I waited so long for Chris to do a review on this camera. And now that its finally happened, I had already done enough research on my own and decided to go with the XT2. But that being said, I value what you guys have to say. Great review!
Likewise - I had a test kit sent by Fuji and shot for image review purposes against the PEN-F and the OM-D EM-1 for handling comparison. I really wanted the Fuji to be 'the one', but it just didn't offer enough IQ difference to warrant a complete kit change - plus, the handling wasn't as natural to my shooting style as the Oly (OM-D) setup is. Tiny scroll wheels are tough going with cold hands and in the UK 300 days a year are cold hand days. All that being said, the screen in it's implementation of vertical tilting is a work of genius and having dials and aperture ring for the 'exposure triangle' was a joy. I'm excited to test this new OM-D when it is available; seemingly some useful updates and it's main selling point, the 5-axis stabilisation is nothing short of miraculous in its current iteration, so goodness knows what the new one will be like.
Studat unfortunately Fuji has stated, that even a future XT-3 will not have Ibis, because it would reduce image quality. I think that Fuji will change their mind in the near future, as they are the only aps-c manufacturer that doesn't implement ibis. Anyway I am very pleased with the results I can get with my XT-2 and appreciate the bigger sensor. Sony has also stated, that there is no way to implement ibis in the alpha 6300 body and now there is a alpha 6500 with ibis... so yeah
In my honest opinion, this channel simply does some of the best camera reviews out there. This channel helped me research cameras over a period of about a year, always adding new content with new releases, and always so honest about all of the camera technologies. I always look forward to watching these videos, and I ever get a chance to get to Canada, totally dropping into this store! Cheers guys!
Good review, thanks guys. I have an EM1 mark II and it is even better than I had hoped. AF is not quite as good as my D500; but birds in flight and fast action shots are now easily achieved.
Stopped by The Camera Store last week. Walked in and talked to Chris and Jordan. You guys are awesome. They are as nice as they seem. Thanks for talking to me. -Arizona
Great REVIEW!!I I just got mine, after using numerous Canon cameras over the past 15 years. Yes, I have to get use to using the menus and all the options...But after just one day, WOW!!!! is it quick, it's Chetah quick...Images for the most part are point on...feels great in the hands, Battery life can not complain, I could not wait for a full charge and got 4days and over 400+shots, I shot in single mode...and using both the view finder and the back screen for shooting. It Connected to my apple iPhone 6plus using the OLYMPUS App without any problems. it gives some really nice features while in remote mode for hands free usage...I love the tilt screen thats interactive....I paired this camera with the 12-100 pro IS lens. JUST AWESOME.... I'll get deeper into this camera over time...A+ for the camera person with a deep pocket and able to fill the other pocket...
I got one recently. Your video is really good. No bullshit. I've found that single point AF with +2 autofocus lock and tracking off gives the best results in running photography, of which I do a lot. My big Canons are just sitting at home since I got this!
The most important micro 4/3 system feature is size. You can have two systems. Full frame for extreme picture quality. Micro 4/3 for size and weight. How many times you have not taken your camera with you because it was too big and heavy? Smaller micro 4/3 cameras can actually fit in your pocket.
David Zx exactly, I carry my em1-ii with Panasonic 100-400mm to shoot birds and wildlife almost every weekend. They are so small and lightweight make it perfectly handheld-able. If I carry a full frame camera with a super-tele lens, I wouldn't want to go out and shoot every week.
Silent shutter is also a hugely overlooked feature in my opinion. I shoot events a lot, sometimes things such as speeches, lectures or concerts and not having a loud clacky DSLR shutter that sounds like a machine gun makes all the difference in the world in an otherwise silent room.
the EM1.2 is the best handling Olympus camera that I own. By far. When I compare it to other systems, I would place it ahead of my Sonys and Fujis. The D500 is going to be tough to beat. It definitely does so on size. And that may be its strongest, most important point for me.
The small sensor is what makes the system so small too and makes it possible to shoot up to 60 fps in RAW. You can't have everything so find the system that suits your needs the best and buy into that. I love M4/3 but I don't think it's the best system for everybody.
No system will ever be "the best system for everybody." That's why we have choices. There are always going to be tradeoffs in photography because we're at the mercy of the laws of physics. BUT sensor technology has gotten so good that the penalty for using a small sensor is not so bad anymore. You can get usable shots from this camera at ISO 6400. Is this camera going to see in the dark like a Sony A7S? No. If you shoot a lot of very low light / high ISO images and video, then this isn't the camera for you. But is it good enough? For most scenarios, probably so. Maybe more than good enough. Plus it's a lot less bulk and money, especially when you factor in the lenses. And it's BLAZINGLY fast.
Any chance of an updated shootout with the X-T2, E-M1mk2, GH5, Ax000 series (or A7mkII series)? It would be a great that comparison revisited with the latest iteration of each camera, especially now that pro 2.8 zooms are out for each of these cameras by their own respective manufacturers! Just a thought. (edited: I meant to put GH5, not GH4)
sevendhappy i'd wait until the gh5 is available - then it is compareable all over the bank. maybe in mid april, outside, with different shooting situations from wildlife to portrait to speed to lowlight...
This video, coupled with visiting a store the other day, made me go ahead and get one. Sold one of my canons, but keeping one (since I still have 200,000 actuations "left"). Will be in tomorrow and can't wait to give it a shot with work.
How have you found the E-M1 ii? I Have the original E-M1 (which I love) which I use alongside a 7dii and 5diii but am thinking of upgrading to the mark ii.
This camera is like a prototype showing off cutting edge technology, but should never go to the consumer market, it has everything but the most obvious thing it doesn't have, a decent autofocus video tracking(its like the contrast detection focus on my D3200 in liveview) ..... impressive a lot but not finalized and too expensive, if you are a geek with a lot of money this one is for you ... ,iam still with the same plan this summer buy a used XT2 and 2 lenses hopefully
E-M1 II development started 2011 already, it was ready late 2015. So not really "cutting edge" as could be thought about technological standpoint. The E-M1 III is already under development and be ready to be released in 3-4 years now....
it is cutting edge, apart from image quality , the stabilization is by far the most impressive on the market, 60 FPS RAW i don't think there is a camera out there that you can shoot with 3400 pictures in 20 minutes with a shutter tested for 200K actuations the guy was not pushing it too much .... as i said its a camera for geeks
I have the camera. It has very good autofocus video tracking. Not the best. Not perfect, but it's no slouch. Better than any Nikon DSLR. Canon's is better, but you need FF for 4K. The standards by which Chris from TCS reviews are held to videographer or cinematographer standards. If one is a serious videographer, why on earth would you buy an Olympus? You either get a fully dedicated video camera, or at the very least, and most respectful the new GH5 or previous GH4 which are video 'legends' by Panasonic. The photography functionality of the EM1 Mark II puts it in a league of its own. At 1800$ it's a steal. Everyone knows that video comes 2nd if you are an Olympus user. The continuous auto focus speed of the EM1 Mark II outclasses the XT2 for photos any day of the week. However if speed is less important, then you do very well with Fuji. The film simulations are great.
They didn't push much the continuous autofocus speed on the test the players were moving in a predictive fashion basically on the same plane of focus, i take your word for that about the fact that Olympus has one of the best continuous autofocus, if i remember it correctly on previous video when they were comparing mirrorless cameras on autofocus speed the GH4 was better than the previous EM1, the EM2 i don't think it's better than the XT2, the XT2 is a beast, and last point but not least the image quality isn't that great its a M43rd camera ....., 2000 dollars body only (not 1800) its too much....i would gladly see a comparaison between the XT2, A6500, EM1 Mark II, GH5 on autofocus speed on video and pictures ...... that's would be an excellent contest
i paid 1800 in Canada. We will never agree. DXO mark even rates this sensor like APSC sensors. Numerous expert reviewers like CameraLabs, ePhotozine, DP Review, and Imaging Resource give it a stellar review. It is already superior to the yet to be released GH5. Not for video obviously. That is the King. But for photo, especially continuous autofocus, it blows it away. Enjoy your XT2, nice camera, not as good in continuous as the EM1 M2, but good enough. LOL
I bought a Fuji X-T2 instead of this new EM1ii. The X-T2 was a bit cheaper, even with a decent kit lens. Plus I get APS-C and those amazing Fuji colours. Having said that, I'm still hanging on to the EM5ii and Panasonic G85, mainly for handheld video work. Great review of a super cool camera!
Great review, this made me laugh were you said Chris "oooh you're shaking quits a bit but the camera's nice and smooth" about Jordan's hand held selfie of both of you
Another reason why it's worth $2000 is if you're already in the m43 system. As per usual, nice review boys. I'm finding the exact same thing. This camera is absolutely incredible...when it's not in low light. AF system dusts my EM5 ii though I wish it tracked better, but there may be some operator error there on my end, haha.
Thank you for trying a Panasonic Leica lens on it! Nice review because you did test and delve a bit deeper into the auto focus and new shooting options! Nice to compare it to the G85 too!
To be honest I thought we would had seen quite a few more improvements regarding the image, low light, noise, AF, etc. The new Venus Engine from Panasonic GH5 seems quite powerful in how it's dealing with the image, all sort of new algorithms for detail, noise, etc. I didn't think we would see much difference between the E-M1 and GH5 since they are likely to be using a similar sensor, both same resolution, both faster readout sensors, etc. but from the few things out there about the GH5, it seems significantly better than the E-M1, at least in video when it comes to low light and noise performance. Looking forward for GH5 tests, that camera looks like a beast and I haven't seen those pitiful people saying that they wouldn't pay $2K for a Micro4/3 camera when they talk about the GH5 like they do with the E-M1. Of course sensor size affects the camera but people bashing solely for that are quite simplistic - or insecure. But I'm a bit disappointed by the E-M1 since I expected quite more from its AF performance, at least the IBIS is as good as you can get.
Love to see the comparison between GH5 and Em-1M2 in wildlife photo (NOT video comparison since enough people are doing GH5 on it) ... AF tracking, IQ, Low light, dynamic .. etc.
I've tested it today with an Olympus representative, but I find it way too complicated, and I really wonder who will really need all these shots per second. It slows the triaging of photos later on, when you get too many similar pictures to select. It's very nice though, very sharp focussing even without a tripod, there's a lot of features for those who really want them. Personally I would not have the need for it. My other issue is that I need a camera that performs well in low light, which isn't the case for this one.
I'm surprised you didn't mention when shooting video, there's a nasty green cast in skin tones that can be found in many Olympus cameras. It is especially obvious at 9:10, 11:03 and 11:35 and many shots in between. I believe the newer E-M10 Mark III has improved the colour science and fixed this issue. But it's a shame that the very video-capable flagship camera still suffers. I hope they fix it in Mark III with higher bitrate and 10 bit internal recording. Otherwise, very informative review and excellent delivery!
Good comprehensive review covering all of the significant features of the camera. The camera seemed almost perfect except for the AF in video mode which is something I'd want for my wildlife uses. The colour grading in the video produced a very yellow hockey ice surface. Was this intentional or was it difficult to balance the red hockey players jerseys with the ice colour?
I have a Panasonic G85, and I'd probably trade it for the Olympus EM1 ii just for that image stabilization. But the fact that it's 1080p is much worse, and it costs more than twice as much, I'm happy with my Panasonic ;)
It's ok, but can be jerky sometimes. I don't use a stabilized lens though, I use fast primes. It's useable, but after seeing the Olympus, I would say it's superior. Still, all the other benefits far outweight the not so perfect stabilization.
I am surprised as dxo rated this camera as having 2/3 of a stop better iso than pen f - and on par with the best aps-c sensors, which is amazing considering the sensor size, but actually no other review states this.
Because it doesn't, that's impossible. Physics rules and nothing could possibly make an MFT sensor suddenly have almost a stop better noise performance over the previous generation. DXOmark must have messed something up, it's no better than the other 20mp MFT cameras.
Great video as always guys, and I find the video image quality to be quite incredible! I think it may be better than the FS5? I'll have to watch again... Can't wait for the shootout with the GH5!! :)
I just bought one on with a 10,000 shutter count for only $680 American on ebay. Such a great deal compared to the price of the Mark III and even E-m5 Mark III.
Those may have a much larger sensor. But they lack a ton of goodies. Fujifilm also has the X-T2 which is probably it's closest peer. And honestly arguments can go both ways in thay comparison.
If you shoot landscapes and look at what you get in HiRes it blows the D750 off its socks. It is amazing. But not for action but also no longer restricted to still life. Landscapes with wind are fine. Landscapes with water are fine. The output is jawdropping good and I have a D800e to compare with. Video on this thing is great. But for landscapes...this is medium format IQ.
Serenoj69 While improved the high res mode still isn't perfect. It still needs to move the sensor and record seperate images and then mash them together. Then there is a fullframe 36mp Dslr from Pentax that does more or less the same thing(with your D800e sensor) I'd still prefer that D800e for landscapes given the quality and dynamic range of that sensor. Still. It's a light tank that is stupidly fast and versatile.
Great review as usual. Waiting for your GH-5 review before pulling the trigger on that camera. Hoping their autofocus in video mode is better that this Olympus. But I am sure Panasonic will have a real tough time beating them out on the IBIS.
Great review as always. But owning both EM5 models I know I couldn't just own the EMI-2 as my only camera because of the low light limitations. With these cameras even at 200 ISO I have seen a lot of noise in certain situations. I would need an XT-2 or a FF frame camera for a lot of situations which unfortunately means I could not justify the price being asked for this camera.
Great review guys.. video suggestion/request ..i know you guys do mostly reviews and not so much tutorials.. but maybe you guys could do a small tutorial on audio (maybe even lighting too ) for these type of videos ? (run'n gun type youtube/vlog videos, one or 2 man operations like what you guys have going on)
I am very sad about that hiss. I bought the EM5II and was extremely disappointed to find out how bad the preamp actually is. Was hoping for a improvement in the EM1II but looks like that's not the case.
Boy when Chris starts nit picking about 'wanting a bigger zone or more quadrants' you can almost detect he just had to find something more critical to judge the camera by. With this incredible sensor, focusing speed and accuracy, if you get this camera you will wish you had 'a bigger quadrant or zone' maybe 2% of the time. LOL.
No shots outside? I was here in NL with -16 C and shooting nicely with the cam. You would note that the battery does not reach 400 shots in the cold (which we understand) and how you need to keep it out of the cam in between shots, I did landscaping so stood in 50 cm snow for hours. You have the gloves, you can dress on the cold. Menusystem: still dislike it so much compared to Panny. But the output eej...wauwie! I used HiRes extensively outside during landscape shooting. This sensor is significantly better than my GH4 and therefor any other mFT sensor and so the Hires shots are better too. I can get 65 MP really sharp with my 20 mm 1.7. When I cam home and looked at my calibrated 4K screen I was seriously taken away. I have experience with landscape shooting with the D800e and its good glass but that cam, as good as it is, I was surely not amazed as much as with the Em-1.2. But what I noted was how good the Single Shot mode was. It simply does have better dynamic range and you need to work quite a bit to get it better in RAW. DxOmark..we can argue about it btu they seem to be right although they say no DR improvement whereas I do note it over GH4 (which has the best DR of all mFTs according to them). mirrorlesscomparisons simply showed it next to E-M1. All in all: a fantastic camera, but the menusystem is somewhat personal. C-AF needs an upgrade. like you say. Also: I have seen zero pics reallly in this review. Not real comparisons and where is your HiRes shot? Because like I say above: the sensor is really better than any other and not just while also not being a huge step forward it takes pics my GH4 simply cannot take as well. I understand the cold but this video is really limiting when compared to all you other video's and it seems you just shot it in the worst situations you claim there is for it. That is seriously hampering any conclusions. Finally: I really bought the cam for Hires especially and it does surely not siappoint a bit. It is far better than I expected. What I did not expect is how good the standard shooting modes are. I would have thought this would filter through in the video but it doesn't. In other reviews we see thorough comparisons here and we do witness that better IQ. Otherwise: thanks for the information, agree with the videowrok, agree with the autofucssing especially in video but tapping the screen works very very nice. Not sudden but smooth.
A few questions for you: 1) Can you record video simultaneously to both SD Cards? 2) When outputting to an external monitor via HDMI, does the signal blackout when you press the [Menu] button?
But I cannot use it to record concerts because of the 29-minute limitation on videos. Perhaps you can apply pressure to Olympus to change this in a firmware update. My GX-8 has no such limitation.
In terms of feature set, this camera is worth the price. But in terms of established market pricing, it's high. But bear in mind, I think manufacturers have bottomed out on pricing. It's $1k for compacts/small form factor, and $1500-$2k for high end mirrorless. Even the new GH5 is $2k. People waiting around for those prices to go any lower, especially for featured jammed cameras like the EM-1 Mk II are out of luck. They're telling you that with the price. If you want cheap, you're going to have to go used in the future. I don't really have any gripes with the new Oly. I think it's fantastic. I chose to order the GH5 instead, mainly because Panasonic is more seasoned for video, offers 4k 60p, higher data rates, log, and is just as weather sealed. but the stabilization on the em-1 mkii almost made me pass on all of that. It's insane.
It is kinda pricey, but then again, it's more an 'E-M PRO' to go with the 'PRO'-series lenses. If you're spending 1000+ an optic, you probably want the best camera possible to take advantage of that and the E-M1 Mark II is about as sexy as it gets. Body wise, it imho has the best camera out there. You've got everything, from weather sealing, ergonomics, look, dials, customization, dual cardslot, mic-in/headphone ports, vari-angle touchscreen... it's just super nice. Then there's the insane speed and with that almost negligible rolling shutter effect! Best in class sensor stabilization. This camera is really hard to fault. You can merely judge the sensor size, that limits performance, as you gather less quantity, you're getting less quality of light, so high ISO performance is not the same, dynamic range is more limited, colors aren't as rich. Because of the crop sensor you have a more limited offer in wide angle lenses; it's also harder to establish a shallow depth of field. But... that's something you know about the system. Everybody is saying 'well, it's 1999, I might as well buy a Canon/Nikon fullframe camera'... it's very simple, you need fullframe performance, you go with a fullframe system. MFT just isn't that. It's the compact formfactor in relation to the sensor size. So lens sizes, the thing that really accounts to how compact a system really is, can be kept fairly small. That's the thing that's supposed to draw you in. You've got to get the right perspective on this thing. Of course, if you're more into video, the E-M1 Mark II might not be it. It's usable, but it isn't fancy. For that, go with the upcoming GH5. Won't quite have all the stills perks, but it has similar body features and for video it knocks it out of the park, even gives it a full sized HDMI port. It will do internal 4K60p at 8-bit and up to 4K30p 10-bit. Externally you'd be able to get 4K60p 10-bit out of it. A 400mbps codec will be on it's way, along with a 6K 10-bit anamorphic mode. HFR up to 1080p180!!1! There's an actual LOG profile with V-Log L. There will be Hybrid Log-Gamma (HDR) support. It even has waveforms/vectorscope overlays and an audio accessory with hotshoe pass-through. This things is one mean video production machine. Whereas you wouldn't really go over ISO800 with the GH4, the GH5 is reported to be good up to ISO1600 and have usable ISO3200. I'm not sure what more you could ask for. The EVF seems improved a lot as well, it's bigger and better. AF is supposed to be more predictive, sample rate gone up from 240 to 480 fps and analyzing every sample, rather than every 6th frame. Here as well the 1999 price... but is it more or less justified than that of the E-M1 Mark II? It's a matter of perspective. I own both E-M1 and GH4. I plan to upgrade both to their new successors. The E-M1 Mark II after a few months, once the GH5 is out. Maybe it gets a little price cut. Also, after a few months they tend to throw in like a battery grip. I've almost never bought a camera for full retail without any perks. There has to be something init to sweeten the deal for me. The GH5 is just so insane though. I'd probably get it as soon as it hits the shelves. Anyways. Once mainly for stills, one mainly for video. Great shooters, but you've got to realize where their strenghts lie and where they don't. They are incredibly compact and feature rich, but sensor wise it takes a bit of a hit and people who owned previous generation feel like they've been lured into an upgrade trap with the top of the line flagship suddenly going to just below 2000 bucks. I kinda get that, but people demand more from flagship models these days and they're all getting more expensive. Also, it's not like other systems (e.g. Sony A6500) that you don't have much other choice, yet there's a bunch of other models with different features, styles and price ranges to be had looking at what Panasonic and Olympus have to offer. Since 4K is a thing, we've seen the GH4, G7, GX85, GX8, G85 and now GX850. Olympus is more stills oriented, so the E-M1 Mark II is the first with 4K implementation, that said, there's great alternatives on a budget, the E-M5 and -M10-ranges. The PEN models. You don't get that amount of choice elsewhere. If you don't want to pay for the 'pro' features of a prosumer system... well, nobody is forcing you to. I do acknowledge that some might have a need for big boy sensor performance. Personally I don't care too much for fullframe. I do like the easy lovely look it gets me, but there's again the thing that the lenses in relation to the sensor size dictate how compact a system is. Even with the A7-series by Sony therefor I'm not tempted to go that route. APS-C is another thing. I actually really like that sweetspot that's also S35 and if you must, you can always use a focal reducer to get near to fullframe. Yet Sony hasn't really made any serious efforts to bring APS-C lenses to market, which kinda defeats the purpose of having a APS-C system. Not particularly keen on the A6x00 bodies either. Don't think they look right, ergonomically not that nice, no front facing screen, the A6500's touchscreen implementation is kinda lousy. There's still the issue of heat building up, causing the camera to shut down on you. With the A6500 you can up the threshold by putting it in a special mode... in which you're expected to mount it on a tripod as it would get uncomfortably hot to hold. Then there's the notorious Sony colors that need a bit of touch up in post and the color channel clipping with default settings. And the nauseating rolling shutter effect. Ugh. I really wanted to like the A6300, but I cannot buy an unreliable camera like that, that doesn't utilize the compacter sensor to create a compact system with compact lenses. Now, Fujifilm already does things a whole lot better, they really created a stunning camera with the X-T2. But... the competition has sensor stabilization and the Fuji does not. It doesn't have a front facing screen, nor is it touch sensitive. Kind of a bummer. They have a great own line-up lenses, but I wish there were more optical stabilized lenses and more third party lens support for the mount. There are also no smart adapters. A lot of people who'd like to adapt EF lenses are f*cked. EOS-M. Is a joke. Maybe in 3 generations they'll come up with something. It's just a slightly more compact DSLR of theirs, that doesn't really do that much more since being mirrorless. Too bad Samsung hit it and quit it after the impressive NX1. I wish Nikon would enter the APS-C mirrorless market and disrupt it. But I'm afraid we won't see them do it. Next up? Well, I wish there was a Fujifilm X-T2 coming with sensor stabilization and a touchscreen, that might be reason enough for people to along with it. But, a successor is not due for quite a while now. We know Sony will probably squirt one out any day now, they don't wait around too long. But I doubt it's going to change the game. They'll just improve it on paper... and then in reality it still kinda sucks. So? I guess nothing wrong with the Olympus and Panasonics. The bodies are a dream, the features are crazy. If you can get passed the sensor performance and work within its limits, which I personally can; get over the 1999 price tag, I'd say you're in for the most fun system out there. It's just because noone else is giving us such a complete feature set.
Since you wrote this, the FujiFilm X-H2 has arrived. Like an improved XT-2 with added five axis OIS and a much stronger video offering. My wife has invested in the XE-1, XT-1 and XT-2 plus a selection of their faster lenses and achieves excellent award-winning results with them, but the lack of OIS and her very frequent need to change batteries persuaded me to go for the Olympus EM-1ii as the deal came out at a far better price than the X-H2. Thumbs up for your comment.
Great review! I have the E-M1 and plan to purchase the Mark II at some point. However, I bought the D500 in November because I was shooting so much sports that I thought it was the better choice. When I can get the Mark II for around $1500, I'm buying. Love the tech that Olympus has. Love the ruggedness. And absolutely love the compact size of the camera and the lenses. I'll never get rid of the m4/3 system because its the perfect travel system.
Wouldn't spend that much on MFT. Sensor's too limited for that price. But for certain types of photographers this could be a justifiable cost. Video stabilization is impressive, more so then on my E-m1(or it could be Jordan's magically stabilized hands).
Huh... The stabilization is weird around 9-11min, it looks like UA-cam stabilization :/ The seats and the frame around Chris are like jelly, like you can see the whole sensor moving.
How would you compare the Dual IS by Olympus against the latest by Panasonic? Is it really 1 stop better as they advertise? By the way amazing review as always Chris and Jordan!
Curious if you have ever Reviewed the Leica cameras? If so, could you point me to the link to watch it. I would love to see your reviews on any of them. I’m looking for an good Camera and going to base the one I get off the reviews I see of yours. I think you’re very good and detailed at what you do.
Interesting review, but wish it spent some time comparing the camera to more traditional DSLRs that people might also own or be considering. In my case I have a Canon 5D MK3 and want something smaller and lighter. How does the OM-D EM1 MK2 compare to those level of cameras?
Chris - thank you for this excellent review. I am a GH4 and GX8 user, and I am seriously considering the EM-1 MK2 due to its amazing IBIS capability. I do much traveling, bare-hand documentary & action video shooting, and I don't have the room and the time to carry gimbals and rigs. My concern is that I have the entire collection of the Lumix Vario lenses, and I am concerned about their compatibility and performance when fitted onto the EM-1 MK2. I would hate to start over with the lens collection, especially within the MFT ecosystem... I would greatly appreciate any thoughts! Thank you.
Great review guys! Maybe next time you could try a faster lens than f4 which is like an f8 in full frame. Like 40-150 f2.8 or the new 25mm pro. Awesome job on the auto-focus and video testing!
My bad from what I have read, I thought it was multiplied by 2. as with the crop factor. But I could be wrong. Either way, I am still curious. Thanks p eibye!
the DOF of f4 in m43 is almost equivalent to f8 in ff. but F is same in all cams. but again there are many fast lens (even zoom lens) in m43 where u can get amazing dof Bokeh. am just waiting for my em1 mkii for macro/wildlife and im sure this kicks ass :)
Hi Moe, agreed! I'm just curious how the em1.2 performs with the faster lenses to help me decide if the em1.2 is that much better than the em5.2 for documentary and portraiture type work. It's more than twice the price and I'm not a sport shooter. Great for you tho! and congrats!
The Canon eos rp can easily get over 1000 shots on the battery, when just doing burst shots. The basically, how many pictures+burst series did you get? Not included all the burst shots, but only the series of burst.? 🤔
Jordan : Does the E-M1 mk2 work well with a Ninja/Shogun etc? How's the Rolling Shutter Skew in panning? The handheld inside the shop looked similar to what the K-5 did (minus all the Pentax compression issues - and I say that as a K-01 owner, who doesn't get to have Sensor Shift in video :( ), so I could see this Oly selling strongly based just on the stabilisation, especially if it outputs decent quality signal to a HDMI based recorder.
The stabilisation looks much better than Sony, and as a handheld video shooter, this could really reduce the amount of post-stabilisation I require at times. Sadly, the low light is a deal breaker. They need to either up their game, or sell the IBIS tech to Sony!
I can understand your needs for a better low light video on one hand, but I do not understand how anyone can chose a Sony when it is prone to overheating. Even now that A6500 gives you a choice to just let it happen or stop. How is that reliable, something who wants to shoot video likes? Second point: this is a hybrid cam with strong preference for still shooting. So the IBIS does a whole lot more than just making video look like it is used on a gimble. A far worse point btw is that AF is not good for action for video. Sony is much better. I have to say that when you tap the screen it responds very nicely when you tap a point nearby and than in the distance. It is very smooth and not abrupt. All in all as an owner fo this cam stills are excellent on this cam. video is pretty solid too. The lens choice is truly magnificent and taylored to the system. The exception being the 40-150 Pro which seems large and the 300 mm F4. The 100-400 PL is very small for what it does. 12-35 and 35-100 f2.8 are too. So for stills shooters, people not wanting a gimble or hating tripods for stils and who want to be able to shoot everything possible this is a serious contender.
Question this one or GH5....? If the Olympus would have usable video autofocus i would not hesitate. Video quality is decent enough... I am a primary still shooter and i have worked with Olympus in the passed but now shifting focus to video.
I hope that the GH5 will be better in video AF :) the E-M1 mk2 is showing a little of what will come with the Panasonic GH5. About video again, is the IBIS making problems when panning on a tripod? The Sony A7 series IBIS is trying to stabilise the movement and ruins everything. I wish that they have an option to disable IBIS and leave only the OIS to work when available. What is going on with the Oly in that kind of situation? Is this episode released in 1440 because of the crappy bitrate in 4K?
William Statt I would take a camera with a DxO score of 80 with leaf shutter lenses and Fuji handling over a DxO 100 camera any day. Sady, this doesn't seem to be the case...
Great video, as always. I have a EM5 MkII for an attempt in learning micro four thirds. Bought PRO lenses to get the best I could from it. Still learning it. Thought should have I waited for the EM1 MkII and pay a lot more? After watching this? No. It's not enough to get this as well. Still not sure if owning this micro sensor was the right choice. Camera looks great and is awesome to play with, but always thinking that I'm missing full frame quality...but I have to pay for that. I'd rather pay for full frame again than EM1 MkII by the looks of all reviews. Maybe a Sony to have both world combined (mirrorless + full frame). Great review guys thanks for the advise!
my question is where in the market does it fit ? is it better than the fuji or Sony or Panasonic as a complete package that's where the price comes in on usability vs bang for bucks
![АЛАУДИНОВ у Скабеевой: эти их ВСУ нас НЕ ДОГОНЯТ 😁 [Пародия]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/an0anqU4WGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
It’s still my favorite camera in 2022. Excellent performance after 5 years.
Olympus added a firmware update that improved the AF !
Firmware 3.1 out now, the camera is so much better now !!
Whats new?
I waited so long for Chris to do a review on this camera. And now that its finally happened, I had already done enough research on my own and decided to go with the XT2. But that being said, I value what you guys have to say. Great review!
Lwdn33 Absolute same story for me. I just miss Ibis on the XT-2.
Likewise - I had a test kit sent by Fuji and shot for image review purposes against the PEN-F and the OM-D EM-1 for handling comparison. I really wanted the Fuji to be 'the one', but it just didn't offer enough IQ difference to warrant a complete kit change - plus, the handling wasn't as natural to my shooting style as the Oly (OM-D) setup is. Tiny scroll wheels are tough going with cold hands and in the UK 300 days a year are cold hand days.
All that being said, the screen in it's implementation of vertical tilting is a work of genius and having dials and aperture ring for the 'exposure triangle' was a joy.
I'm excited to test this new OM-D when it is available; seemingly some useful updates and it's main selling point, the 5-axis stabilisation is nothing short of miraculous in its current iteration, so goodness knows what the new one will be like.
Studat unfortunately Fuji has stated, that even a future XT-3 will not have Ibis, because it would reduce image quality. I think that Fuji will change their mind in the near future, as they are the only aps-c manufacturer that doesn't implement ibis. Anyway I am very pleased with the results I can get with my XT-2 and appreciate the bigger sensor. Sony has also stated, that there is no way to implement ibis in the alpha 6300 body and now there is a alpha 6500 with ibis... so yeah
Fujis excuses for not implementing new technology is ridiculous!
not implementing new technology? are you serious? maybe they didn't implement IBIS, but for sure you can not say they not implementing new tech!
In my honest opinion, this channel simply does some of the best camera reviews out there. This channel helped me research cameras over a period of about a year, always adding new content with new releases, and always so honest about all of the camera technologies. I always look forward to watching these videos, and I ever get a chance to get to Canada, totally dropping into this store!
Cheers guys!
Cool. I felt a bit short-changed by your original EM1 mark 1 review 3 years ago. This new review sounds much more thorough.
Good review, thanks guys. I have an EM1 mark II and it is even better than I had hoped. AF is not quite as good as my D500; but birds in flight and fast action shots are now easily achieved.
That image stabilisation really is amazing. Those panning shots of the hockey player, the guy just popped out so sharply.
Best IBIS in any body period. :)
Stopped by The Camera Store last week. Walked in and talked to Chris and Jordan. You guys are awesome. They are as nice as they seem. Thanks for talking to me. -Arizona
Great REVIEW!!I
I just got mine, after using numerous Canon cameras over the past 15 years. Yes, I have to get use to using the menus and all the options...But after just one day, WOW!!!! is it quick, it's Chetah quick...Images for the most part are point on...feels great in the hands, Battery life can not complain, I could not wait for a full charge and got 4days and over 400+shots, I shot in single mode...and using both the view finder and the back screen for shooting. It Connected to my apple iPhone 6plus using the OLYMPUS App without any problems. it gives some really nice features while in remote mode for hands free usage...I love the tilt screen thats interactive....I paired this camera with the 12-100 pro IS lens. JUST AWESOME.... I'll get deeper into this camera over time...A+ for the camera person with a deep pocket and able to fill the other pocket...
I got one recently. Your video is really good. No bullshit. I've found that single point AF with +2 autofocus lock and tracking off gives the best results in running photography, of which I do a lot.
My big Canons are just sitting at home since I got this!
Thanks guys for a good and overall fair review of this excellent camera.
The most important micro 4/3 system feature is size. You can have two systems. Full frame for extreme picture quality. Micro 4/3 for size and weight. How many times you have not taken your camera with you because it was too big and heavy? Smaller micro 4/3 cameras can actually fit in your pocket.
David Zx exactly, I carry my em1-ii with Panasonic 100-400mm to shoot birds and wildlife almost every weekend. They are so small and lightweight make it perfectly handheld-able. If I carry a full frame camera with a super-tele lens, I wouldn't want to go out and shoot every week.
I do the same with my GX8 and Lumix 100-300mm mkII. Very little reason not to bring my camera out with me.
Silent shutter is also a hugely overlooked feature in my opinion. I shoot events a lot, sometimes things such as speeches, lectures or concerts and not having a loud clacky DSLR shutter that sounds like a machine gun makes all the difference in the world in an otherwise silent room.
the EM1.2 is the best handling Olympus camera that I own. By far. When I compare it to other systems, I would place it ahead of my Sonys and Fujis. The D500 is going to be tough to beat. It definitely does so on size. And that may be its strongest, most important point for me.
Incredible camera
Just ordered my em1 mark ii today and can't wait to use it on my vacations. I think this camera is a huge setup from my canon T2i
Oh, Chris and Jordan were hosting the show 6 years ago. Great 😍
The stabilizer is phenomenal!
who cares, with the sensor so small
It's not about size, it's how you use it that counts ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
The small sensor is what makes the system so small too and makes it possible to shoot up to 60 fps in RAW.
You can't have everything so find the system that suits your needs the best and buy into that. I love M4/3 but I don't think it's the best system for everybody.
No system will ever be "the best system for everybody." That's why we have choices. There are always going to be tradeoffs in photography because we're at the mercy of the laws of physics. BUT sensor technology has gotten so good that the penalty for using a small sensor is not so bad anymore. You can get usable shots from this camera at ISO 6400.
Is this camera going to see in the dark like a Sony A7S? No. If you shoot a lot of very low light / high ISO images and video, then this isn't the camera for you.
But is it good enough? For most scenarios, probably so. Maybe more than good enough. Plus it's a lot less bulk and money, especially when you factor in the lenses. And it's BLAZINGLY fast.
Any chance of an updated shootout with the X-T2, E-M1mk2, GH5, Ax000 series (or A7mkII series)? It would be a great that comparison revisited with the latest iteration of each camera, especially now that pro 2.8 zooms are out for each of these cameras by their own respective manufacturers! Just a thought. (edited: I meant to put GH5, not GH4)
sevendhappy i'd wait until the gh5 is available - then it is compareable all over the bank. maybe in mid april, outside, with different shooting situations from wildlife to portrait to speed to lowlight...
Oops. Yeah, I meant the GH5 since the GH4 was in their last shootout. Good catch.
This is absolutely needed.
That would be so fun! I really enjoyed the first autofocus shoot out! It helped me decide on my first pro camera.
With the arrival of firmware v 3.0, I think this camera should be reviewed again. Especially its autofocus.
What a great firmware. Olympus rocks !
@@Makta972 Firmware 3,1 wooow autofocus
Forget it. UA-camrs/reviewers never do such a thing... Sadly.
It's at 3.2 now...so they should really do another review for sure....a very different camera.
what improvements this firmware added?
Time to do E-M1 MK II and X-T2 shootout !!
OMD EM-5 MARK III. I'm waiting
i bet you have tons of friends
haha
Good camera and nice review. Thank you.
Confusing iconography? But the diamonds and hearts make so much sense! :D
Pro capture is awesome feature 👏
This video, coupled with visiting a store the other day, made me go ahead and get one. Sold one of my canons, but keeping one (since I still have 200,000 actuations "left"). Will be in tomorrow and can't wait to give it a shot with work.
How have you found the E-M1 ii? I Have the original E-M1 (which I love) which I use alongside a 7dii and 5diii but am thinking of upgrading to the mark ii.
This camera is like a prototype showing off cutting edge technology, but should never go to the consumer market, it has everything but the most obvious thing it doesn't have, a decent autofocus video tracking(its like the contrast detection focus on my D3200 in liveview) ..... impressive a lot but not finalized and too expensive, if you are a geek with a lot of money this one is for you ... ,iam still with the same plan this summer buy a used XT2 and 2 lenses hopefully
E-M1 II development started 2011 already, it was ready late 2015. So not really "cutting edge" as could be thought about technological standpoint.
The E-M1 III is already under development and be ready to be released in 3-4 years now....
it is cutting edge, apart from image quality , the stabilization is by far the most impressive on the market, 60 FPS RAW i don't think there is a camera out there that you can shoot with 3400 pictures in 20 minutes with a shutter tested for 200K actuations the guy was not pushing it too much .... as i said its a camera for geeks
I have the camera. It has very good autofocus video tracking. Not the best. Not perfect, but it's no slouch. Better than any Nikon DSLR. Canon's is better, but you need FF for 4K. The standards by which Chris from TCS reviews are held to videographer or cinematographer standards. If one is a serious videographer, why on earth would you buy an Olympus? You either get a fully dedicated video camera, or at the very least, and most respectful the new GH5 or previous GH4 which are video 'legends' by Panasonic.
The photography functionality of the EM1 Mark II puts it in a league of its own. At 1800$ it's a steal. Everyone knows that video comes 2nd if you are an Olympus user. The continuous auto focus speed of the EM1 Mark II outclasses the XT2 for photos any day of the week. However if speed is less important, then you do very well with Fuji. The film simulations are great.
They didn't push much the continuous autofocus speed on the test the players were moving in a predictive fashion basically on the same plane of focus, i take your word for that about the fact that Olympus has one of the best continuous autofocus, if i remember it correctly on previous video when they were comparing mirrorless cameras on autofocus speed the GH4 was better than the previous EM1, the EM2 i don't think it's better than the XT2, the XT2 is a beast, and last point but not least the image quality isn't that great its a M43rd camera ....., 2000 dollars body only (not 1800) its too much....i would gladly see a comparaison between the XT2, A6500, EM1 Mark II, GH5 on autofocus speed on video and pictures ...... that's would be an excellent contest
i paid 1800 in Canada. We will never agree. DXO mark even rates this sensor like APSC sensors. Numerous expert reviewers like CameraLabs, ePhotozine, DP Review, and Imaging Resource give it a stellar review. It is already superior to the yet to be released GH5. Not for video obviously. That is the King. But for photo, especially continuous autofocus, it blows it away. Enjoy your XT2, nice camera, not as good in continuous as the EM1 M2, but good enough. LOL
I bought a Fuji X-T2 instead of this new EM1ii. The X-T2 was a bit cheaper, even with a decent kit lens. Plus I get APS-C and those amazing Fuji colours. Having said that, I'm still hanging on to the EM5ii and Panasonic G85, mainly for handheld video work.
Great review of a super cool camera!
Great review, this made me laugh were you said Chris "oooh you're shaking quits a bit but the camera's nice and smooth" about Jordan's hand held selfie of both of you
Another reason why it's worth $2000 is if you're already in the m43 system.
As per usual, nice review boys. I'm finding the exact same thing. This camera is absolutely incredible...when it's not in low light. AF system dusts my EM5 ii though I wish it tracked better, but there may be some operator error there on my end, haha.
Thank you for trying a Panasonic Leica lens on it!
Nice review because you did test and delve a bit deeper into the auto focus and new shooting options!
Nice to compare it to the G85 too!
5;37 " you even have a very generous option to support basically like the Panasonic stabilization in their lenses". IS THIS TRUE?
To be honest I thought we would had seen quite a few more improvements regarding the image, low light, noise, AF, etc. The new Venus Engine from Panasonic GH5 seems quite powerful in how it's dealing with the image, all sort of new algorithms for detail, noise, etc. I didn't think we would see much difference between the E-M1 and GH5 since they are likely to be using a similar sensor, both same resolution, both faster readout sensors, etc. but from the few things out there about the GH5, it seems significantly better than the E-M1, at least in video when it comes to low light and noise performance.
Looking forward for GH5 tests, that camera looks like a beast and I haven't seen those pitiful people saying that they wouldn't pay $2K for a Micro4/3 camera when they talk about the GH5 like they do with the E-M1. Of course sensor size affects the camera but people bashing solely for that are quite simplistic - or insecure. But I'm a bit disappointed by the E-M1 since I expected quite more from its AF performance, at least the IBIS is as good as you can get.
Love to see the comparison between GH5 and Em-1M2 in wildlife photo (NOT video comparison since enough people are doing GH5 on it) ... AF tracking, IQ, Low light, dynamic .. etc.
Hey Chris! Breathe sometimes :-) You are like Busta Rhymes of Camera reviews. ;-)
I've tested it today with an Olympus representative, but I find it way too complicated, and I really wonder who will really need all these shots per second. It slows the triaging of photos later on, when you get too many similar pictures to select. It's very nice though, very sharp focussing even without a tripod, there's a lot of features for those who really want them. Personally I would not have the need for it. My other issue is that I need a camera that performs well in low light, which isn't the case for this one.
It will be interesting to see how this camera compares to the incoming Panasonic GH5 - Thumbs Up for a Comparison Video!
I'm surprised you didn't mention when shooting video, there's a nasty green cast in skin tones that can be found in many Olympus cameras. It is especially obvious at 9:10, 11:03 and 11:35 and many shots in between. I believe the newer E-M10 Mark III has improved the colour science and fixed this issue. But it's a shame that the very video-capable flagship camera still suffers. I hope they fix it in Mark III with higher bitrate and 10 bit internal recording. Otherwise, very informative review and excellent delivery!
Good comprehensive review covering all of the significant features of the camera. The camera seemed almost perfect except for the AF in video mode which is something I'd want for my wildlife uses.
The colour grading in the video produced a very yellow hockey ice surface. Was this intentional or was it difficult to balance the red hockey players jerseys with the ice colour?
I have a Panasonic G85, and I'd probably trade it for the Olympus EM1 ii just for that image stabilization. But the fact that it's 1080p is much worse, and it costs more than twice as much, I'm happy with my Panasonic ;)
is the ibis in the g85 bad? because i'm thinking of getting either a em5 mark2 or g85, I'm coming from a ep5 and gf7.
It's ok, but can be jerky sometimes. I don't use a stabilized lens though, I use fast primes. It's useable, but after seeing the Olympus, I would say it's superior. Still, all the other benefits far outweight the not so perfect stabilization.
Ok I'm seriously considering the G85, just fear the ibis is not as good as my old ep5. Love the ibis in that one.
The E-P5 only had 3-axis stabilization. So I'm sure the G85 would be an improvement in that regard.
16:05 The E-M1 Mark II will ALSO do 4K Photo mode
I am surprised as dxo rated this camera as having 2/3 of a stop better iso than pen f - and on par with the best aps-c sensors, which is amazing considering the sensor size, but actually no other review states this.
Because it doesn't, that's impossible. Physics rules and nothing could possibly make an MFT sensor suddenly have almost a stop better noise performance over the previous generation. DXOmark must have messed something up, it's no better than the other 20mp MFT cameras.
Great video as always guys, and I find the video image quality to be quite incredible! I think it may be better than the FS5? I'll have to watch again...
Can't wait for the shootout with the GH5!! :)
I just bought one on with a 10,000 shutter count for only $680 American on ebay. Such a great deal compared to the price of the Mark III and even E-m5 Mark III.
I'm currently using Olympus Pen E-P3. I need to upgrade to OM-D EM 5 m2.
Maybe it's time for a new "Great Mirrorless Camera Autofocus Shootout! (GH5, X-T2, A6500, E-M1 II)" :)
I would buy this camera.... for $1199. $2K for a M4/3 is just to rich for me. At that price you can get Nikon D750, Sony A7II, etc.
Those may have a much larger sensor. But they lack a ton of goodies.
Fujifilm also has the X-T2 which is probably it's closest peer.
And honestly arguments can go both ways in thay comparison.
sony a7 ii cost more than that
If you shoot landscapes and look at what you get in HiRes it blows the D750 off its socks. It is amazing. But not for action but also no longer restricted to still life. Landscapes with wind are fine. Landscapes with water are fine. The output is jawdropping good and I have a D800e to compare with. Video on this thing is great. But for landscapes...this is medium format IQ.
Serenoj69 While improved the high res mode still isn't perfect.
It still needs to move the sensor and record seperate images and then mash them together. Then there is a fullframe 36mp Dslr from Pentax that does more or less the same thing(with your D800e sensor)
I'd still prefer that D800e for landscapes given the quality and dynamic range of that sensor.
Still. It's a light tank that is stupidly fast and versatile.
Sony a7 MK2 is 1499 and even see some go for 1199 on sales. (Germany, so taxes already added)
Is it just me or does the Olympus photos seem 0.5 exposure darker than normal?
I admit, I almost switched to this camera over the Canon 6D Mark II for portraiture and indoor shooting.
Such a handsome man.
How do you have black hair with greys and a ginger beard? 3 colours it's 😮
Great review as usual. Waiting for your GH-5 review before pulling the trigger on that camera. Hoping their autofocus in video mode is better that this Olympus. But I am sure Panasonic will have a real tough time beating them out on the IBIS.
This guy could sell ice to an eskimo. :)
What happened to the HiRes test?
Great review as always. But owning both EM5 models I know I couldn't just own the EMI-2 as my only camera because of the low light limitations. With these cameras even at 200 ISO I have seen a lot of noise in certain situations. I would need an XT-2 or a FF frame camera for a lot of situations which unfortunately means I could not justify the price being asked for this camera.
20 MP stills at 60 fps? Sounds suspiciously like they're planning to implement 6K video in the future.
Great review guys..
video suggestion/request ..i know you guys do mostly reviews and not so much tutorials.. but maybe you guys could do a small tutorial on audio (maybe even lighting too ) for these type of videos ? (run'n gun type youtube/vlog videos, one or 2 man operations like what you guys have going on)
very nice camera.
15:15 I've never heard of a center quadrant before
Omesh Singh It's possible. Not common to say, but possible to make the centre a quadrant.
How would you draw the four quadrants?
it doesn't have to be symmetrical. You could divide it with squiggly lines as long as the area = 1/4th the total area.
Wish we had a cold snap here,was 42cel today in Aust.
Woom King
cold snap here is 70°C colder than you. 😨
Chris (and Jordan), great review as always; that stand to the right looks interesting.......does it fold flat perhaps?
I am very sad about that hiss. I bought the EM5II and was extremely disappointed to find out how bad the preamp actually is. Was hoping for a improvement in the EM1II but looks like that's not the case.
Thanks for the awesome review Chris and Jordan! Hope you didn't catch colds!
Chris - How is your back yard coming along?
Boy when Chris starts nit picking about 'wanting a bigger zone or more quadrants' you can almost detect he just had to find something more critical to judge the camera by. With this incredible sensor, focusing speed and accuracy, if you get this camera you will wish you had 'a bigger quadrant or zone' maybe 2% of the time. LOL.
No shots outside? I was here in NL with -16 C and shooting nicely with the cam. You would note that the battery does not reach 400 shots in the cold (which we understand) and how you need to keep it out of the cam in between shots, I did landscaping so stood in 50 cm snow for hours. You have the gloves, you can dress on the cold.
Menusystem: still dislike it so much compared to Panny. But the output eej...wauwie! I used HiRes extensively outside during landscape shooting. This sensor is significantly better than my GH4 and therefor any other mFT sensor and so the Hires shots are better too. I can get 65 MP really sharp with my 20 mm 1.7. When I cam home and looked at my calibrated 4K screen I was seriously taken away. I have experience with landscape shooting with the D800e and its good glass but that cam, as good as it is, I was surely not amazed as much as with the Em-1.2. But what I noted was how good the Single Shot mode was. It simply does have better dynamic range and you need to work quite a bit to get it better in RAW.
DxOmark..we can argue about it btu they seem to be right although they say no DR improvement whereas I do note it over GH4 (which has the best DR of all mFTs according to them). mirrorlesscomparisons simply showed it next to E-M1. All in all: a fantastic camera, but the menusystem is somewhat personal. C-AF needs an upgrade. like you say.
Also: I have seen zero pics reallly in this review. Not real comparisons and where is your HiRes shot? Because like I say above: the sensor is really better than any other and not just while also not being a huge step forward it takes pics my GH4 simply cannot take as well. I understand the cold but this video is really limiting when compared to all you other video's and it seems you just shot it in the worst situations you claim there is for it. That is seriously hampering any conclusions.
Finally: I really bought the cam for Hires especially and it does surely not siappoint a bit. It is far better than I expected. What I did not expect is how good the standard shooting modes are. I would have thought this would filter through in the video but it doesn't. In other reviews we see thorough comparisons here and we do witness that better IQ.
Otherwise: thanks for the information, agree with the videowrok, agree with the autofucssing especially in video but tapping the screen works very very nice. Not sudden but smooth.
Great review
any plans to update this review since there has been several large firmware updates?
A few questions for you:
1) Can you record video simultaneously to both SD Cards?
2) When outputting to an external monitor via HDMI, does the signal blackout when you press the [Menu] button?
But I cannot use it to record concerts because of the 29-minute limitation on videos. Perhaps you can apply pressure to Olympus to change this in a firmware update. My GX-8 has no such limitation.
In terms of feature set, this camera is worth the price. But in terms of established market pricing, it's high. But bear in mind, I think manufacturers have bottomed out on pricing. It's $1k for compacts/small form factor, and $1500-$2k for high end mirrorless. Even the new GH5 is $2k. People waiting around for those prices to go any lower, especially for featured jammed cameras like the EM-1 Mk II are out of luck. They're telling you that with the price.
If you want cheap, you're going to have to go used in the future. I don't really have any gripes with the new Oly. I think it's fantastic. I chose to order the GH5 instead, mainly because Panasonic is more seasoned for video, offers 4k 60p, higher data rates, log, and is just as weather sealed. but the stabilization on the em-1 mkii almost made me pass on all of that. It's insane.
Very nice video thank you for sharing
It is kinda pricey, but then again, it's more an 'E-M PRO' to go with the 'PRO'-series lenses. If you're spending 1000+ an optic, you probably want the best camera possible to take advantage of that and the E-M1 Mark II is about as sexy as it gets. Body wise, it imho has the best camera out there. You've got everything, from weather sealing, ergonomics, look, dials, customization, dual cardslot, mic-in/headphone ports, vari-angle touchscreen... it's just super nice. Then there's the insane speed and with that almost negligible rolling shutter effect! Best in class sensor stabilization. This camera is really hard to fault. You can merely judge the sensor size, that limits performance, as you gather less quantity, you're getting less quality of light, so high ISO performance is not the same, dynamic range is more limited, colors aren't as rich. Because of the crop sensor you have a more limited offer in wide angle lenses; it's also harder to establish a shallow depth of field. But... that's something you know about the system. Everybody is saying 'well, it's 1999, I might as well buy a Canon/Nikon fullframe camera'... it's very simple, you need fullframe performance, you go with a fullframe system. MFT just isn't that. It's the compact formfactor in relation to the sensor size. So lens sizes, the thing that really accounts to how compact a system really is, can be kept fairly small. That's the thing that's supposed to draw you in. You've got to get the right perspective on this thing.
Of course, if you're more into video, the E-M1 Mark II might not be it. It's usable, but it isn't fancy. For that, go with the upcoming GH5. Won't quite have all the stills perks, but it has similar body features and for video it knocks it out of the park, even gives it a full sized HDMI port. It will do internal 4K60p at 8-bit and up to 4K30p 10-bit. Externally you'd be able to get 4K60p 10-bit out of it. A 400mbps codec will be on it's way, along with a 6K 10-bit anamorphic mode. HFR up to 1080p180!!1! There's an actual LOG profile with V-Log L. There will be Hybrid Log-Gamma (HDR) support. It even has waveforms/vectorscope overlays and an audio accessory with hotshoe pass-through. This things is one mean video production machine. Whereas you wouldn't really go over ISO800 with the GH4, the GH5 is reported to be good up to ISO1600 and have usable ISO3200. I'm not sure what more you could ask for. The EVF seems improved a lot as well, it's bigger and better. AF is supposed to be more predictive, sample rate gone up from 240 to 480 fps and analyzing every sample, rather than every 6th frame. Here as well the 1999 price... but is it more or less justified than that of the E-M1 Mark II? It's a matter of perspective. I own both E-M1 and GH4. I plan to upgrade both to their new successors. The E-M1 Mark II after a few months, once the GH5 is out. Maybe it gets a little price cut. Also, after a few months they tend to throw in like a battery grip. I've almost never bought a camera for full retail without any perks. There has to be something init to sweeten the deal for me. The GH5 is just so insane though. I'd probably get it as soon as it hits the shelves.
Anyways. Once mainly for stills, one mainly for video. Great shooters, but you've got to realize where their strenghts lie and where they don't. They are incredibly compact and feature rich, but sensor wise it takes a bit of a hit and people who owned previous generation feel like they've been lured into an upgrade trap with the top of the line flagship suddenly going to just below 2000 bucks. I kinda get that, but people demand more from flagship models these days and they're all getting more expensive. Also, it's not like other systems (e.g. Sony A6500) that you don't have much other choice, yet there's a bunch of other models with different features, styles and price ranges to be had looking at what Panasonic and Olympus have to offer. Since 4K is a thing, we've seen the GH4, G7, GX85, GX8, G85 and now GX850. Olympus is more stills oriented, so the E-M1 Mark II is the first with 4K implementation, that said, there's great alternatives on a budget, the E-M5 and -M10-ranges. The PEN models. You don't get that amount of choice elsewhere. If you don't want to pay for the 'pro' features of a prosumer system... well, nobody is forcing you to.
I do acknowledge that some might have a need for big boy sensor performance. Personally I don't care too much for fullframe. I do like the easy lovely look it gets me, but there's again the thing that the lenses in relation to the sensor size dictate how compact a system is. Even with the A7-series by Sony therefor I'm not tempted to go that route. APS-C is another thing. I actually really like that sweetspot that's also S35 and if you must, you can always use a focal reducer to get near to fullframe. Yet Sony hasn't really made any serious efforts to bring APS-C lenses to market, which kinda defeats the purpose of having a APS-C system. Not particularly keen on the A6x00 bodies either. Don't think they look right, ergonomically not that nice, no front facing screen, the A6500's touchscreen implementation is kinda lousy. There's still the issue of heat building up, causing the camera to shut down on you. With the A6500 you can up the threshold by putting it in a special mode... in which you're expected to mount it on a tripod as it would get uncomfortably hot to hold. Then there's the notorious Sony colors that need a bit of touch up in post and the color channel clipping with default settings. And the nauseating rolling shutter effect. Ugh. I really wanted to like the A6300, but I cannot buy an unreliable camera like that, that doesn't utilize the compacter sensor to create a compact system with compact lenses.
Now, Fujifilm already does things a whole lot better, they really created a stunning camera with the X-T2. But... the competition has sensor stabilization and the Fuji does not. It doesn't have a front facing screen, nor is it touch sensitive. Kind of a bummer. They have a great own line-up lenses, but I wish there were more optical stabilized lenses and more third party lens support for the mount. There are also no smart adapters. A lot of people who'd like to adapt EF lenses are f*cked.
EOS-M. Is a joke. Maybe in 3 generations they'll come up with something. It's just a slightly more compact DSLR of theirs, that doesn't really do that much more since being mirrorless. Too bad Samsung hit it and quit it after the impressive NX1. I wish Nikon would enter the APS-C mirrorless market and disrupt it. But I'm afraid we won't see them do it.
Next up? Well, I wish there was a Fujifilm X-T2 coming with sensor stabilization and a touchscreen, that might be reason enough for people to along with it. But, a successor is not due for quite a while now. We know Sony will probably squirt one out any day now, they don't wait around too long. But I doubt it's going to change the game. They'll just improve it on paper... and then in reality it still kinda sucks. So? I guess nothing wrong with the Olympus and Panasonics. The bodies are a dream, the features are crazy. If you can get passed the sensor performance and work within its limits, which I personally can; get over the 1999 price tag, I'd say you're in for the most fun system out there. It's just because noone else is giving us such a complete feature set.
Since you wrote this, the FujiFilm X-H2 has arrived. Like an improved XT-2 with added five axis OIS and a much stronger video offering. My wife has invested in the XE-1, XT-1 and XT-2 plus a selection of their faster lenses and achieves excellent award-winning results with them, but the lack of OIS and her very frequent need to change batteries persuaded me to go for the Olympus EM-1ii as the deal came out at a far better price than the X-H2.
Thumbs up for your comment.
Great review! I have the E-M1 and plan to purchase the Mark II at some point. However, I bought the D500 in November because I was shooting so much sports that I thought it was the better choice. When I can get the Mark II for around $1500, I'm buying. Love the tech that Olympus has. Love the ruggedness. And absolutely love the compact size of the camera and the lenses. I'll never get rid of the m4/3 system because its the perfect travel system.
Wouldn't spend that much on MFT. Sensor's too limited for that price. But for certain types of photographers this could be a justifiable cost. Video stabilization is impressive, more so then on my E-m1(or it could be Jordan's magically stabilized hands).
Huh... The stabilization is weird around 9-11min, it looks like UA-cam stabilization :/ The seats and the frame around Chris are like jelly, like you can see the whole sensor moving.
Any chance you guys gonna do an update review on this camera since firmware 3 adds phase detect af?
How would you compare the Dual IS by Olympus against the latest by Panasonic? Is it really 1 stop better as they advertise? By the way amazing review as always Chris and Jordan!
Curious if you have ever Reviewed the Leica cameras? If so, could you point me to the link to watch it. I would love to see your reviews on any of them. I’m looking for an good Camera and going to base the one I get off the reviews I see of yours. I think you’re very good and detailed at what you do.
is the cinema 4K a full sensor video, or does it crop into the sensor like the GH4?
Interesting review, but wish it spent some time comparing the camera to more traditional DSLRs that people might also own or be considering. In my case I have a Canon 5D MK3 and want something smaller and lighter. How does the OM-D EM1 MK2 compare to those level of cameras?
Yes!
would have been nice to see how it focuses with the Olympus 40-150 f/2.8 or 300 f/4
Hi Daddy!
Please help ,I love this camera,is it worth buy in 2018, and as a first cam
Chris - thank you for this excellent review. I am a GH4 and GX8 user, and I am seriously considering the EM-1 MK2 due to its amazing IBIS capability. I do much traveling, bare-hand documentary & action video shooting, and I don't have the room and the time to carry gimbals and rigs. My concern is that I have the entire collection of the Lumix Vario lenses, and I am concerned about their compatibility and performance when fitted onto the EM-1 MK2. I would hate to start over with the lens collection, especially within the MFT ecosystem... I would greatly appreciate any thoughts! Thank you.
Great review guys! Maybe next time you could try a faster lens than f4 which is like an f8 in full frame. Like 40-150 f2.8 or the new 25mm pro. Awesome job on the auto-focus and video testing!
Joeal Manimtim the aperture of a lens does not change based on the sensor format. An f4 lens on m4/3 is an f4 lens on full frame
My bad from what I have read, I thought it was multiplied by 2. as with the crop factor. But I could be wrong. Either way, I am still curious. Thanks p eibye!
Joeal Manimtim only DOF changes f4 is f4 on all cameras
the DOF of f4 in m43 is almost equivalent to f8 in ff. but F is same in all cams.
but again there are many fast lens (even zoom lens) in m43 where u can get amazing dof Bokeh.
am just waiting for my em1 mkii for macro/wildlife and im sure this kicks ass :)
Hi Moe, agreed! I'm just curious how the em1.2 performs with the faster lenses to help me decide if the em1.2 is that much better than the em5.2 for documentary and portraiture type work. It's more than twice the price and I'm not a sport shooter. Great for you tho! and congrats!
The Canon eos rp can easily get over 1000 shots on the battery, when just doing burst shots. The basically, how many pictures+burst series did you get? Not included all the burst shots, but only the series of burst.? 🤔
Which lens did you use to film this? *You should include this in your description!!!*
Jordan : Does the E-M1 mk2 work well with a Ninja/Shogun etc? How's the Rolling Shutter Skew in panning?
The handheld inside the shop looked similar to what the K-5 did (minus all the Pentax compression issues - and I say that as a K-01 owner, who doesn't get to have Sensor Shift in video :( ), so I could see this Oly selling strongly based just on the stabilisation, especially if it outputs decent quality signal to a HDMI based recorder.
The stabilisation looks much better than Sony, and as a handheld video shooter, this could really reduce the amount of post-stabilisation I require at times. Sadly, the low light is a deal breaker. They need to either up their game, or sell the IBIS tech to Sony!
I can understand your needs for a better low light video on one hand, but I do not understand how anyone can chose a Sony when it is prone to overheating. Even now that A6500 gives you a choice to just let it happen or stop. How is that reliable, something who wants to shoot video likes?
Second point: this is a hybrid cam with strong preference for still shooting. So the IBIS does a whole lot more than just making video look like it is used on a gimble. A far worse point btw is that AF is not good for action for video. Sony is much better. I have to say that when you tap the screen it responds very nicely when you tap a point nearby and than in the distance. It is very smooth and not abrupt.
All in all as an owner fo this cam stills are excellent on this cam. video is pretty solid too. The lens choice is truly magnificent and taylored to the system. The exception being the 40-150 Pro which seems large and the 300 mm F4. The 100-400 PL is very small for what it does. 12-35 and 35-100 f2.8 are too. So for stills shooters, people not wanting a gimble or hating tripods for stils and who want to be able to shoot everything possible this is a serious contender.
I want to see a shootout with this and the gh5
great the best review~! Thanks!
Question this one or GH5....? If the Olympus would have usable video autofocus i would not hesitate. Video quality is decent enough... I am a primary still shooter and i have worked with Olympus in the passed but now shifting focus to video.
I hope that the GH5 will be better in video AF :) the E-M1 mk2 is showing a little of what will come with the Panasonic GH5.
About video again, is the IBIS making problems when panning on a tripod? The Sony A7 series IBIS is trying to stabilise the movement and ruins everything. I wish that they have an option to disable IBIS and leave only the OIS to work when available. What is going on with the Oly in that kind of situation?
Is this episode released in 1440 because of the crappy bitrate in 4K?
With a DXO score of only 80 I would never buy this camera. Image quality is the most important thing.
William Statt
I would take a camera with a DxO score of 80 with leaf shutter lenses and Fuji handling over a DxO 100 camera any day. Sady, this doesn't seem to be the case...
Great video, as always. I have a EM5 MkII for an attempt in learning micro four thirds. Bought PRO lenses to get the best I could from it. Still learning it. Thought should have I waited for the EM1 MkII and pay a lot more?
After watching this? No. It's not enough to get this as well. Still not sure if owning this micro sensor was the right choice. Camera looks great and is awesome to play with, but always thinking that I'm missing full frame quality...but I have to pay for that. I'd rather pay for full frame again than EM1 MkII by the looks of all reviews. Maybe a Sony to have both world combined (mirrorless + full frame).
Great review guys thanks for the advise!
As an owner of this lens, I think it's Olympus 40-150 mm instead of 45-150 mm
Firmware 3,1 autofocus lboom !!! :))
my question is where in the market does it fit ? is it better than the fuji or Sony or Panasonic as a complete package that's where the price comes in on usability vs bang for bucks
15:39 - Caught a great smile!
I'd buy the x-t2 tbh