E-5 Body Repair

[JBC]

Does anyone know of a place that will still service an Olympus E5? My E-5 is having some autofocus issues and after a month at Olympus they have informed me that they are unable to repair the camera body.

[kmont]

Clarification: Does this mean that Olympus can't fix the particular problem on your camera, or that they aren't servicing the E-5. I can't imagine it's the latter (and hope not).
Ken

[Michael Meissner]

Clarification: Does this mean that Olympus can't fix the particular problem on your camera, or that they aren't servicing the E-5. I can't imagine it's the latter (and hope not).
Ken

Given that the E-5 was announced in September 2010, and likely all E-5 bodies were made in 2010 (and maybe some in 2011), and it is now 2017, I would expect that sooner or later the spare parts will run out, and Olympus will no longer be able to service the E-5's (let alone the E-3's, E-30's, etc.).

Similarly, if you shoot with E-5's, it might be time to stock up on reliable third party BLM-5 batteries to last a few years more. I have to imagine that as the usage dwindles that the third party battery makers will eventually stop making new BLM-5 clone batteries. Lithium-ion batteries start losing capacity 2-3 years after being made. I assume that any Olympus branded batteries have passed the event horizon at this point, and that clone batteries are the only hope of getting newer batteries.

Yeah, its sad, but it is perhaps inevitable, Sic transit gloria mundi (Thus passes the glory of the world). If there had been enough users to sustain the ecosystem, perhaps there would be third party vendors to step up.

That being said,I did take my E-1 out two weeks ago to take some fall pictures.

[JBC]

Clarification: Does this mean that Olympus can't fix the particular problem on your camera, or that they aren't servicing the E-5. I can't imagine it's the latter (and hope not).
Ken

Ken - They still do service the E-5, but were unable to repair my particular body. Not sure if it was a parts issue or just cost exceeding the value of the camera. BTW, it appears that the E-5 is the only 4/3rds body they do repair anymore.

Jim

[kmont]

Thanks, Michael, for all the good information --as usual!
Ken

[kmont]

Ken - They still do service the E-5, but were unable to repair my particular body. Not sure if it was a parts issue or just cost exceeding the value of the camera. BTW, it appears that the E-5 is the only 4/3rds body they do repair anymore.

Jim

Thanks, Jim. That's just what I needed to know.
Ken

[JBC]

You are welcome Ken.

[Guy Roberts]

Similarly, if you shoot with E-5's, it might be time to stock up on reliable third party BLM-5 batteries to last a few years more.

Thanks for the heads up. I hadn't thought of that and I only have one battery that keeps charge so I will be getting a couple more asap. That scenario is dreadful though, as I have some nice, and expensive, lenses, and they would be equally redundant.

[JBC]

Thanks for the heads up. I hadn't thought of that and I only have one battery that keeps charge so I will be getting a couple more asap. That scenario is dreadful though, as I have some nice, and expensive, lenses, and they would be equally redundant.

I wound up replacing my E5 with an OM-D E-M1 and the MMF3 converter. My two SWD lenses (12-60 and 50-20) both focus very well on the M1. I think it is a good option if you have some orginal HG or SHG 4/3 glass.

jim

[griffljg]

I wound up replacing my E5 with an OM-D E-M1 and the MMF3 converter. My two SWD lenses (12-60 and 50-20) both focus very well on the M1. I think it is a good option if you have some orginal HG or SHG 4/3 glass.

jim

Agreed! And the autofocus on the E-M1 Mk II works even better that that on the E-M1 when used with 4/3 lenses through an MMF-3 adaptor. (I have both cameras.)

[Michael Meissner]

Agreed! And the autofocus on the E-M1 Mk II works even better that that on the E-M1 when used with 4/3 lenses through an MMF-3 adaptor. (I have both cameras.)

Yes and no.

I bought the E-m1 mark I as a cheaper alternative to getting the 14-150mm f/2.8 pro lens to use with my 50-200mm mark I lens. I find in normal light conditions, it works well, but in situations where there is low contrast, the combination tends to hunt. I first noticed this when I took the 50-200mm on a whale watch, that in previous years, I had done with the E-5 (and earlier E-1/E-3) and 50-200mm lens. The E-m1 tended to hunt, while the E-5 would click into focus immediately.

As I looked at it, it appeared to be an issue that the E-m1 does not have cross shaped phase detect auto focus sensors like the E-5 does, so it can only find lines in one direction (I forget whether it is horizontal or vertical). The E-m1 mark II does have cross shaped phase detect sensors, but the mark I does not.

And in terms of batteries, the E-m1 mark 1 was made in 2013, so if you are buying an E-m1 mark I, it might make sense to plan on upgrading BLN-1 batteries as the original batteries are likely 4 years old now. There are various threads (mostly on dpreview) about third party BLN-1 batteries and chargers.

[Guy Roberts]

I wound up replacing my E5 with an OM-D E-M1 and the MMF3 converter. My two SWD lenses (12-60 and 50-20) both focus very well on the M1. I think it is a good option if you have some orginal HG or SHG 4/3 glass.

jim

I had an em1 with the mmf3 and used to use the 4/3 lenses on it, but they all felt too big for the body to me, so I was looking at getting the m4/3 lenses over time.
Unfortunately I had an accident with it, (it fell off a cliff) and so I am back to my E5.
Looking at a replacement, the mkII at $2,000 body only is a bit expensive for my needs.
I know you are getting speed for this, but I don't shoot bif, sport and the like, so I really don't need that.
I could go for the em5, but again I would be looking at getting m4/3 lenses so effectively I would be investing in a new system.
With that in mind Fuji look appealing.
Anyway, all that is in the future so for now it's the e5, 14-35 f/2; 7-14 f/4, 50-200 and 50 macro, not a bad line up despite the size, so long as I can get batteries!

[Guy Roberts]

Lithium-ion batteries start losing capacity 2-3 years after being made.

Is this true even if the battery is not used? i.e. can it be out aside for use in the future?

[Michael Meissner]

Is this true even if the battery is not used? i.e. can it be out aside for use in the future?

Generally, the stuff that I've seen says that it is shelf life degrades capacity, even if you don't use the battery. Other things like high heat, and completely discharging the batteries can also deplete capacity..

• https://electronics.howstuffworks.co...n-battery2.htm
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium-ion_battery