design harkens back to the 1970's, to Olympus' old OM-1 film SLR.

Excellent image and video quality; Blistering performance; Extremely attractive

Expensive for a Micro Four Thirds camera; Smaller sensor than most $1,000-plus cameras

Since the introduction of the Olympus Pen E-P1 in June 2009, the compact system camera (CSC) has taken the world by storm. The compact-sized Pen E-P1 was a clear homage to the original Olympus Pen series – a half-frame camera that spanned more than two decades – but with the added benefit of digital...

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 is certainly the most capable Micro Four Thirds camera we've reviewed and arguably the most likeable mirrorless model yet. It falls down a little bit on its continuous focusing but we have absolutely no complaints about the image quality.

Very good image quality; even at high ISO; Bright; punchy JPEGs make the most of camera's capability; Very fast autofocus with most Micro Four Thirds lenses; Weather-sealed body; Built-in image stabilization helps increase number of sharp shots; Good level of direct control despite small body,...

Focus tracking distinctly unreliable; Small controls sometimes awkward (especially with cold/gloved hands; No in-camera correction of CA (which can be problematic with 12-50mm kit zoom; Default JPEG settings a bit keen to blur detail away; Several useful features hidden in obscure and...

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 has a wealth of features sure to impress most keen photographers, enthusiast or those new to micro four-thirds cameras. Excellent photos, good build quality and a blistering autofocus make the Olympus OM-D E-M5 one to check out.

One of the first things you'll notice when holding the Olympus OM-D E-M5 is its very high build quality; It's tough, robust in feel and comes weather sealed to protect itself against grubby dirt particles and moisture, making the Olympus OM-D E-M5 ideal for shooting in testing conditions, The...

At around the £1,000 the Olympus OM-D E-M5 does not come cheap, which is likely to put many off, or encourage enthusiasts to go for alternative DSLR cameras; A lack of microphone output means that the more enthusiast among photographers will have to spend extra on an adapter

Olympus has delivered a fantastic camera, which, along with its premium CSC cohorts, has the potential to be a game-changer, stealing focus from certain areas of the DSLR market. There's a lot to love about the OM-D, especially the great image quality and its retro appeal - it will be interesting to...

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

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.

This is my 3rd Oly camera and likely the best! The performance and features rival any camera on the market. The pictures and video are outstanding. I was so impressed, I bought my wife one as well. I cannot wait for our SCUBA trip to St. Maarten and Kitts.