Olympus E-OM1 Mkii

[Gidders]

20MP, 18fps in Raw, with autofocus or 60 fps at full-res Raw if you don't need autofocus.

121 cross-type AF on-sensor phase detection points, spread over a wider area than its predecessor. It also has a new algorithm that should be better at tracking.

'Improved in terms of performance, precision and operation.' This is underpinned by twin quad core processors, one of which is dedicated to autofocus.

The camera can also shoot 4K video, including the wider aspect ratio 'DCI' Cinema 4K at up to 236mbps.

A revised EVF runs at 120fps with a reaction time of 6ms.

Higher capacity battery with faster charging.

Grip is more secure to work better with larger lenses.

Dual UHS-II SD slots.

https://www.dpreview.com/news/974017...i-development/

So who's drooling?

[Adey Baker]

I'm interested, but not particularly drooling. Just posted a few comments over on Birdforum where, no doubt, the improved focus tracking will be most appreciated - assuming it delivers the goods, of course! When the MkI first appeared they marketed it with some galloping horses coming towards the camera, if I remember correctly, but the camera never really lived up to the hype. I've had the original EM1 for some time now and over all it's a super camera but flight-photography of birds is most definitely not its strong point!

The firmware upgrade that brought the silent shutter mode opened up all sorts of possibilities and is quite brilliant in some areas but the rolling-shutter effect restricts its use to more static subjects. If they have improved this on the new model then they don't seem to be emphasising it anywhere in the press release (unless I've missed it somewhere).

The much hoped-for 'hand-held hi-res' mode doesn't seem to be quite there yet and the EVF is still the old 2.36Mp version instead of the potential 4.4Mp which has appeared on the newest Leica. They may not be deal-breakers but a top-of-the-range 'Pro' model that'll probably be sold for the next three years needs to start off with the latest technology - not slightly improved older stuff. Firmware upgrades can add some features, but they'll never upgrade the EVF resolution.

The weight has gone up as well - it's now the same weight without battery and card as the MkI is with these. Top quality cameras and lenses will probably always need to be bigger and heavier, but eventually, the original size/weight advantage of the m4/3 system will have vanished

[Nigel G]

I want one - but as you can't pre-order yet anyway it will be interesting to see how many of the claims are true. Also guessing on price but hoping for less than £1500

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by Nigel G

I want one - but as you can't pre-order yet anyway it will be interesting to see how many of the claims are true. Also guessing on price but hoping for less than £1500

I suppose the initial price will be whatever they think they can get away with! The 2 new Pro lenses have different prices quoted in dollars, but the UK price is the same for both.

Of course, it's still 'under development' so some figures are not yet quoted at all - the larger battery may have 37% more capacity but how much more will the dual processors, etc., take away from the total number of frames possible? It's going to have a percentage count-down indicator for the battery in the VF so that'll be a real boon for those who keep a spare in a pocket (have you seen the size of the new battery grip for the MkII).

I've never yet found a need for the 11fps of the MkI so I wonder how genuinely useful the 15/18/60fps 'headline-grabbers' will be -and how often will anyone want to scroll through 60 near-identical shots to select 'the' one!

Still, if they have speeded-up the readout from the sensor quickly enough to reduce the rolling-shutter effect to 'negligible' levels then I'll probably be in there for one eventually. I've always uaed 'back-button' focus which requires Single AF selection, so I'm not sure whether I can adapt to continuous/tracking focus to make the most of that feature (I wonder if there'll be a way to quickly 'toggle' between the two?)

[Nigel G]

Originally Posted by Adey Baker

I've always uaed 'back-button' focus which requires Single AF selection, so I'm not sure whether I can adapt to continuous/tracking focus to make the most of that feature (I wonder if there'll be a way to quickly 'toggle' between the two?)

Adey - "Back-button" focusing with C-AF is possible now. I set focusing on the upper of the 2 function buttons between the grip and the lens and press it with my 3rd finger. One press for single AF and re-compose as per conventional back-button or press and hold keeping your focus point tracking the subject for C-AF

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by Nigel G

Adey - "Back-button" focusing with C-AF is possible now. I set focusing on the upper of the 2 function buttons between the grip and the lens and press it with my 3rd finger. One press for single AF and re-compose as per conventional back-button or press and hold keeping your focus point tracking the subject for C-AF

Thanks for that, Nigel I'll give it a go - I seem to remember trying before without success, but I probably hadn't changed the 'Mode' from what it was set at by default.

[sassan]

If 60 fps at full-res Raw is not drooling, I don't know what else could be. On a second thought I might be having some dirty ideas....! but back to better thoughts; I understand that this is without AF. Additionally from experience I know in situations like this, you need to figure out, how many frams you actually can record on memory card, before the buffer fills out and you go to substanially lower fps rate. If this camera can take about 10 second at this rate, I would be more than happy.
Please don't forget that this electronic shuttle rate. Seams the Mechanical shutter at 15 fps is still well above the norm.
I assum at a low 24 MP sensor, this should be a very low noise image creator too with superb night shoots.

The only thing is that with Sony's FF excellent sensors then 5D mk IV, I am not sure if I am to move into a new body today, I would choose 4/3 or not.

In any case I need to sell something before getting anything new and the new cameras these days, do not come cheap.

[sassan]

Oh another point.
Name of this camera follows the Spanish/Latin heritage and quite long being:
OM-D E-M1 II
But then in title of this thread, "OM1", is that OM1 part a typo? I thought the OM1 was the eponymous of the old film SLR Olympus body.

[Nigel G]

£1849/$1999 Ouch

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by Nigel G

£1849/$1999 Ouch

Well, I certainly won't be rushing out to 'pre-order' one. Considering how long the Pen F seems to be holding its price as well, it's going to be a while before I even consider one.