I want value, not salesmanship Is the Olympus OM-D E-M5 possibly the best value for my dollar?

The reviews are certainly very positive.  There is another important thing if you want a one lens does all solution, the Olympus mega-zoom gets very good reviews too.

The one worrisome remark I read that stuck in my mind was in a review in Popular Photography magazine.  It said the grip for holding the camera was not very good.  They recommended buying the optional grip/battery for using the camera.  That certainly would diminish the bang for the buck.  I would recommend trying one is a store to see if it feels good in your hands.