Photography News Issue 39

Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

News

Olympus OM-DE-M1 Mark II

The flagship OM-D E-M1 Mark II builds on its predecessor the OM-D E-M1 and offers a wide range of new advanced features. Key among them is its new high speed AF, which boasts 121-point all cross-type phase detection sensors that cover 75% of the vertical imaging area and 80% horizontally. The camera can deliver 18fps shooting in continuous autofocus or 60fps Raw in single-autofocus with its electronic shutter. You get 15fps with the mechanical shutter. Four AF target modes means autofocus can be set for different situations. Top image quality is delivered by a brand new 20.4-megapixel Live MOS sensor and new TruePic VIII processor and the camera offers a 50-megapixel high-res shot option. The 5-axis in-body image stabilisation system gives a 5.5EV benefit. Fit the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 PRO lens which has 2-axis IS built-in and you get up to 6.5EV at the focal length of 100mm. In addition to this the Mark II features a high-speed smooth electronic viewfinder and is the first OM-D camera to feature two SD slots, one UHS-II compatible, and

is the first in Olympus cameras to offer 4K video recording. Like other OM-D models the E-M1 Mark 11 has a rugged weatherproof design which makes it splash proof, dust proof and freeze proof. TheMark II’s shutter is rated at 200,000 cycles. Thanks to an improved battery life theOM-DE-M1Mark II offers an extended shooting time anddisplays the battery life as a percentage. The OM-D E-M1 is compatible with a range of Micro Four Thirds lenses and accessories, including the newly available HLD-9 battery grip that can deliver up to an additional 880 shots, priced at £279.99. The OM-D E-M1 Mark II will be available body only for £1849.99 or with the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO lens for £2399.99 from December. With the Olympus Pro Service if you purchase an OM-D E-M1 Mark II you have the choice of three service programmes; StandardPlus, Advance and Elite. Standard Plus is free and offers benefits such as six months extended warranty. See our full test on the OM-D E-M1 Mark II on page 54.

olympus.co.uk

Hands onOlympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

“Exposure was generally very sound too and the system coped especially well with backlighting. The only time I got underexposed shots was when I had a few seconds to photograph horses walking back from the track to the paddock under the grandstand. The bright background sky and the very deep shadows made for a very challenging scene. If I ’ d had time I would have set some compensation because I wouldn ’ t expect any camera to deal with that situation without human help. “Generally, though, the AF, exposure and white-balance systems did very well. In fact I was very happy with JPEGs straight out of the camera. Colours looked spot on and well saturated even with standard colour mode. “I also did some 4K video shooting with and without the IS system engaged to see how effective the IS is. My word, what a difference it made to my footage. Bear in mind I was using the 40-150mm at the long end and I was almost shaking with cold and that combination made my panning footage very jittery but the IS did an unbelievable job of smoothing it out. “I also got the chance to try the Mark II with the 12- 100mm f/4 PRO lens. This new lens has 2-axis IS on board and that works with the camera body’s own IS to give a claimed 6.5EV benefit. In theory a 6EV benefit means you can shoot at 1/2sec and get pictures as sharp as 1/125sec. The image shown on the right was shot indoors handheld from a freestanding position at 1sec at f/18 at 40mm (80mm in 35mm format). As you can see from the enlarged section, it is very, very acceptable. Remarkable. “Frommy short time with the OM-D E-M1 Mark II it is clearly a first-rate CSC that has set new benchmarks in key areas such as continuous shooting speed.”

PN editor Will Cheung got the chance to use the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II at Ascot races on a crisp autumnal afternoon. Here ’ s his report: “After a short briefing on the camera that helped me appreciate what OM-D E-M1 Mark II offered, I got started on working out how to set the camera up in detail. “The menu is seriously extensive, as befits a flagship camera, and it took me a little while to find how to set focus zones and engage continuous AF options, for example. The quick menu certainly helped and while I would have liked more time to customise the camera further, I was ready to shoot after a few minutes of basic set-up. “ I set aperture-priority AE, AWB, single zone AF, ISO 200 and simultaneous Fine JPEG and Raw recording. I had two lenses, the 12-40mm f/2.8 and 40-150mm f/2.8. “ I must say I was impressed by the camera’s robust build and I am a fan of the security given by twin SD card slots which this camera has. The camera feels and sounds lovely. Mechanical shutter noise is low even when fast continuous mode is set and barely audible outdoors. “My personal hit rate with continuous AF tracking could have been higher but I think that was more user and set-up error. In tracking mode, the camera ’ s AF should detect what's moving and track that subject but it didn ’ t always manage that. There is no doubt, however, that the AF system is very fast and when I switched to single AF, my shots were spot on. “Shooting at 15fps is amazing and the 60fps of Pro Capture even more so, and it does mean you get plenty of choice when you go through your shots – on the other hand, you use a lot of card space very quickly.