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This is my 2025 review of the Olympus (OM System) E-m5 mark i. Priced around $250 USD, is the original E-m5 a good buy, or should you relegate it to the trash bin of history? Where does the E-m5 fit in Olympus’ lineup? How does this older camera compare to the newer models? And which lenses suit it best? I do my best in this review to answer those questions.
I won’t make you wait to hear my opinion of the Olympus E-m1x. I believe it is the most capable camera you can buy in 2025 and 2026 for around $500. I can’t think of a similar camera that compares other than the Olympus e-m1 mark ii, but as we’ll discuss in this review, the E-m1x improves on the already amazing E-m1 mark ii.
I think this is a great lens for someone who is curious about manual focus, but doesn’t want to spend the big bucks to buy a Zeiss, Voigtlander, or Leica lens. It isn’t perfect, and its less refined than its more expensive counterparts, but at $69 I can absolutely recommend it for what it offers.
A few months ago, I asked ChatGPT to make me a Fujifilm film simulation. I wasn’t particularly impressed with the results. But now that AI is maturing, I asked it again this morning before going out for an afternoon walk. I was much more impressed with the results. I did not ask it for a particular film simulation, so it chose a Portra 400 inspired recipe.
While the Panasonic Lumix ZS200 (TZ200) was never as popular as its competition, it holds its own in the compact camera space. It has features no other compact camera can match, like 360mm full-frame equivalent zoom and superb IBIS. If its unique features appeal to you, I whole-heartedly recommend it. If you’re looking for something a bit more conventional in the compact space, I would steer you towards the Canon g7x and Sony Rx100 series. If you’re looking for ultimate versatility, The Panasonic ZS200 is going to be hard to beat!
When I wrote down my initial impressions about the Sigma BF launch, I expressed my desire that Sigma would follow up the BF with an FP mark ii. But those hopes were somewhat dashed today when I listened to the PetaPixel Podcast which featured Sigma’s CEO as a special guest.
A few months ago I bought a Lumix G85 (see my review) from a local camera shop, and it came with this Panasonic Lumix 45-150mm silver lens. I didn’t really have any interest in the lens at first. I owned the Olympus 40-150mm plastic fantastic telephoto lens some time ago, but I never loved that lens. Its cheap plastic body didn’t match the build quality of any of my Olympus cameras.
This short and simplified review is a summary of my experience with the Viltrox 23mm f/1.4 on my Fujifilm X-H2. Was it the right decision to go budget third-party? Or should I have paid the premium for the Fujifilm lens?