Overall Rating:
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Pros:
- + Extraordinary in-body image stabilisation system allows handholding at unprecedented shutter speeds
- + Class-leading continuous shooting performance
- + Impressive continuous autofocus and tracking
- + Superb build quality and handling
Cons:
- - Menus and configuration hugely over-complicated
- - Image quality lags behind APS-C peers
- - High price compared to its closest rivals
Manufacturer:
Manufacturer: OlympusAndy Westlake puts Olympus’s super-fast mirrorless flagship camera through its paces
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II review
At a glance:
- £1,849.99 body only
- £2,399.99 with 12-40mm lens
- 20MP Four Thirds sensor
- Up to 60fps continuous shooting
- 5-axis in-body stabilisation
- 4K video recording
- Fully articulated touchscreen
- 2.36-million-dot EVF
At the Photokina trade show in September 2016, Olympus was one of several brands to announce it was developing a new flagship camera. Now the finished product has arrived, in the shape of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. But while the new model looks much like its predecessor, in reality it’s an entirely new camera, with some very impressive updates. But this comes at a high price: £1849.99 body only, or £2399.99 in a kit with the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro lens.
Probably the biggest headline-grabber is its startling continuous-shooting capability, of up to 60 frames per second at full resolution. This is backed up by an upgraded autofocus system, which uses on-chip phase detection to provide 121 focus points covering most of the image area. Other updates include a fully articulated, rather than tilt-only touchscreen, twin SD card slots, and a larger, quicker-charging battery. Along with the tough, weather-sealed body, this all promises to make the E-M1 II an interesting choice for sports and action shooters.
However, these capabilities come at a high price: £1,849.99 body only, or £2,399.99 in a kit with the 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro lens. This is more than some hugely capable cameras such as the Fujifilm X-T2, Nikon D500 or Pentax K-1. So does the E-M1 II offer enough to justify its cost?
See also our Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II image samples gallery
- Sensor: 20-million-pixel Four Thirds CMOS
- Output size: 5184 x 3188
- Lens mount: Micro Four Thirds
- Focal length magnification: 2x
- Shutter speeds (mechanical): 60sec - 1/8000sec + Bulb
- Shutter speeds (electronic): 60sec - 1/32000sec + Bulb
- ISO sensitivity: ISO 200-25,600 (standard), extendable to ISO 64
- Exposure modes: PASM, iAuto, Art, Movie
- Metering modes: Pattern, centre weighted, spot, spot highlight, spot shadow
- Exposure compensation: +/-5EV in 1/3 EV steps
- Continuous shooting (mechanical shutter): 15fps (focus fixed); 10fps with AF
- Continuous shooting (electronic shutter): 60fps (focus fixed); 18fps with AF
- Screen: 3in 1.-037-million-dot fully-articulated touschscreen
- Viewfinder: 2.36-million-dot, 0.74x magnification
- AF points: 121-point
- Video: Cinema 4K (4094 x 2160) 25fps 237Mbps
- External mic: 3.5mm stereo
- Memory card: 2x SD, SDHC, SDXC (1 UHS-II compatible)
- Power: BLH-1 Li-ion, 1720 mAh
- Battery life: 440 shots
- Dimensions: 134 x 91 x 67 mm
- Weight: 574g (including battery and card)