Moving to the rear of the camera, the most obvious change is the E-M5 Mark II's new side-mounted, tilt/swivel display articulation mechanism.
(By contrast, the E-M5 grip ran vertically for the full height of the camera.) For one thing, the top of the hand grip now has a curve towards the lens mount to give your fingers some extra purchase. Seen from the front, the E-M5 Mark II looks quite a bit like its predecessor, but there's actually quite a few differences beyond that first glance. Let's take a closer look around the E-M5 Mark II body, and see what's new! Olympus E-M5 Mark II Walkaround Yet despite all the improvements, the E-M5 Mark II costs quite a bit less than did its predecessor at launch just three years ago. Others, like a new high-gain live view mode intended for shooting stars, are brand new for this camera.
The E-M5 does offer more than twice as many AF areas as its predecessor, though, with an 81-area array.)Ĭurious to see how the E-M5 Mark II performed in the lab? Check out our full performance test results here.įor more info on the E-M5 Mark II's high resolution mode including sample images, see our detailed writeup.Īnd there are plenty more feature tweaks throughout, including some more - such as built-in Wi-Fi wireless networking connectivity, a 1/8,000 second high-speed mechanical shutter (up to 1/16,000s in Silent Mode with a fully-electronic shutter), tethered shooting support and focus peaking - inherited from the E-M1. (Likely, that difference is due to the lack of on-chip phase detection AF pixels in the E-M5 Mark II, something that the E-M1 does feature. The E-M5 Mark II is based around the more powerful image processor used in the E-M1, and the manufacturer-claimed 10 frames per second burst rate of the new model is indeed a little up from that of the original camera's 9 fps spec, albeit not quite as fast as that of the E-M1 with continuous autofocus active (5.0 vs 6.5 fps). Olympus claims shutter speeds as long as 1/4-second are now hand-holdable. Not that the stabilization system isn't spectacular too.
Now, three years after the debut of the E-M5, the E-M5 Mark II arrives, taking the OM-D series back to the forefront with advancements including an uprated, record-making five-stop image stabilization system and a versatile tilt/swivel LCD - the latter a particularly impressive feat in a dust and splash-proof body. The followup E-M1 took over the reins as Olympus' pro-friendly flagship some 18 months later, with the E-M5 remaining in the lineup as the enthusiast's go-to choice, offering plenty of creative possibilities and room to grow as a photographer, but with a very affordable pricetag. In early 2012, Olympus took its Micro Four Thirds lineup into new territory with the E-M5, which reinvented the company's OM film camera brand as an enthusiast and pro-friendly mirrorless camera for the digital age. : Seafaring action with an Olympus underwater housing! : Field Test Blog Part II: It's time for golden hour videos and nighttime shooting : Field Test Blog Part I: Olympus' enthusiast mirrorless shoots the sights in beautiful BermudaĮxploring the E-M5 Mark II's "High Resolution" mode, Part II : Exploring the E-M5 Mark II's "High Resolution" mode, Part I Special update: Wondering when the E-M5 Mark III will finally arrive? So are we! Imaging Resource ratingīy Mike Tomkins, Dave Etchells, Dave Pardue and William Brawley In addition, there's a limited edition titanium-colored variant, priced at US$1,200 body-only and available from June 2015. Two standard body colors are available: either black or silver.
Included in the price is a bundled FL-LM3 tilt/swivel flash strobe with a guide number of nine meters at ISO 100. With a body-only list price of US$1,000 or thereabouts, the Olympus E-M5 II went on sale from mid-February 2015 in the US market. Find out why in our in-depth Olympus E-M5 II review! ProsĮxcellent handling in a compact, weather-sealed body Crisp, roomy electronic viewfinder Image quality that can take the fight to APS-C DSLRs Unique high-res mode lets it bat far above its weight for static scenes Extremely fast 10 fps burst shooting, Excellent video feature set ConsĬontrol dials are easily bumped Below-average battery life at default settings Buffer depths for raw shooters are a bit limited 16-megapixel sensor resolution feels dated Weak bundled flash strobe Price and availability We think this could be the best argument yet for the Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera. Absolutely bursting at the seams with the latest technology - including a unique high resolution mode that takes it far beyond what its sensor should be capable of - this 16-megapixel shooter doesn't disappoint.
A follow-up to the first Micro Four Thirds OM-D series camera, the Olympus E-M5 II has a tough act to follow.