General remarks
In terms of structural strength and assembly reliability Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II made me happy. These are, of course, not cameras from the early 2000s, made in Japan, but today they are quite reliable cameras. The lid of the memory card + battery compartment looks somewhat strange because... it is not spring-loaded, as is usually the case. Or the spring is too weak... It's inconvenient to pick it out.
On the back side there are control buttons (I write this as a diminutive because they are very small). “Menu” button, “Info” button, joystick to move around the screen.
These buttons are often needed because, for example, only through the menu can you enable functions such as HDR or bracketing. Through the menu, you can change the file format and LCD screen functions.
Using the joystick, you can move around the image when viewing (by the way, the view button is at the bottom and is quite small and not particularly convex), but the left button of the joystick is almost close to the LCD screen - this is inconvenient.
In short, when designing a miniature camera, it’s probably worth thinking about the fact that it will not be used by mice, but by quite full-size people, who will be much more comfortable if the buttons are convex and can not only be seen, but also felt. This is a complaint not only (and not so much) to Olympus mirrorless cameras, but to all mirrorless cameras in general.
There is such a type of mirrorless camera users as people over 50 with not very good vision due to age (and what can I say, even young people today have problems with their vision due to the dominance of all sorts of gadgets and TV). They would be happy to use a mirrorless camera, which would allow them to get rid of the heavy and large (subjectively) burden of a DSLR, but how will they look for these micro inscriptions? Should I wear glasses every time?
I understand that this camera was designed by a 20-year-old guy who has poor vision.
Viewfinder
The electronic viewfinder is a separate topic of conversation. I am always against the electronic viewfinder because... it does not show a natural picture, but what electronics can convey today. And even in Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II EVI costs 2.36 million pixels (which is quite a lot!), but in terms of color reproduction it cannot be considered ideal, so I didn’t really like how it displayed the result of the polarizing filter.
pictured B+W ND-Vario
Considering that the camera has a stylized pentaprism bulge, why not make a JVI? For its connoisseurs... This is, of course, a dream..."The more electronics, the better!" modern marketing
Image quality
The quality (technical) of images depends on several factors:
Characteristics of the camera sensor/matrix (resolution, )
- lens (resolution, contrast, characteristics at different focal lengths in the case of a zoom lens)
Permission
I've always been skeptical about cameras with a large crop factor. For the simple reason that there is a limit to pixel reduction and it is achieved very easily, after which detail disappears and even the best lens cannot save it. And of course, the impossibility of having an ultra-wide-angle lens of normal quality.
IN Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II we have crop 2.0 and sensor size 17.3 x 13.0 mm. This is a quarter of the full 35mm frame and during my filming I found the resolution limit of this matrix.
Here we have a pixel density of 266 pixels/mm and this is a record among the cameras that I know. Canon 5Ds gives 242 pixels/mm, Canon 7D mark II gives 243 pixels/mm.
If Olympus made a full-frame camera that its resolution would be 9310 x 6384 pixels, which corresponds to 60 megapixels!
I relied on the pixel density when I was filming the desert and canyons, and in general my hopes were justified, but if you enlarge the frames, you can see that they are not “suitable” for 16 megapixels. The detail is good, but I increased it a little and its threshold is visible.
I don’t think that another lens instead of the kit 14-42mm will greatly improve the situation because... I already shot at F5.6-8 apertures, which leveled out the difference between top-end “glasses” that are optimized for open apertures and budget ones.
My conclusion: For an amateur photographer, this resolution may be quite enough, but for a professional landscape lover it is not enough. Next time I would like to have a camera like Canon 5Ds.
Dynamic range
Dynamic range Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II quite decent, contrary to expectations. It copes quite well with both underexposure and overexposure.
An example of underexposure and details pulled out of the shadows.
A photo with a full range of brightness from white to black, from the black fabric on the sleeves of the baby's jacket to the white sand on the right.
the picture is not processed
And if you add a little contrast and sharpness...
It copes very well with a scene with a large difference in brightness!
Now let's try to overexpose a little...
Very good result for a small sensor.
For example, a telephone iPhone 4S It can’t cope with such a difference in brightness at all. It's quite sad because Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II doesn't know how to glue panoramas!
If you haven’t read the previous article, with examples of pictures of the canyon, then I foresee cries that it’s a sin to compare a camera and a phone, but...
Programmers Apple they did a very good job on this particular point and at the moment I don’t see the point in trying to glue panoramas with mirrorless cameras with regular lenses.
Noises
Yes, there is enough noise. But they didn’t surprise me, because there is such a high pixel density on such a small sensor. But there are no such obvious noise cancelers as on Fuji.
Of course, whether the resulting photo is dark or normally exposed will greatly influence it. Please keep this in mind when using cameras. If the camera does not have strong noise at ISO 800 with a normally exposed photo, then with underexposure at ISO 800 and extended by at least one stop, the picture will be completely different. This applies to all cameras. It is important whether enough light reaches the matrix. No light - no details due to strong noise.
Here is a photo taken at a slower shutter speed (so that there is no “shake”) and then stretched 1.8 stops in the RAW converter.
Color rendition
The color rendering of the matrix consists of several parameters:
Color depth (physical, not virtual)
- ADC quality
- white balance
Color depth
Color depth at Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II declared in 36 bits, i.e. 12 bits per channel. Not very much on the one hand, but in general, by eye, it should be indistinguishable from 48 bits, for example. What is important here is rather the structure of the matrix, how many photodiodes are responsible for the green-yellow spectrum, to which our eyes are most sensitive. The matrix here is typical, Bayer, with an emphasis on the yellow-green spectrum, so in theory there should be no problems with color rendering (at least if you don’t do “laboratory” tests).
ADC quality
The quality of the ADC with such a miniature sensor size can play a bad joke with any matrix because you have to do it both efficiently and not too expensively, which is much more difficult to implement on a miniature scale.
Those. in theory this is high density pixels should provide amazing color uniformity, but does not due to technological limitations.
White Balance
It would seem like a completely virtual parameter from the world of computers, not cameras, but how often do we manually set White Balance? I take a photo, put it on my iPhone, and am amazed by the beautiful blue sky (albeit noisy) and beige rocks. I immediately raise the camera Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II, I take a photo and see that the rocks have become more yellow and the sky more cyan.
Where is the truth, brother?
filmed on iPhone 4S
We can argue until we're hoarse that this isn't a physical characteristic of the camera, but it's actually an important parameter. 99% of photographers shoot with an auto BB (mine). That’s why battles often arise: “Nikon is blue” and “Canon is red.” The real problem is the color profiles of these cameras and how they are interpreted by the RAW converter.
Things can get to the point where an amateur photographer will categorically not like a very high-quality camera simply because the colors it comes out with are somehow different from those of a neighbor (with a Canon, for example).
Lens
About the lens Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5-6 EZ I don't have much to say. Its resolution at closed apertures is normal and corresponds to the sensor. It catches quite a bit of glare at some zoom positions, but generally handles side light well. In this regard, there are no complaints about either the lens or the matrix (for example, unlike Fuji).
If you really want, you can “steam” any lens, and even more so a zoom lens. That's why I found him in such fortunate conditions. weakness.
The zoom on this lens is electronic; it is enough to create a slight twisting force in a certain direction on the zoom ring and the lens will work. I prefer “manual” zoom lenses. In particular, also because this uses up the battery quite a lot (which, by the way, is also warned about in the camera manual). Accordingly, “manual zoom” here is also electric and does nothing to save you from wasting precious electricity.
Well, people... They knew that the battery capacity would be greatly lacking, but they also installed only an electric zoom, getting away with a line in the manual with a warning...
Battery operation
This is the camera's weakest point. Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II. I went on a trip with one battery because... I left very quickly, and the camera was not mine.
Today, when buying a mirrorless camera, do not forget to buy a suitcase of batteries for it. I’m exaggerating, but you definitely need to buy 3 batteries right away.
Otherwise, instead of fully filming interesting scenes, your trip will turn into a fight for current leakage.
I'll start by saying that I usually use a Canon 5D mark II SLR camera with a battery grip. It happens from time to time that I forget to charge it and I manage to shoot a photo shoot with the remaining charge. Remembering the 1D series camera I previously used, this does not surprise me at all and I consider it normal.
I've never forgotten to charge my mirrorless camera Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II, but the sockets in the rented apartment were loose and the children touched the plug. As a result, upon arriving at the area, when I gasped at the beauty of the picture that opened to me and reached for the camera, the camera cheerfully flashed the message “The battery is low.”
I had no words. We drove for an hour to this place in the heat to be left alone with the opening landscape, without a camera. Only a landscape photographer can understand me.
What have I done? I shot panoramas on iPhone 4S, as well as I could. After which I posted a photo in a group on Facebook and invited everyone there (I needed to raise money for a trip to this place). Those who wanted to shared the cost of the trip with me and everything turned out to be feasible.
It’s a paradox, but my phone saved me. That's why on my next trip I took with me not only Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II, which I double-checked 10 times in terms of battery charge (There’s also a catch here, one missing piece on the battery icon means almost completely discharged. That is, there are only two states of the battery indicator: the camera is fully charged and the camera is completely discharged. Try to determine the current charge with using intuition or cosmic energy, if you are a real Jedi), but also a fully charged phone with a powerbank socket and a Canon IXUS point-and-shoot camera, which I usually use for underwater photography.
desert set
— GPS Garmin 60 CSx
- “kangaroo” because during the day it is very hot, and in the evening it can be very cold and windy
- light filters of all kinds, of which the most useful is a polarizer
— cleaning kit for photo optics from Carl Zeiss
— 80cm reflector from Falcon Eyes (for portraits)
— Canon IXUS digital point-and-shoot camera (just in case)
— a powerful flashlight (1800 lumens, everyone was very impressed in the evening, when it quickly got dark. We can say that it became the salvation of the whole group that time)
— manfrotto pixi tripod (a useful and lightweight thing, especially in the dark. Well, for selfies too :))
— KATA backpack (for all occasions. In this case, I put a desert stone there, wrapped in plastic. Otherwise it was very easy :))
Results
Based on the results, I can say that the camera Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II It turned out to be quite decent and I didn’t regret taking it with me. Yes, it could have been better taken with a DSLR camera, especially with the same one Canon 5Ds or something with a high pixel density and high overall resolution. It was possible to shoot better on a Sony A7 II, A7R, A7R II with a lens ZEISS Batis 25/2(and you will also need ZEISS Batis 85/1.8 for a portrait!).
But such solutions would be much more expensive and at that time I did not have them. Yes, and the goal was specific - to test the camera Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II, kindly provided to me by Alexey Litvin, for which I thank him very much!
By the way, he's selling his Canon 1D mark IV, so whoever needs it, contact me, I’ll pass it on to him.
In terms of noise Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II It is relatively noisy, so it is advisable to use it in sunny weather. The stabilizer in the camera works well. Maybe on Sony A7 II better (according to my feelings), but it’s not bad here either!
Lens I would like Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II I didn’t take it. The “whale” zoom is more than enough and you are unlikely to see anything fundamentally new on the super-fix from Olympus. And here the most useful focal lengths are already closed: 25mm (landscape) and 85mm (portrait).
Something else to pay attention to is the flash. The built-in flash is very weak. I strongly recommend getting some kind of good off-camera flash, perhaps from Canon and run it using a radio synchronizer ( Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II allows you to do this). If you also get a folding softbox 60x60cm, then wonderful portraits from nature are “in your pocket.”
I was surprised by such a voluminous instruction manual for the camera - as much as 167 pages! I barely mastered it and only for the sake of the review (so as not to miss any important function). This is another strange thing about this camera... A camera for book lovers :)
OK it's all over Now. We are staying with you for the winter! :)
And we say hello to all the Dahab residents who will be celebrating New Year in Egypt!
a rare frame cut from a video shot on a phone - I’m taking pictures
P.S. Who can guess what fruit/vegetable is in the photo? :)
Bonus - source files from Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II
Are there built-in “image enhancers” in the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II
I took one of my photos taken at ISO 800 (I rarely shoot at such a high ISO) in the format RAW, opened it in Adobe Camera Raw and set all settings to zero. There is no contrast from the converter, no sharpening or noise reduction.
I opened the same RAW file in RAWDigger and saved Tiff. Opened it in Adobe Photoshop and attached to the first open file. This is what happened.
New system camera Olympus OM-D E-M1 uses a Micro Four Thirds format sensor (17.3mm x 13mm). The model is compatible with optics ZUIKO Four Thirds And M.ZUIKO Micro Four Thirds. However, to use Zuiko Four Thirds lenses, you will have to resort to the MMF-3 adapter. The camera supports autofocus. It turns out to be quite an impressive fleet of optics; with the E-M1 you can choose from 89 lenses. Olympus also introduced the waterproof and frost-resistant HLD-7 battery pack, released specifically for this camera.
The Olympus E-M1 has Dual fast AF. The optimal autofocus method is determined automatically by the camera and depends on the lens used. The camera uses 37-point phase detection autofocus when using Four Thirds lenses. If you use Micro Four Thirds lenses, the camera will select 81-point contrast autofocus.
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 was designed from the ground up to meet the needs of both amateurs and pros. The camera is far ahead of the competition when it comes to style and design. The design of the E-M1 is more reminiscent of a DSLR than a mirrorless one. It has a fairly similar design to the E-M5 with its metal body, viewfinder shape and straight lines, but there are significant differences.
The E-M1 has much greater grip, providing improved ergonomics when mounting large, heavy lenses. The E-M5 has little grip. Users with larger hands will appreciate the difference. The camera has a large number of quick access buttons: a button for adjusting white balance, a dial for HDR, for exposure compensation, two multifunction buttons for metering mode, an AEL / AFL button for selecting an AF point and a video recording button. The Fn1 function key is located on a ridge in the upper right corner, easy to reach with your right thumb.
The E-M1 is decidedly different in design from the E-5. It looks like a well-designed, next-generation semi-pro camera. The OM-D E-M1 is also splash, dust and cold temperature resistant. This makes it ideal for outdoor photography. You can shoot with it in temperatures down to -10 degrees Celsius, as well as in rain, snow, mud or dusty environments.
The new E-M1 camera is equipped with a newly developed, 16 megapixel Live MOS image sensor. Olympus continues to stick with 16MP resolution as this is the sweet spot for excellent image detail at high ISO performance. The new sensor provides an ISO range of 100 to 25600 with the ability to change sensitivity in 1/3EV and full 1EV increments. As we mentioned, the new Live MOS sensor also features high-speed autofocus (contrast and phase detection) for improved AF performance.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 received electronic viewfinder with 2360000 resolution, 1.48x zoom, 100% coverage and 29ms refresh rate. 0.74x magnification at 35mm equiv. close to the size of a full-frame DSLR viewfinder, even larger than the Canon EOS-1D X. Viewfinder availability and performance certainly plays an important role for enthusiasts and professional photographers when purchasing a new camera. It allows you to compose a frame in a more convenient way and change parameters without taking your eyes off the subject.
The short time lag of image display, only 29ms, makes it possible to compose a frame almost in real time. The problem with many electronic viewfinders is that there is a noticeable lag in the frame display time. This results in the photographer pressing the shutter button too late and therefore not getting the result he expected. In the new camera, you see in real time through the viewfinder what is happening in the frame.
At the rear of the E-1 you can find a 3-inch rotatable (up to 80 degrees) touchscreen display with a high resolution of 1037K dots. The screen provides various additional functions, including touch shutter, touch extension and touch Live Guide. You can use it to navigate through camera settings and options, apply filters, and when viewing your photo gallery.
Other interesting features include: . In particular, we highlight the IS-Auto function. Continuous shooting at 10 fps is reduced up to 6.5 frames in C-AF. E-M1 also received built-in Wi-Fi module, which provides additional functionality, including the ability to shoot remotely and directly transfer photos and videos to a mobile device, be it a smartphone, tablet or other Wi-Fi compatible file storage device. You can also use a Wi-Fi connection to read GPS information from your phone. Connecting your smartphone to the E-M1 camera is done using a simple OI. Share apps and by scanning QR codes.
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 was designed to appeal to amateur and professional photographers who prefer system cameras. There are many users who shoot with Four Thirds cameras and Olympus wants to bring them under one roof. This way, the manufacturer can focus 100% of its efforts on the M4/3 format. This is especially important now, as digital cameras, including mirrorless cameras, are losing market share to smartphones.
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 offers many tools for experimenting in camera: graphic filters, two HDR modes, artistic filters, bracketing (ISO, exposure, white balance, flash, artistic filters). And also Photostroy, that is, a collage that tells a story using several images in one frame.
The E-M1 can record 1080p30 Full HD video in MOV or AVI file format with stereo sound. This isn't the E-M1's strong point, as other Micro Four Thirds cameras like the Panasonic Lumix GH3 have much better tools for video enthusiasts. E-M5 focuses on providing advanced photography tools.
So, The new E-M1 camera is characterized by: rugged body, improved ergonomics and handling, large viewfinder, rotating touch display, plenty of buttons for quick access to popular camera settings, 1/8000 sec shutter speed, extra battery pack, Wi-Fi and a sophisticated Dual Fast AF focusing system. All this should provide advanced photographers with all the tools that will help them create great images, even when shooting in difficult weather conditions.
Comparison of Olympus OM-D E-M1 and E-M5
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 is a very impressive camera, that's for sure. However, I believe many of you will want to know what the differences are between the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and the new camera. The E-M1 doesn't replace the E-M5, and we'll be looking at them side-by-side in the Olympus Micro Four Thirds camera lineup.
As the market shrinks, competition between manufacturers becomes even fiercer. Olympus certainly has an advantage over Nikon and Canon in this segment. This company has done everything to create a camera that will beat the competition. The only manufacturer that can compete with Olympus here is Panasonic, which also has its own line of Micro Four Thirds cameras.
In the following table we will compare the features of E-M1 and E-M5. Pay attention to those characteristics that matter most to your business.
Size comparison between Olympus OM-D E-M5 and OM-D E-M1
Comparison table with characteristics of OM-D E-M1 and OM-D E-M5
OM-D E-M1 |
OM-D E-M5 |
|
Announced | September 10, 2013 | February 9, 2012 |
Lens compatibility |
|
|
Housing material | magnesium alloy | magnesium alloy |
Both cameras have a durable magnesium alloy body and are dust and splash resistant. But the new model can also shoot in temperatures down to -10°C, as it has a frost-resistant design. The E-M1 has a more ergonomic handle and offers more buttons and dials for quick and easy access to popular functions. Due to the larger size of this camera, it better stabilizes the weight of large optics. |
||
Sensor |
|
|
The E-M1 uses a newly developed sensor. The E-M5 has an older generation sensor. The new sensor has built-in focus sensors, so the camera has high-speed autofocus (contrast + phase detection). |
||
Image Processor | TruePic VII | TruePic VI |
ISO range | from 100 to 25600 | from 200 to 25600 |
Built-in stabilization system | 5-axis image stabilization | 5-axis image stabilization |
Both cameras have built-in 5-axis stabilization, but the E-M1 has an IS-Auto mode that provides additional benefits. The camera detects panning and automatically compensates for movement. | ||
Autofocus assist lamp | There is | There is |
Contrast AF points | 81 | 35 |
LCD display |
|
|
The new camera has a higher screen resolution. | ||
Viewfinder |
|
|
The electronic viewfinder in the new camera is larger and has much higher resolution compared to the E-M5. It provides you with almost the same settings and functionality that you will find in full-frame DSLR cameras. |
||
Shutter speed | 60-1/8000 sec | 60-1/4000 sec |
The E-M1 has a higher shutter speed, which will allow you to freeze fast-moving objects. | ||
Built-in flash | No | No |
Flash sync speed X | 1/320 sec | 1/250 sec |
Continuous shooting (maximum speed) | 10 fps | 9 fps |
Exposure compensation | ±5 frames (in steps of 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV) | ±3 frames (1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV increments) |
Exposure bracketing | ±2 frames (2, 3, 5, 7 frames in increments of 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV) | ±2 frames (2, 3, 5, 7 frames in increments of 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV) |
White balance bracketing | 3 frames in 2, 4, 6 steps | 3 frames in 2, 4, 6 steps |
Video recording | Full HD 30 fps | Full HD 60 fps |
Wireless connection | built-in Wi-Fi module | via compatible Eye-Fi cards |
Battery Endurance (CIPA) | 350 frames | 360 frames |
Interval recording | yes (up to 999 frames with an interval between frames from 1 second to 24 hours) | No |
Dimensions | 130 x 94 x 63 mm | 122 x 89 x 42 mm |
Weight | 497 g | 495 g |
(module Yandex direct (7))
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 has the following advantages over the E-M5:
Improved ergonomics, convenient button placement and greater hand grip on the camera body;
More buttons for quick access to popular camera settings;
Frost-resistant design;
A much larger and higher-resolution electronic viewfinder that automatically adjusts screen brightness to match ambient lighting;
Higher screen resolution;
Phase autofocus along with contrast (Dual-fast AF);
New improved sensor;
Next-Gen image processor;
Base ISO 100;
Shorter excerpts;
Faster X sync speed;
Higher burst speed;
More flexible exposure compensation;
Built-in Wi-Fi;
Advanced TimeLapse (interval shooting) options;
Improved built-in stabilization system (improved algorithms and new IS-Auto mode);
More filter effects;
Two options HDR shooting;
New HLD-7 battery grip, protected from dust, splashes and low temperatures.
Both cameras are equipped with a connector for connecting an external stereo microphone, which improves the sound quality of recorded video.
(module Yandex direct (9))
Conclusion
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 will be available starting October 2013 with an estimated retail price of $1,400 (body only).
The E-M1 is much more expensive than the E-M5, but it provides photographers with improved functionality. The new viewfinder certainly adds a lot of appeal to this camera. It gives you essentially the same experience you would get with a full-frame DSLR. I think the long list of advantages of the E-M1 over the E-M5 is worth the extra cost you'll incur if you choose it.
It's great that Olympus created this camera because now E-5 and E-M5 owners have an option to upgrade the camera. Previously, photographers shooting with the E-M5 had no alternative to upgrade to something better in Olympus' mirrorless lineup.
The new camera really leaves a good impression. Advanced enthusiasts will love its new design and improved functionality over the E-M5, but of course at the expense of portability. In general, system cameras support the achievements of DSLRs, but in a more compact body. The E-M1 certainly isn't the most compact camera, but that's the trade-off you make to get better performance and image quality, a larger viewfinder, and improved ergonomics. You will appreciate its dimensions when you install relatively large and heavy lenses. The large dimensions of the camera help stabilize the weight of the optics.
If you're looking for a professional-level system camera, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 is worth a look. The E-M5 is still one of the best-looking mirrorless cameras on the market, but many users have been disappointed with its autofocus performance. The new camera improves on this feature, but the E-M1 is a stills camera. It won't blow you away with its video recording functionality. Therefore, if you shoot video a lot and enjoy it, then it is better to look at Panasonic cameras.
I bought my first digital camera in 2002, a couple of months after moving to Moscow. At that time, decent photographers did not yet take “digital” seriously, but I was really sad with film. After my first acquaintance in 1999 with a simple Epson camera, the sensor resolution of which was as much as one megapixel, I realized that this was for me. Unfortunately, at that time my desires did not yet coincide with my possibilities, but as soon as they came closer, I immediately began to choose a digital camera.
For some time I looked closely at a Fuji “soap dish” with a mind-blowing matrix resolution (as much as 4 megapixels!), but Evgeny Kozlovsky said that soap dishes are for suckers, and only DSLRs are the choice of serious guys. I trusted Kozlovsky, and eventually bought an Olympus Camedia C-2500L. At that time (spring 2002) it had been on sale for three years, and it was not a special miracle of technology. But it cost about $700. At that time it was very humane.
What can you say now, 14 years later, about the quality of shooting on a quasi-DSLR with a 2.5 megapixel matrix? Yes, smartphones take better pictures now. But then for me personally it was like a breakthrough into another dimension. And the card with a capacity of as much as 64 megabytes seemed almost endless.
But after a year, I began to miss the capabilities of the C-2500L. I sold it to my friend Yura, whose camera worked happily for many more years, and I myself bought an Olympus Camedia E-10. And now that was really cool. “Ten” captured reality so deftly and beautifully that even after a decade I am very pleased to look at many of the shots. There were quite a few of them filmed – many thousands. And for work, and on trips, and for the soul. I really liked that the camera and I had the same ideas about beauty. I confess, I have never been a hardcore photographer, and I still prefer to use automatic modes. No, if it presses, then, of course, I will set everything up as it should be. But it’s better, of course, to just press a button – and it will be beautiful. So this is exactly what happened on the E-10. In automatic mode, she filmed exactly the way I liked. How I would set it up myself.
But the years passed. After the not very successful E-20 model, some fermentation and tossing began in the Olympus camp, but Canon and Nikon, on the contrary, made significant progress. And when the time came to upgrade the camera, my colleagues at Computerra convinced me to take the Nikon D70. I can't say that I didn't like the camera at all. After all, she shot in RAW, a format that allows many flaws to be corrected after the fact. But in automatic mode the result was not at all what I wanted. And in the first months after parting with E-10, it was terribly uncomfortable. Then I got used to where to go. But the memory of the camera with which we lived in complete harmony remained.
I won’t describe all my cameras, I’ll get to the main thing. In the fall of 2014, Alex Axler asked me to take an Olympus OM-D E-M1 camera to Moscow. And he said that if I want, I can take pictures with it.
I flew home, inserted a card into the camera, took a few pictures... and was stunned. The same feeling returned as ten years ago with the E-10. The camera “saw” the world exactly the same way as I did. But, of course, it has become an order of magnitude better - faster, more convenient, more accurate in details. I had no plans to change the camera. At that time, we were quite happy with the Sony RX100, a completely unique device, after meeting which I sold the Nikon D90 DSLR and thought that I had completely stopped carrying a camera with me, which was very different in size from a pack of cigarettes.
But, after shooting with the OM-D E-M1, I realized that the harmony with the RX100 had come to an end. Over the years, I began to take less and less photographs, as they say, for the soul, and much more for work. Typical Scenario- go somewhere, take 300-400 frames within a couple of days, select 50 of them and use them in a report written on the spot. At exhibitions and conferences, few people think about the correct lighting at stands. More precisely, sometimes it seems to me that people try to make the work of photographers as difficult as possible. Decorate everything with some creepy neon, darken the areas where new products are located, cover them with the most reflective glass in the world. All this is treated in Photoshop. And if you shoot in RAW, it is treated almost without traces. But it takes a lot of time. When you, having traveled a couple of tens of kilometers around the exhibition, write a text in the issue, then select those same 40-50 frames, and then treat almost every one of them... Well, you usually finish at two o’clock in the morning, of course. But then you react with some nervousness to questions - how is Las Vegas? How's London? Hell knows how. I didn't see them.
But the E-M1 shot right away, as it should. And I even recorded lens profiles in the RAW files themselves, which eliminated the need to correct optical distortions (all zooms have them, regardless of price). And the white balance was correct. And she focused instantly. And wonderfully blurred the background.
In general, E-M1 left me, but the longing for it remained. I looked at how much they were selling it for, and it seemed a little expensive. I needed a version with the Olympus ED 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro lens, where the 2.8 aperture is maintained throughout the entire focal length range. It was precisely this combination that provided such pleasing results. But investing a hundred thousand rubles at once...
I decided to try the Sony a6000 camera, which in May 2015 was sold in the States at a wonderful discount in honor of Mother’s Day. Mom photographers were probably wildly delighted. With two lenses it cost me about 45 thousand rubles.
It's a good camera, no doubt about it. Probably, if I hadn’t tried the E-M1, I would have rented it and praised it. But still, the difference with Olympus was so noticeable that after a month and a half I sold the a6000 and took the kit version of the OM-D E-M1 with the correct lens. The last straw that forced me to make a decision was the lack of an input for a standard microphone on the a6000. At that time, I was seriously planning to write videos on an industrial scale, and I absolutely did not smile at buying some kind of hellish design instead of an existing normal microphone.
And since June 2015, I’ve been shooting with Olympus again.
Why do I love the Olympus E-M1?
You can, of course, write “for everything” and put an end to it. But this will not be very polite to the reader, although it will be honest. I'll tell you in more detail.
This model belongs to the class of mirrorless cameras. The first representatives of this tribe did not do anything special, but gradually they learned to shoot no worse than SLR cameras of a similar price range with much more compact dimensions. Yes, I’ll say right away that tough guys and girls who think everything with an incomplete frame is garbage should not read further. Full frame, no doubt, a great thing. And if you a) can afford it, b) can fully use its capabilities and c) are ready to carry the body itself and suitable lenses with you, respect and respect to you. No, seriously, I understand perfectly well that you can achieve more with full frame. But for my needs and, I’m afraid, capabilities as a photographer, buying a full-frame camera is a waste of money.
There is one more... piquant moment. I recently talked with a really good photographer who has a full arsenal of professional equipment. And he complained that he often had to carry a large camera with him solely to appease customers. They judge a photographer solely by the size of the camera and lens, and if the dimensions are not impressive, they begin to be indignant. By the way, I encountered this somewhat when I was driving with the RX100. You take pictures of some exhibits at the stand, and the employees politely clarify: they say, shouldn’t they send you normal photographs later, otherwise nothing sensible will come out of this fart.
True, there was another case. About a year and a half ago I photographed Noel Lee, the owner of Monster, and asked him not to be surprised by the size of the camera. And he responded - why be surprised, she’s great, I have one myself. And he took the RX100 out of his pocket.
Noel Lee with an Olympus E-M1 lens. The darkness in the hall is pitch black.
But we digress. The E-M1 uses a 4/3 MOS sensor developed by Panasonic. It is relatively small in area - almost one and a half times smaller than APS-C, not to mention Full Frame. The laws of physics have not been repealed. But in digital photography, it’s not just the size of the sensor that matters, but also how the lens is designed for it. And also the quality of software algorithms. The example has already set my teeth on edge that in smartphones from other manufacturers, Sony photo modules for some reason take much better pictures than in Xperia... The sensor resolution is 16 megapixels, which is not a record in modern times, but this figure is not critical to me at all. Anything over 10 megapixels is already more than is actually needed.
The E-M1 came out in 2013, and Olympus has been continuously improving it ever since. At the end of 2015, the fourth version of the firmware was released, which added a number of really useful things. For example, macro photography with eight focusing points at once, from which you can then choose one to suit your taste. I mention this at the beginning of the story about the camera to emphasize 2 things. The first is that despite its considerable age in modern times, the company does not forget about it and continues to improve it. Well, right now I looked into the firmware section and discovered a completely new firmware, released on February 4th. The second point is that the performance reserve of the E-M1 is so large that even years later it allows you to add resource-intensive functions. In 2013, when the camera first came out, it became a real breakthrough and received a bunch of prestigious awards. But even now it is absolutely modern. And I haven’t yet come up with any features that would be important to me and that wouldn’t be in it.
So - about what is important to me.
An absolutely necessary thing in a modern camera is Wi-Fi support. It allows you not only to download photos to your laptop if you forgot to place a card reader in the latter, but also, more importantly, provides quick synchronization with a smartphone or tablet. The Olympus E-M1 excels here: it has a convenient application for iOS and Android, through which you can send finished images to your phone/tablet and use the latter as a wireless viewfinder. Now, during incendiary presentations, I can take high-quality photos and instantly send them to the editor or post them on Facebook. Taking pictures directly with a smartphone is not an option: in the twilight, even the best models cope so-so, and optical zoom V mobile devices still rare.
The second useful thing is HDR support. When you shoot against a light source (alas, sometimes you have to), without HDR too many details are lost. There are two HDR modes on the E-M1, Basic and Advanced. In both cases, the camera takes a series of photographs at different shutter speeds, and then, based on them, prepares something like an arithmetic average. The result differs in quality and time required for shooting.
The third thing I really like is the large touch viewfinder with a rotating mechanism. That is, of course, I mostly look through the peephole, but if I have to hold the camera above my head, the screen is very helpful. There, at the same time, you can select a focus point and even immediately take a picture with it. When viewing, photos on the screen are scrolled through, as on a smartphone screen, using gestures.
Five-axis optical stabilization is built into the body itself, which means that the camera owner has the opportunity to save on lenses. Without much hope, I bought an inexpensive M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40‑150mm 1: 4.0‑5.6 R (from 10 thousand rubles in Moscow), and suddenly discovered that it can be used at maximum zoom to shoot clear frames with a relatively low shutter speed. Yes, in terms of clarity it is still inferior to the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12–40mm 1: 2.8 PRO, but it’s not for nothing that this masterpiece costs about 50 thousand. An aperture of 2.8 across the entire range in combination with lightning-fast autofocus is, I tell you, just some kind of miracle. I’m not a fan of carrying several “glasses” with me and changing them while working, so I was tempted to pick up a universal ultrasonic. But for now, the ED 12–40mm 1:2.8 PRO picture keeps me from experimenting. Masterpiece! It also has an interesting feature - with one movement of your hand you can switch between automatic and manual focusing.
The Olympus E-M1 allows you to photograph important people from a safe distance.
With the first versions of the firmware, the E-M1 was eating up the battery. Alex Axler's review says that there were enough frames for 200. Now this has been fixed: I won't lie, I didn't specifically count it, but one charge is definitely enough for 400-450 frames. An incident happened to me in January: I flew to CES, the first day I furiously took pictures from morning to evening, on the second day I also clicked heartily, but somewhere around lunchtime the icon blinked - they say the battery is running low, I need to charge it. And then I discovered that I had forgotten the charger at home... In the surrounding stores there was nothing suitable for a reasonable price, and I somehow didn’t like paying 70 dollars. And I went to the Olympus stand. He explained the situation and asked to help out. I thought they would just charge my battery. But instead, the bearded guy took his copy of the E-M1 out of his bag, pulled out the battery and gave it to me. I shot with it until the end of the exhibition, taking a total of 932 frames. And the second battery at that time still retained 30 percent charge. So consider it. Yes, I note that I shot in RAW, and in JPEG the energy consumption is less.
The video shoots wonderfully. IN new firmware added variable frame rate and such a professional thing as synchronization with a linear PCM recorder. The built-in microphone records sound very decently, but connecting a lapel, thanks to the presence of a connector, is not a problem at all. The only point is that when shooting at maximum quality, you need a fast memory card. Having been burned by slow ones, I now use Kingston SDA3 with a maximum write speed of 80 MB/s. She is all right.
Total
You know, I'm probably not the coolest photographer. My daughter shoots much better. What is important to me is not so much the artistic value of the frame, but its information content. And also the ability to instantly capture some situations, scenes that exist in a matter of seconds. I also regularly shoot reports about people and devices.
In this sense, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 is ideal: if I consciously pressed the shutter button, the frame will be of high quality. Of course, if I start shooting without a flash of a hare rushing across a field in pitch darkness, I’m unlikely to get anything good. But even in the twilight I can film my very fast-moving children by hand, and it turns out well.
Such collages can be made directly using E-M1.
The magnesium alloy body with dust and moisture protection will allow you not to worry too much if you misplace your backpack or get caught in the rain with your camera. By the way, I apologize that there is a lot of dust on the portraits of the camera itself: it doesn’t interfere with the work, but when you fly and cover a good 70 thousand miles together, a lot of things don’t settle.
Is the E-M1 the best mirrorless camera in the world? I have no idea. But it's definitely the best camera I've ever owned. Satellite camera. Camera assistant. I understand that miracles do not happen. But it’s a shame that she wasn’t with me ten years ago. Some photographs with technical defects caused by the technical limitations of that time, which I keep as documents of their time, could be shown to others.
Photo at sunset. As they say, “no filters”
Personally, the only thing I miss about the camera is automatic panorama shooting. They can be easily stitched together later from several shots, but once you get used to this function on Sony, it’s difficult to get out of the habit. At the same time, panoramas are now perfectly captured by smartphones, so if you suddenly need one urgently, there are no problems.
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One of the few professional food photographers, Sergei Martyakhin, tested the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II.took a series of mouth-watering pictures and talked about his experience in our new review.
Do you have assistants whom you can trust more than yourself (you will understand what I mean later)? I'm not talking about commercial shooting in a studio, where assistants, designers and other necessary specialists will quickly help you shoot, process and deliver a super picture to the client. I'm talking about creativity. Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II allows me to create and receive desired results away from the studio and away from the computer.
I'm a commercial photographer who specializes in food photography, still life photography, product photography - all of what I call "real estate". My hobbies are an extension of my business (or vice versa), I continue to shoot outside the studio walls.
F 9, 1/4 sec, ISO 500, 24 mm (35 mm equiv.)
F 8, 1/13 s, ISO 250, 46 mm (35 mm eq.) |
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II combines an advanced, user-friendly camera with unprecedented, fantastic in-camera processing capabilities. The latter caught my attention even more than the camera itself, which everyone praises. I am sure that after my short story you will find in Olympus everything that you dreamed of before, but did not find in other cameras.
I will dwell only on some of the functions that help me in my work and creativity.
Live composite is a small miracle of a photography mode, no one else has anything like it. The camera remembers the light pattern of the frame and allows you to add changes in the shadows at any exposure duration in this mode. You can complement the plot with “strokes” of Light Brush when shooting still lifes, food photography, product photography, interior photography, etc.; you can see the picture changing before your eyes. At the same time, you can bring the plot to perfection for as long as you like or start all over again, giving the plot other accents. As a side note to my description, you can use this mode to shoot Freeze Light while drawing or outlining just about anything. You can complement flash photography with neat lighting or highlights in dark places. The only limitation is your imagination.
F 6.3, 2 s, ISO 64, 76 mm (35 mm eq.)
A very striking illustration of this shooting mode is the ability to collect all the lightning or all the fireworks in one frame.
BK by focus (in camera 5 different modes bracketing) allows you to make up to 999 takes with a given step. The camera shoots these takes very quickly from the most possible foreground to infinity. You get a series (JPEG and RAW), which, after stitching in the program, allows you to get the maximum possible depth of field. In this case, there is no need for expensive and limited Tilt-Shift lenses. This mode is used not only in landscape, architectural and interior photography, but also in jewelry photography, food photography, and product photography.
And as a natural continuation for Olympus in this mode - “stacking”.
“Stacking” is the ability of the camera to independently shoot and stitch together 8 takes of focus, giving you a ready-made JPEG. A sharp-framed scene is obtained in a few seconds, significantly reducing the time for shooting and assembling the final image. Commercial photographers who shoot jewelry, objects, etc. have long appreciated this opportunity, which other camera manufacturers do not have. I will add that this mode works with both pulsed light and constant sources. The shooting speed of 8 takes is very fast, which, with excellent Olympus stabilization, allows you to take photographs even handheld.
Pro Capture. I use this mode for filming fast-moving processes, for example, “pouring.” The camera allows you to take and capture the best shot by starting to shoot in half-press mode until the shutter is released.
These high-speed capabilities can be supplemented by shooting up to 60 fps in RAW.
One of the great things about our photography is the ability to get a super HD file of 50 megapixels in size.
F 5, 2.5 sec, ISO 320, 24 mm (35 mm equiv.) |
F 2.8, 1/125 s, ISO 250, 56 mm (35 mm eq.) |
LiveTime mode allows you to control the duration of exposure on the monitor screen.
In your work, you can use the HDR mode with the ability to shoot 4 frames with different exposures and automatic frame composition.
The format of the article does not allow us to talk about such important camera functions as combined photography, touchscreen and art filters, but, summing up, I can say one thing: for my work personally, the Olympus OMD EM1 Mark II is excellent, and I will be glad if my admiration The features of this camera, which I fell in love with, will also serve you for the joy of creativity and decent income.
Specifications Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II |
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Matrix | LiveMOS sensor with a resolution of 20 megapixels |
Permission | High resolution mode 50 megapixels (JPEG) and 80 (RAW) |
ISO range | 64 - 25 600 |
Shutter speed range | 1/32000 - 60 s |
Continuous shooting | 15 fps continuous shooting speed with mechanical shutter 18 fps continuous shooting speed in C-AF mode 60 fps continuous shooting speed in S-AF mode |
Video | Video recording in DCI 4K format with a stream of up to 236 Mbps |
Dimensions | 134.1×90.9×68.9 mm |
Additionally | dust and moisture protection, two cards |
CPU | TruPic VIII |
First acquaintance, review, preliminary test
“The updated OM-D E-M5 Mark II transforms the award-winning camera into a powerful tool for creative reportage photography and video.”
“With its unique stabilization system and rugged, compact design, even the most demanding videographers can easily shoot outdoor video handheld, without the need for additional heavy equipment and without worrying about noise, blur, or low light.”
“...not to mention the 40-megapixel composite shooting feature.”
“Even in low light and when using a vibration-enhancing telephoto lens, the 5-axis stabilization system ensures every shot is sharp. This applies to both stills and video, both delivering higher image quality than heavy, clunky DSLR cameras.”
Some articles in our section begin with the words of the manufacturer. This is not hidden or overt advertising. This is a reason to meet the camera “by its clothes”, as the manufacturer presents it. And then, as you get to know the heroine of the test or preliminary test, gradually become convinced of how true or not too true the first impression was. Consider that this is how we open the box.
Then we open the camera description on the characteristics page. Moreover, we find on this page a comparative table of three models of the OM-D series - the predecessor of the E-M5, the E-M5 Mark II itself and the flagship of the E-M1 series.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 | Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II | Olympus OM-D E-M1 |
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Announcement date | February 8, 2012 | February 5, 2015 | September 10, 2013 |
Frame | Magnesium alloy | ||
Protection | Water/dust | Water / dust / frost (up to −10 °C) | |
Matrix | 16 MP Four Thirds Live MOC | 16 MP *
Four Thirds Live MOC | 16 MP Four Thirds Live MOC |
Sensitivity | ISO 100 ** - 25 600 | ||
Autofocus | Contrasting, 35 zones | Contrast, 81 zones, with tracking capability | Phase and contrast, 37 zones |
Exposure metering | Multi-segment, 324 zones | ||
Stabilizer | Optical, 5-axis, ≈ 4.5 steps EV | Optical, 5-axis, ≈ 5 EV steps | Optical, 5-axis, ≈ 4.5 steps EV |
Screen | 3.0 inches OLED 921,000 points folding, touch | 3.0 inches, TFT 1,040,000 points tilt-swivel, touch | 3.0 inches, TFT 1,040,000 points folding, touch |
Viewfinder | 1,040,000 points | 2,360,000 points | |
Burst speed | up to 9 fps | up to 10 fps | |
Video | 1920×1080 30p fps | 1920×1080 60p fps |
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CPU | TruePic VI | TruePic VII | |
Gate | 60 - 1/4000 s | 60 - 1/8000 s | |
Memory cards | SD/SDHC/SDX | ||
WiFi | Eye-Fi compatible | built-in module | |
GPS | No | ||
Dimensions, weight | 121×90×42 mm 425 g *** | 124×85×38 mm 496 g *** | 130×94×63 mm 497 g *** |
Price, housing | T-7857683 | ≈ 62,999 rub. | T-10498016 |
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With the possibility of composite shooting (in this mode, the matrix during exposure
makes 8 micro-movements, as a result of which it allows you to get
pictures with a resolution of 40 megapixels, 7296 × 5472 pixels).
** ISO 100 in low sensitivity mode, in normal mode - ISO 200.
*** With battery and memory card.
As you can see, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II has more in common with the flagship E-M1 than with its predecessor. In particular, this applies to price. Although the issue regarding price is not entirely simple: at the presentation it was noted that the price of the E-M5 and E-M5 Mark II in euros is the same, the E-M5 Mark II should be a painless replacement for the old model for buyers. However, in Russia the E-M5 will cost 30 thousand less - while old stocks are being sold, tied to the pre-crisis euro exchange rate. Deliveries of the E-M5 Mark II will already be tied to the new exchange rate, so here the prices of the old and new cameras will differ greatly.
Design, management, “whales”, accessories
If the camera has only been in your hands for a couple of hours, it is better not to draw final conclusions; first impressions are not always correct. But for now there are only them, the first ones, there is nothing more to share. So let's try to figure out how successful the design of the E-M5 Mark II was, with minimal data. Let's just tell you what is currently known about the camera.
If you compare the “carcasses” of the E-M5 and E-M5 Mark II, it is easy to notice that an aperture repeater has appeared to the left of the lens (bottom), and a flash synchronization connector has appeared to the left (top). In addition, frost resistance has been added, but outwardly it does not manifest itself in any way. I would really like the built-in flash to “appear”, but it doesn’t. Here Olympus falls into the sin called “cool cameras don’t need a built-in flash.” We have already discussed this sin using the examples of Nikon D750 and Canon 6D. Not in favor of the latter. |
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The camera is available not only in black, but also in silver - a tribute to another version of the classic. At least two “whales” with different lenses will be sold in Russia:
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A flip-out rotating screen is a rarity for Olympus cameras. To be honest, I don’t remember a model equipped with a folding swivel, but this is not so important. And it’s important that the manufacturer positions the E-M5 Mark II as a cool video camera. And, accordingly, the screen of a photo-video camera should have a maximum of degrees of freedom. | |
On the top of the back panel we see another functional button framed by a mode switch. The rest of the panel design is also minimalist, like that of the simple “five”, E-M5. At the top there were Play and Fn buttons, and at the bottom there was a camera on/off lever. |
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The top view is pleasantly surprising: the number of control wheels is two, the number of function buttons is four. This is great, although the question arises - how quickly can you master such a number of Fn buttons? After all, they change different parameters when scrolling the main and additional wheels. In short, the control scheme of the E-M5 Mark II is advanced. The OM-D E-M5 also had two control wheels, but only one function button. |
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But the mode dial is almost no different from the OM-D E-M5 dial. Basis: i-Auto, PASM, video, ART (effects), SCN (story programs). The only new mode is PHOTO STORY (creating collages). | |
And of course, the E-M5 Mark II provides compatibility with Olympus accessories for the OM-D series:
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- If its predecessor E-M5 was positioned in the middle of the OM-D line, then the E-M5 Mark II is very close to the flagship E-M1 in terms of capabilities and price.
- In some respects, the E-M5 Mark II even surpasses the flagship - it is equipped with a more movable screen, a more advanced stabilizer, and is lighter. But where it definitely loses to the E-M1 is in ergonomics and the convenience of the case. However, it is very difficult to compete with the E-M1 here; its body is fantastically comfortable. This is not just my opinion, a dozen photographers I know who own the E-M1 or have tested this camera share the same opinion. As for the ergonomics of the E-M5 Mark II, it is simply good, wonderful, like many other cameras. This can be said after the first meeting. After a week or two weeks of testing, your opinion may change.
Olympus OM-D EM-5 Mark II and competitors | ||||||
Fujifilm X-E2 | Fujifilm X-T1 | Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 | Sony Alpha 7 |
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Matrix | 16 MP APS-C CMOS BSI | 16 MP APS-C CMOS BSI | 16 MP Four Thirds Live MOS | 16 MP Four Thirds Live MOS | 24 MP Full Frame CMOS |
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Sensitivity | 200 - 6400 up to 25,600 * | 200 - 6400 up to 51,200 * | 200 - 25 600 | 125 - 3200 up to 25,600 * | 50 - 25 600 | |
Display | 3″ TFT 1 040 000 fixed | 3″ TFT 1 040 000 folding | 3″ TFT 1 040 000 | 3″ OLED 614 000 folding, rotating, touch | 3″ TFT 921 000 folding |
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Viewfinder | OLED 2 360 000 | OLED 2 360 000 | TFT 2 360 000 | OLED 1 744 000 | OLED 1 359 000 |
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Stabilizer | No | No | optic 5-axis | No | No | |
Continuous shooting | 7 fps | 8 fps | 10 fps | 20 fps | 5 fps | |
Video | 1920×1080 60p | 1920×1080 60p | 1920×1080 60p | 1920×1080 60p | 1920×1080 60p |
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Dimensions, weight | 129 × 75 × 37 350 g | 129 × 75 × 37 440 g | 129 × 90 × 47 496 g | 124×85×38 550 g | 133 × 93 × 82 470 g |
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Approximate price | T-10548231 | T-10687078 | Reference point. RUB 62,999 | T-8459250 | T-10542303 |
* - in advanced mode.
Presentation of Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
As already mentioned, my acquaintance with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II is still sketchy - although at the presentation I was able to thoroughly “touch” the camera, the acquaintance lasted only a couple of hours. This is not enough time for a stable reasonable opinion to be created. All this time you are thinking about one thing - how to take test shots not in the laboratory, but in an unfamiliar room? So now it’s not me who will talk about the camera’s features, but Olympus representatives. Perhaps, as the story progresses, I will be able to add something sane. First, about the market and target audience. Yes, by the way, the presentation slides can be enlarged (click) if desired.
Reference: ILC (Interchangeable-Lens Cameras) is a common set of DSLRs (DCLRs) and mirrorless cameras or “system cameras” (CSCs). According to Olympus, the ILC market shows the following trend:
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The share of Olympus mirrorless cameras has grown from 10% to 15% (approximately) over the past two years. I won't comment on these numbers because:
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Olympus doesn't make cameras for everyone. Each model has its own target audience. As for mirrorless cameras, which Olympus prefers to call “system cameras” (CSC - Compact System Cameras), they are divided into two groups. The PEN series cameras are considered "female" cameras, while the OM-D series are considered "male" cameras. |
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On the other hand, OM-D E-M5 Mark II is a representative of the “middle class”. In the sense that the flagship E-M1 is aimed at professionals or super-enthusiastic amateurs, the E-M10 is aimed at successful people who are passionate about photography. And the E-M5 and E-M5 Mark II are for enthusiast photographers. This is the “middle class”. | |
On the third hand, photo enthusiasts, in a more precise form, this is:
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Now we understand the “sauce” under which the OM-D E-M5 Mark II appears on the market, and we can move on to the features of the camera itself. At the same time, we would like to voice the following point: in this article, our comments are terse and not particularly critical. You can adhere to the position “in a theoretical dispute I will defeat everyone” and end up with a multi-page battle, like those that sometimes unfold on our forum. But we adhere to a much simpler position - we develop sane tests, test cameras, post materials, assessments. This is our main argument. And catching representatives of this or that company in insufficiently objective coverage of the facts is stupid. Of course, they adhere to the strategy of “telling the whole truth, nothing but the truth, but not the whole truth.” It would be funny to hear Olympus defend the position of Nikon DSLRs. Or Canon.
The OM-D E-M5 Mark II (like the E-M1 and E-M5) is equipped with a 5-axis stabilizer - which “damps” the movement of the matrix in three Cartesian dimensions and, in addition, stabilizes the rotational movements of the matrix when the optical axis moves up and down, clockwise and back. The manufacturer claims that the OM-D E-M5 Mark II stabilizer is even more advanced than that of its predecessor cameras, that it is the most effective optical image stabilizer in the world. I don't think Olympus is being disingenuous here. When we , our test showed an efficiency of 4.5 stops (the manufacturer promised consumers 4 to 5 stops; our test consistently produces results that differ from the CIPA test results by no more than 1/3 EV). |
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It is still difficult to say what is the difference between the “improved 5-axis stabilizer E-M5 Mark II” and the “5-axis stabilizer E-M1 or E-M5”. Perhaps an improved stabilizer is more effective by a third or a quarter of a stop. Measuring such a small increase is not easy, but it will be interesting to “run” the E-M5 Mark II using our method. And in any case, the Olympus 5-axis stabilizer is the most effective of all that came into our laboratory. We usually come across 3-speed units. |
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The second feature of the E-M5 Mark II is frost resistance. This is a guaranteed ability to work at minus 10 Celsius. As far as I remember, the year before last, colleagues in Murmansk tested OM-D EM-1 at much lower temperatures, below minus 20 for sure. Combined with compact dimensions and light weight, protection from moisture and dust, frost resistance forms the concept of “Fully protected compact system.” Why this is important - Olympus representatives will clarify in the interview at the end of the article. |
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The third feature or “very high quality video in your hands” is provided by the following logical chain:
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The fourth feature is the ability to see a crystal clear image in any situation. This feature is provided by an improved viewfinder (the Mark II has twice as many dots as the E-M5). This feature is provided by an improved screen. The Mark II has almost doubled the number of screen dots, and at the same time it becomes not only folding, but also rotating. | |
And finally, the fifth feature of the E-M5 Mark II is the ability to create 40-megapixel images using a 16-megapixel sensor. Of course, this is not simple interpolation, but rather clever movements of the matrix during exposure. And, what’s most surprising, it works! And it works very well. Details are in the test part of this article. |
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For now, suffice it to say this:
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A small test - noise
Of course, one of the first questions that arises is how well the camera copes with noise. The manufacturer's statements, no matter how they sound - rosy or restrained - require verification. In one of the RuNet materials I read the following statement: “... even the matrix of the E-M5 Mark II remained the same as that of the E-M5.” This may be so, but from my short acquaintance with the new camera, I got the impression that it is less noisy than the E-M1 and E-M10 (cameras that I have studied quite well). So, perhaps, the matrix of the E-M5 Mark II is still new, and only the resolution remains old. It is also possible that the noise reduction has become more advanced. However, judge for yourself: the table below shows frames taken with sensitivity ISO 800 - 3200 - 6400 in the top row and ISO 10,000 - 16,000 - 25,600 in the bottom.
Olympus OM-D EM-5 Mark II noise test |
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Clicking on each fragment will open a window where it will be presented in 6 options: In the top row - with sensitivity 800 - 3200 - 6400 In the bottom row - with sensitivity 10,000 - 16,000 - 25,600 |
Since there is nothing yet to “develop” RAW frames of the E-M5 Mark II (there is no program or plug-in available yet), we have provided only “cuts” from JPGs. But a general conclusion can be drawn from JPG - the noise level even at ISO 25,600 is quite decent. On some textures it is barely noticeable, on others it is more noticeable, but, I repeat, the noise picture that the E-M5 Mark II gives is very decent. Honestly, I really want to compare laboratory images of the E-M5 Mark II, Sony Alpha 7 and some DSLR. The laboratory differs from “nature” in that the shots are taken under the same conditions, the differences are very visible.
And one more small note. Some shots taken at ISO 800 are a little blurry - for example, the second test shot (red fabric with embroidery) was taken at a shutter speed of 1/5 second. This, even with a 5-axis stabilizer, is not enough to avoid some smearing. So some ISO 800 shots would have to be discarded, but we left them in so that all test blocks contained the same set of ISOs. If an ISO 800 shot makes you feel bad, feel free to ignore it - it's the photographer's doing, not the E-M5 Mark II's fault. But, believe me, taking test shots at a presentation is not so easy.
A small test - 40M Hi Res Shot mode
In the Olympus presentation, the announcement of the 40-megapixel 40M Hi Res Shot mode was brought to the last place. According to the rule the last but not least, or so that a little tension in the audience reaches the desired level.
Photographer and journalist Evgeny Uvarov - Olympus' "photo attache" - demonstrated how good the 40M mode is. He added that: “Frames taken in this mode “stretch” perfectly.” That is, you can increase them up to 600-700 percent and get ready-made billboards for a small skyscraper. And he added that they “stretch” so well because “the pixels have no edge effects.” For fans of photo enlargement, this may say something, but it seemed to me some kind of mixture of physics and lyrics. Perhaps I'm wrong. In any case, Uvarov gave the 40M regime an enthusiastic assessment. I have known Uvarov for a very long time, and I know that he will not lie; in the worst case, he will not tell the whole truth. And after his enthusiastic assessment, it was interesting to see the merits of the 40M mode for myself. Conclusions - a little later, first look at the results of self-persuasion:
Olympus OM-D EM-5 Mark II 40M Hi Res Shot mode |
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Clicking on each fragment will open a window showing:
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I think that after viewing this table, neither my recommendations nor the recommendations of Evgeniy Uvarov are needed, the pictures speak for themselves. Of course, all of them are posted in an untouched form in the test results download block - only in the JPG version.
Here it will also be very interesting to compare pictures of the E-M5 Mark II and, say, a 36-megapixel Nikon D810. I think this will happen pretty soon. And by the time of testing, I would like to wait for the release of a program or plug-in that will allow you to develop RAW from the E-M5 Mark II.
Olympus - interview
At the presentation of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, in addition to representatives of the Moscow branch of the company, Florian Hasselmann, Olympus project manager, spoke. And although during the presentation and after it, during testing, there were a lot of conversations, mainly about technology, we also had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with Mr. Hasselmann and Pavel Gurov - director of the photo and audio department at Olympus Moscow " Not only about technology.
I sketched out the questions for the interview based on other interests: I was curious to know how the company builds the production of high-quality equipment. Moreover, for a considerable period of time, an entire era, since 1919.
Japanese manufacturers think a little differently from European and American ones. I once realized this while reading articles by Vladimir Tsvetov, and later, when I had a chance to visit Japanese factories. In the actions of Japanese engineers and managers there is always a philosophy that Europeans, I think, are not able to fully understand (just as the Japanese are not able to understand us). But at least you can try, you can create some kind of projection of their world. And although Florian Hasselmann and Pavel Gurov are not Japanese, they (simply on duty) had to be “imbued” with the Japanese vision of things to some extent.
Florian's and Pavel's answers complemented each other, and therefore, in order not to complicate the material, I have reduced them to a single whole. In this interview, the questions are asked by iXBT, and the answers are provided by Olympus.
iXBT: This is partly a compliment, partly objective information. Olympus is a company that can be called a leader in the search for a new image of photographic equipment. We mean exceptionally successful design and technical solutions, ergonomics. Your cameras are unusual. The development of such products requires not just non-standard solutions, but an entire system of views and philosophy. Question: If Olympus has a philosophy or belief system? If so, can you briefly outline it?
Olympus: Thank you for this question, because it is always nice when they try to understand why and for what a company produces this or that product. And we are, indeed, a company that has its own philosophy, which has been trying to follow its own path for many years, since the creation of our first cameras.
Olympus never copied anyone, we never thought like, “Oh! Someone makes a camera like this, let's do something similar. If it works in the market, let’s do the same, improve it a little, and it will work too.”
This is not our way. Our products - Stylus, PEN, OM-D - are, in their own way, absolutely unique creations, into which we have invested all our capabilities, the developments of the R&D department, the knowledge that the company’s professionals have, and, naturally, a piece of our soul.
If we talk about what philosophy we choose as the basis of our actions, we can remember how two years ago at the presentation of OM-D EM-1 we showed a rather interesting photograph: a man stood knee-deep in water by the river, he was sending a small boat to sail with a candle. And the whole river was filled with such boats...
It was a ceremony to honor the victims of the 2011 earthquake in Japan. The shooting conditions there were quite difficult - emotionally, physically (the photographer had to stand knee-deep in water), and shooting conditions (very low light). This photo perfectly illustrates the philosophy of our company - to create products, cameras that will allow you to take photographs in any conditions. This can be perceived from very different angles. If we create 5-axis stabilization, it should help the photographer get the most out of the shooting conditions. Then we start thinking: “OK! And if the camera is also compact, then there will be no restrictions in terms of movement.” And further: “Then we will need compact and high-aperture optics.”
At the end of this chain, it turns out that the camera should have no restrictions at all, either on time, or on location, or on anything else. This is the philosophy of our company, which our specialists pick up and implement in specific products.
iXBT: Four Thirds System was announced in 2002. And then Olympus's arguments regarding sensor size were as follows: in the near future the noise problem will be solved (more or less); then it will become obvious that the Four Thirds System sensor size is optimal for digital photography. Question: Many years have passed since then, but the problem of noise remains quite acute? And in the near future, most likely, there will be no breakthrough. Do you still think that the Four Thirds sensor size is optimal for photographic equipment?
Olympus: This question sometimes disappears, sometimes it appears again, but we still stand in the position that we have chosen the right format.
Let's clarify what gives us reason to think so. Firstly, the problem of noise is not as serious as some photographers and some media outlets try to portray. For small sensors - yes, this is an acute problem. But for large ones, in particular for Four Thirds, it is no longer spicy. We have practically stopped being pestered with questions about noise. At least when the OM-D series appeared, in 2012. It was this year that we introduced our latest developments into the OM-D and PEN cameras, and the problem of noise became insignificant. These cameras can directly compete with most DSLR cameras. And the fact that the upper segment of DSLRs provides higher quality is also insignificant - it is a few percent of the entire market.
Further. Our main weapon in the fight against noise is not only the quality of the matrix and noise suppression. It's also very powerful image stabilization. We understand that a stabilizer won't save the day in all cases, but it (especially if the photographer is used to using it) can significantly expand the possibilities of low-light shooting.
And finally, we always start from the needs of our clients, we give what people need, and do not pursue some abstract goals. And if our cameras are bought, if they receive numerous awards, this is the best confirmation that we are right. Since the introduction of the E-M5 in 2012 until today, the OM-D family has won in more than 75 different categories, winning awards not only for design and technology, but also for image quality. Since 2012, more and more people have personally tested and evaluated all the benefits of premium products, including the level of noise reduction. All this is done in the daily practice of beginning photographers, amateurs, enthusiasts and professionals. Therefore, we are not too surprised that the Micro Four Thirds standard has become one of the recognized leaders. Yes, it took years for consumers to appreciate the merits of Four Thirds and its sequel Micro Four Thirds. But today this is a fact that cannot be argued with.
iXBT: It’s difficult to make a long-term guess. But still, let's try to dream up. Question: Do you think that in ten years: (a) Mirrorless cameras will completely replace DSLRs. (b) They will be greatly pushed out. (c) The balance of power will remain approximately the same as it is today.
Olympus: We do not consider this issue from the point of view of repression or non-repression. We view, or rather evaluate, it from a different perspective.
In itself, the creation of cameras without a mirror tunnel was a very serious, one might say, mega-breakthrough innovation. And from the very beginning its prospects were visible, although at first, it must be admitted, there was a certain technological difference between classic SLR cameras and cameras that began to be called mirrorless. But it was shrinking quite quickly. It was almost obvious to us. And now we understand perfectly well that our OM-D and PEN cameras are already competing on absolutely equal terms and are technologically not inferior to a large group of SLR cameras.
We think that subsequent technological innovations will lead to the fact that there will no longer be a gap between one or another group of cameras (without going into the details of the segments). And this will naturally lead to the consumer weighing absolutely equally whether he wants to buy a camera with a mirror or without a mirror?
Perhaps the more significant point here will be a person’s attachment to the optical viewfinder. But, on the other hand, electronic viewfinders have been around for years and have been improving for years. A whole generation of amateur photographers has already grown up who are not psychologically attached to optical viewfinders. And in the end, the question of choice will become not technological, but psychological - which is more pleasant in work. Therefore, we did not initially assume that one technology would kill the other. And the question here is not 10 years (or not 10 years), not who will oust whom or not, but that at some point the choice different types cameras will leave the technical plane.
iXBT: If we return to the first question, is aggressiveness included or not in the corporate philosophy?
Olympus: Well, if we are aggressive, it is only in the sense that we bring a large amount of innovation to the market. From a marketing point of view, this can be considered aggression, since not every company is capable of such a volume. But the very task of aggressive behavior in the market is not part of our philosophy and is simply not set. Although external observers may come to a different point of view, since the trend of increasing the share of system cameras is very, very rapid. For example, in Russia, in the past 2014, system cameras were the only market segment that grew steadily every month, all 12 months.
iXBT: What do you think the image of a mirrorless camera will be like in five years? What parameters will be strengthened, what will change first?
Olympus: Currently our focus is on image stabilization and compactness and light weight. And not only the cameras themselves, but also the entire system as a whole. Stabilization, compactness, and light weight add up to give consumers greater freedom, excellent quality, and the ability to take photos anytime, anywhere.
Mobility, freedom, always, everywhere - these are our main principles, and if we adhere to them, we take into account not only the existing needs of consumers, but also future ones. But if you're looking for a specific answer, it's likely that stabilization and compactness will dominate system cameras in the coming years.
iXBT: Low-end compact cameras are now gradually being replaced by smartphones and smartphone cameras. Question: What’s stopping you from equipping all compact cameras with larger sensors (at least half the size of Four Thirds) and making them more advanced? Is this a question of the price of the matrix or is it not just a matter of price?
Olympus: Yes, there are cameras on the market with fixed optics and relatively large matrices, and not only that, there are quite a lot of such cameras. We naturally monitor this part of the market. And we note for ourselves that we can create something similar based on the totality of technological solutions that the company has. But we also look at the size of this part of the market and what dynamics it has.
We can say about this part of the market that it is small and not dynamic. Although it does not fall, unlike system cameras, it does not grow. This is a niche product. And there is no point in entering this niche just for the sake of exiting. We need to understand what value it will bring to the end consumer. And besides, we remember our rule: “We never copy anyone.”
Let's say we create the same camera, call it “X”, put our magnificent Zuiko optics and a larger sensor there. And in the end we will get the same thing that is already on the market, maybe a little cheaper, maybe a little better. But in general, this will be a repetition of what already exists, and we will be engaged in banal copying. This is not our way.
We have another example: when Stylus 1 was created, we were able to offer consumers best camera, unique in its kind. Even now its position is very strong, but the size of the sensor does not play a leading role in its set of characteristics. And the market feels this very well. So, to answer your question, we can say that the size of the sensor and its price, from our point of view, do not play a big role. Although some manufacturers “bet” on the size of the sensor and ended up with niche products that are not very interesting for the market.
iXBT: Some camera manufacturers are equipped with so-called “Creative Auto Modes”. In which, instead of the term “Aperture”, the term “Background Blur”, which is understandable to everyone, is used, instead of “Shutter speed” - “Freeze or blur the frame”. Question: Why do you think manufacturers are developing this area so slowly? Indeed, in theory, this will allow us to rebuild the camera interface and make it understandable for everyone.
Olympus: As for the simplified names of functions - we have already used and are using this functionality in our cameras, it is called Live Guide. We introduced it when the PEN E-PL1 model appeared, in the spring of 2010. This functionality is very convenient, since its capabilities are complemented by a touch screen. All you have to do is touch the screen for a special menu to pop up. And it looks so that journalists immediately began to say that all this is intended for beginners and housewives. And it is precisely there that the terminology used is not classical conservative, but understandable and accessible.
The user can use the concepts of “Background Blur” or “Frozen Frame” or, when adjusting the color temperature, can choose the color of the frame “Warmer - Cooler”. Even more has been done there - not only are the functions called in simple human language, but the function settings themselves have been changed. Using the slider on the touch screen, you can very flexibly select different degrees of “blur the background” or “no blur the background” adjustment.
But as we said, we do not have cameras “for everyone”; each model is intended for its own target audience. If we position the OM-D E-M5 Mark II for advanced photographers, we understand that they will not accept a different language, they are accustomed to the “classic” rather than the choice of “take clear pictures” or “fuzzy pictures”.
It's a different matter when we talk about cameras aimed at beginners, for example our PEN PL7 is considered a "women's" camera. The Live Guide functionality has been preserved there, and it is being developed there. Moreover, we were the first to propose such an approach in 2010. And now, of course, we are keeping the development of these functions in focus and monitoring their demand. And if it increases, we are, of course, able to propose further development of these functions.
iXBT: Thank you for your time and interesting answers.
Olympus: Thanks for the interesting questions.
Results
Of course, the “presentational” portion of the content in this article is large. But why not? Why not expand the "manufacturer" view of the camera? Why not limit yourself to short comments and test shots? By the way, they are very “talking”; their word in this article is almost the most important.
Some time will pass, and the OM-D E-M5 Mark II will end up in our laboratory. And then, most likely, we will only be able to clarify the information in this article. Of course, it will be very interesting to compare the test images of the E-M5 Mark II with images from other cool cameras. It will be very interesting to try our method for assessing autofocus speed and accuracy on the E-M5 Mark II. But it is unlikely that we will be able to encounter anything that will completely change the idea of the camera that has developed today.
And today the impression is very strong. Olympus doesn't exaggerate when it talks about its innovations. And, naturally, he praises his products.
Perhaps, so far the only complaint that can be made about the OM-D E-M5 Mark II is the considerable price of the camera. But here, alas, not only the manufacturer is to blame, but also the ruble exchange rate.