{"id":4787,"date":"2015-03-28T18:24:24","date_gmt":"2015-03-28T23:24:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/?p=4787"},"modified":"2015-03-29T12:18:49","modified_gmt":"2015-03-29T17:18:49","slug":"review-olympus-om-d-e-m5-mark-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/review-olympus-om-d-e-m5-mark-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s been three years since Olympus first rolled out their highly successful OM-D line of cameras with the E-M5. \u00a0That camera redefined what a mirrorless camera could be, and was the first mirrorless camera that truly made a push for the enthusiast photographer. \u00a0Since then, the exceptional E-M1 has followed as well as a lower cost E-M10. \u00a0This year, Olympus has updated the original, and today I review the E-M5 Mark II. \u00a0The E-M5 II is a camera that stays true to its predecessor, but adds a number of key features, including one that breaks serious new ground for Micro 4\/3. \u00a0Let’s dive in and see what Olympus has managed to do.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019re not familiar with my reviews, I review from a real world shooting perspective. You won\u2019t find lens charts or resolution numbers here. There are plenty of other sites that cover those. I review products on how they act for me as a photographic tool. \u00a0I am not a videographer, so my reviews concentrate on the still imaging capabilities of a camera.<\/em><\/p>\n

Construction and Handling<\/h3>\n

The Olympus E-M5 Mark II stays true to the original E-M5 in its design, but features some notable upgrades in construction. \u00a0The camera is still made of magnesium alloy, but it feels harder, denser and simply more solidly built. \u00a0It’s the same feeling of quality that I got when I picked up the Sony A7 II. \u00a0This is a very sturdily built camera with a nice stippled matte finish. The camera is available in both black and silver. \u00a0I reviewed the black, but I have to say, I think the silver version of this camera looks downright amazing.<\/p>\n

In any case, the solid construction extends to the dials and switches. \u00a0The two main dials sit atop the right side of the camera, allowing for easy access with the index finger and thumb. \u00a0Both dials are very beautifully knurled and move smoothly and positively, with nice clicks between settings. \u00a0The shutter button sits on top of the front dial and is also metal, unlike the original E-M5’s shutter button. \u00a0The buttons on the top and rear of the camera are fairly small, but they are notably bigger than the original E-M5’s, though they don’t have quite the polish and solid feel of the rest of the camera.<\/p>\n

\"Olympus<\/a>
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with Olympus 12-40mm f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite a very similar appearance, Olympus has made some changes to the main grip of the camera, and those changes are a bit of a double-edged sword. \u00a0The grip retains the same subtle curve to grip, but instead of the vertical ridge that the original has, the Mark II features a curving edge as it moves up the body, which allows for a small finger hold near the top. \u00a0Combined with the new rubberized covering, the E-M5 Mark II’s grip is notably more secure than the original’s. \u00a0However, this comes at the expense\u00a0of comfort. Despite the better purchase, the grip forced my middle and ring fingers down and towards the lens, making the it\u00a0feel cramped. \u00a0The rubber\u00a0is less slippery\u00a0than the original mesh weave grip of the E-M5, but it’s also a very hard rubber, so there’s no cushioning to the cramped grip. \u00a0The result is a camera that is easier to hold on to, but less comfortable in the hand.<\/p>\n

The E-M5 Mark II features the same improved weather sealing that first appeared on the OM-D E-M1. \u00a0The camera is sealed against dust and moisture and is freeze-proof to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. \u00a0I didn’t get a chance to shoot in the rain during my time with the camera, but knowing the robustness of both the original E-M5, which I’ve owned since it came out, and the E-M1, I have no doubt the camera would hold up very well when used with a weather sealed lens.<\/p>\n

Operation and Controls<\/h3>\n
\"The<\/a>
The top controls of the E-M5 II<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The OM-D E-M5 Mark II features a number of control updates to the original E-M5 that make it a more capable camera in the field. \u00a0First, as I mentioned earlier, the two main control dials are positioned perfectly. \u00a0The rear thumb operated dial is moved to the same position as on the E-M1, which makes it far easier to reach when the camera is to your eye. \u00a0The PASM mode dial is still on the left side of the camera, but it’s gained a push-button lock that allows you to keep the dial from moving if desired. Bizarrely, it also has switched orientation from the original, so that the selected mode is on the far left of the dial rather than the far right as on the E-M5. \u00a0The power switch is on the left side of the viewfinder hump, just like on the E-M1. \u00a0I’m not a huge fan of this position since it requires two hands to turn the camera on, but it didn’t pose a problem either.<\/p>\n

The big adjustments come in the far greater number of controls available to the shooter without going into the menus. \u00a0The original E-M5 featured two programmable function keys, plus the four tiny directional buttons of the rear four-way controller. \u00a0The E-M5 Mark II retains these controls, but adds two additional programmable function buttons and adds another button in the center of the 2×2 Dual Control switch that sits above the screen. The top of the camera has the Fn2 button and movie record button in the same places as the original E-M5, but the new Fn3 and Fn4 buttons (which default to EVF control and HDR mode) also sit on top, to the left of the main dials. \u00a0All of these buttons are easily accessed with your index finger, though the movie record button is the hardest to press. \u00a0However, that is very likely intentional, as it makes accidentally pressing it difficult as well.<\/p>\n

The rear of the camera features the four-way controller which has larger and easier to press buttons vs. the E-M5. \u00a0The E-M5 II’s 2×2 switch is tucked above the screen to the left of the rear dial. \u00a0Surrounding the four-way switch are the Menu, Info, Trash and Play buttons. All of the controls, save for one, are easy to access and difficult to press accidentally. \u00a0The control that isn’t easy to use is the 2×2 switch. \u00a0While the switch is easily moved from position 1 to position 2, flipping it back isn’t as easy. \u00a0The lever gets extremely close to the top of the screen, and there’s very limited space to flick the switch upward. \u00a0With bare hands, it’s not too bad, but it becomes very difficult to operate while wearing gloves.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The rear controls and screen of the E-M5 Mark II<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you haven’t had a chance to use the 2×2 Dual Control system on an Olympus camera before, it’s a very nice method of doubling the easy to access parameters using the main dials. \u00a0 You can customize the operation of the dials in each position of the switch, but by default, when the switch is in position 1, the two dials control exposure parameters (shutter speed and aperture in manual mode, aperture and exposure compensation in aperture priority mode, etc). \u00a0When the switch is moved to position 2, the dials change to controlling ISO and White Balance (by default).<\/p>\n

The overall degree of custom controls that can be had with the E-M5 Mark II is impressive, and after setting up the camera to your liking, it minimizes the amount of time you need to dive into menus during regular shooting.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The incredibly detailed main menu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking of menus, there are two main interfaces for detailed settings on the E-M5 Mark II, and they both should be familiar to existing Olympus shooters. \u00a0First is the Super Control Panel, which is finally activated by default. \u00a0Pressing the OK button in the center of the four-way brings up this handy menu that allows one to change most of the main shooting settings, from In-Body Image Stabilization modes, self-timer, anti-shock, electronic shutter and High Resolution mode, AF point, Face Detection, JPEG settings, drive mode and more.<\/p>\n

More detailed customization settings are found in the main menu. This too\u00a0should be familiar to Olympus shooters and infuriatingly confusing to those new to the camera. \u00a0While it’s admirable that Olympus provides the ability to change behavior on an extremely wide variety of option, but despite their best efforts at organization, the sheer volume of options can be overwhelming until you become intimately familiar with the system. \u00a0There are five main sections of options, but the Custom Menu (gears) is where the real meat comes in, with a simply staggering number of options. \u00a0If this becomes your main camera, however, you’ll eventually become proficient in figuring out where things are. \u00a0The biggest reason to not worry too much is that after initial setup, you really don’t need to delve into the menu system that often, due to the customized buttons and the Super Control Panel.<\/p>\n

Continue: Viewfinder, Performance and Flash<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Viewfinder and Rear Screen<\/h3>\n

The E-M5 Mark II inherits the outstanding electronic viewfinder (EVF) from the flagship E-M1. \u00a0This is a 2.36 million dot finder with generous 0.74x magnification, putting it in line with modern full-frame DSLRs in viewfinder size. \u00a0The finder is clear, low lag and beautiful to look through. Much like the big clear view in a small body was one of the hallmarks of the original OM series SLRs in the 80s, the big viewfinder in a small body is a wonderful thing to have in the OM-D series, and it’s a noticeable step up from the clear but small finder in the original E-M5.<\/p>\n

A similarly large change has occurred on the rear of the camera, as the OLED tilt-screen that appeared on the E-M5 has been replaced with a brand new 1 million dot, fully articulated LCD touch screen on the E-M5 Mark II. \u00a0The new screen has much better viewing angles and is crisp and clear with good touch response and can be positioned in most any angle. \u00a0A fully articulating screen is one of those things that I both love and find a bit finicky. \u00a0When shooting handheld \u00a0in landscape orientation, I prefer a tilting only screen, as it’s easier and faster to pull out and the image stays in line with the lens axis. \u00a0A fully articulating screen requires you to pull out the screen, pivot it back and then compose while looking to the side of the camera, which feels awkward to me.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The E-M5 Mark II’s fully articulating rear screen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Of course, the massive benefit to a fully articulated screen is in every other position scenario. \u00a0It’s especially useful when composing vertical shots low to the ground, where tilt-only screens become ultimately useless. \u00a0It’s also convenient when you need to be to the front or side of the camera. \u00a0Overall, it’s a net benefit, especially when shooting tripod mounted. \u00a0The only issue I had with the E-M5 II’s screen was that the access notch to pull the screen out is right next to where your right thumb rests when holding the camera. \u00a0This makes it sometimes difficult to actually pull out the screen while maintaining a solid grip on the camera. \u00a0I’d prefer the access notch to be under the camera to be honest, so it could be pulled out quickly from the bottom.<\/p>\n

Autofocus and Performance<\/h3>\n
\"The<\/a>
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with Olympus 12-40mm f\/2.8 PRO @ 40mm, f\/2.8, ISO 640 (continuous AF)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The E-M5 Mark II controversially doesn’t contain phase-detect autofocus pixels, relying on good old-fashioned contrast detect for everything. \u00a0On the surface, that sounds like a bad thing. \u00a0However, I was extremely pleasantly surprised by the autofocus performance of this camera, in both single shot and continuous focus modes.<\/p>\n

In single shot mode, Olympus would be hard pressed to improve on the already amazing speed that has been around for a few years. \u00a0Indeed, it’s among the fastest single shot autofocus of any camera around today. \u00a0With a fast focusing lens, AF locks nearly instantly in almost any lighting situation. \u00a0I did have a few odd situations where the camera would think it was in focus when it clearly was way out of focus, but these were quite rare. \u00a0Overall, there is nothing but speed and exceptional accuracy.<\/p>\n

On the continuous autofocus side, I was likewise impressed. \u00a0Despite lacking phase-detect capabilities, the E-M5 Mark II was able to very competently track moving subjects, even those moving towards the camera, as long as it was at a moderate, person-paced speed. \u00a0I wouldn’t use the camera for motor sports, but I got a high number of shots in focus with my daughter running at the camera, which is something the original E-M5 could never handle. \u00a0Accuracy seemed very close to what I was able to achieve using the E-M1, which is quite impressive. \u00a0It’s still not quite as good as something like the Sony a6000 in continuous autofocus, but for contrast detect, it’s the best I’ve used.\u00a0\u00a0The limiting factor is that focus tracking can only be performed at the continuous Low frame rate of 5 frames per second or slower.<\/p>\n

As a whole, the E-M5 Mark II is an extremely responsive camera as well. \u00a0Shutter lag is very short, write times are fairly quick.\u00a0 The camera is capable of 10 frames per second shooting with the mechanical shutter and 11 fps with the electronic shutter (though this carries other compromises), though the buffer will only store 12-14 RAW files in a burst before slowing, so it’s not a camera that will be good for dedicated action shooting, but it’s more than capable for occasional use in those situations.<\/p>\n

Overall, the OM-D E-M5 Mark II is a responsive camera that doesn’t force the shooter to wait on it.<\/p>\n

Flash<\/h3>\n

The E-M5 Mark II does not have a built-in pop-up flash, but like its OM-D brethren, features a clip-on accessory flash that’s included with the camera. \u00a0Unlike the earlier clip-on flashes, however, the E-M5 II’s flash is the best accessory clip on flash that I’ve ever seen. \u00a0It’s small and relatively low powered, but is one of the only tiny flashes that has full swivel and bounce capability.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The small, yet effective clip-on flash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While higher ISO and a decently fast aperture is required to make it work well, I was able to get nice exposure while bouncing in my house using ISO 400-800 and f\/2.8 or faster. \u00a0The ability to swivel and bounce turns what is usually an emergency accessory only into something that is truly useful for quality photography.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The E-M5 II’s clip-on flash works very well for informal portraiture. This shot used\u00a0the flash aimed back and to the left.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To be honest, for casual photography, the flash is so small, light and capable that\u00a0it’s something that I would likely use more than my dedicated flashgun. \u00a0Of course, if you’re shooting an event, the larger more powerful flashes are going to be much more useful.<\/p>\n

Continue: Key Features<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

High Resolution Mode<\/h3>\n
\"LeVeque<\/a>
LeVeque Tower at Sunrise – 64MP RAW in HR Mode – Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with Olympus 75-300mm @ 75mm, f\/6.3, 1\/25s, ISO 200 (click to enlarge)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The headlining new feature of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II is the High Resolution Mode (henceforth referred to in this article as HR mode). \u00a0The HR mode takes advantage of the precise control afforded by the excellent in-body image stabilizing system to precisely shift the sensor to capture significantly more data than is generally available with the 16 megapixel sensor. It does this by taking 8 discrete photos and merging them into a single file. \u00a0First, the camera takes a shot, then shifts the sensor to the side one pixel, then down, then to the other side. \u00a0This doesn’t add any direct resolution, but instead shifts the Bayer color filter array around such that red, green and blue values are captured for every pixel location, rather than requiring interpolation. \u00a0This alone increases detail since color interpolation isn’t required like it is for almost all digital cameras. \u00a0It then follows by shifting the sensor up and to the side, placing the pixel array exactly halfway between pixels both horizontally and vertically. \u00a0It then completes the shifting to capture full color information at all of THOSE locations.<\/p>\n

The result? \u00a0A true 64 megapixel RAW file with RGB color information at every one of the 64 megapixels. \u00a0Given the diffraction effects on the small pixels and the resolution capabilities of the lenses, Olympus estimates that there’s only around 40 megapixels of true data here, and as such the JPEG output of this mode is only 40 MP. \u00a0If you shoot in RAW, you will get the 64MP RAW file (which is over 100MB), an ‘ORI’ RAW file, which is the RAW capture of the first frame in the sequence, and a 40MP JPEG image. \u00a0 So how well does it work? \u00a0Pretty darn well.<\/p>\n

The shot above and to the right was taken in HR mode in RAW, with the Olympus 75-300mm at 75mm. \u00a0I didn’t think that a lens like this would work very well in this mode, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Below 200mm, it works brilliantly. \u00a0The 40MP JPEG image produces\u00a0excellent levels of detail, but the RAW file had even more fine detail. \u00a0Below is a 100% crop of the final image, showing the level of detail capable in this mode. \u00a0Note the individual bricks on the mechanical penthouse, then compare the size of the crop to the full image above to get an idea of how much extra detail is capable when using this mode.<\/p>\n

\"100%<\/a>
100% crop from 64MP RAW image (click to view at 100%)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I did a head to head test when I first received the camera to test the extra resolution gained by the HR mode, and was similarly impressed. \u00a0Below are 100% crops using only the out of camera JPEGs, so we’re dealing with 40MP output in this scenario. \u00a0The image on the right is a 100% crop of the 40MP file, while the image on the left is a 100% crop of the standard 16MP shot, upsized to match the same magnification as the 40MP file. The extra level of detail is astounding. Click to view at full size (the reduced version shown inline is insufficient to see the major differences).<\/p>\n

\"100%<\/a>
100% Crops (Click to Enlarge) – 16MP image to the left, 40MP image to the right. Olympus 12-40mm f\/2.8 PRO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This mode has incredible potential for high-resolution imagery, provided you are using a good lens. \u00a0But it certainly isn’t going to be useful for a lot of types of shooting. \u00a0There are three\u00a0things you need in order to make the HR mode work well: a high quality lens, a rock-solid stable platform, and a scene without motion. \u00a0This mode requires a very stable tripod with a very stable head, as any vibration in the camera will cause the mode to produce a mushy mess. \u00a0Macro photography with it is extremely difficult, as even mild air currents or vibrations in the floor of a house can cause enough motion at high magnifications to render the mode useless. \u00a0Likewise, movement in the scene will result in artifacts, which appear as a diagonal hatch pattern over the areas with motion. \u00a0This occurs even when shooting longer exposures. \u00a0You’ll see the first image in the Image Samples collection at the end of the review was taken at 8 seconds in HR mode. \u00a0To make the shot successful, I had to apply a 1 pixel Gaussian blur to the reflected water and moving sky to eliminate the artifacts. \u00a0Since these areas were blurred due to motion anyway, it didn’t matter from a subject standpoint, but it did require the extra step. \u00a0 Still, even with the caveats, it’s a mode that can yield wonderful results in many situations.<\/p>\n

In-Body Image Stabilization<\/h3>\n
\"Olympus<\/a>
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with Olympus 12-40mm f\/2.8 @ 28mm, f\/2.8, 1\/4s, ISO 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Olympus has featured in-body image stabilization (IBIS) for a very long time, dating back to the original 4\/3 system, though some have worked better than others. The E-M5 Mark II features an improved version of the excellent 5-axis IBIS found in the E-M1. The sensor-shift stabilizer in the E-M5 Mark II turns any lens, even adapted lenses, into image stabilized lenses, and Olympus has the very best IBIS in the industry. The IBIS in the E-M5 II is capable of correcting around 4 stops of hand-shake, which is rather remarkable. This can enable handholding shots at 40mm (80mm equivalent) at a shutter speed of 1\/5 second or so. The shot to the right was taken at 1\/4 second at 28mm and remains sharp. I didn’t have time to change settings for this shot, as the look lasted only for a second, and I was\u00a0headed\u00a0up the stairs. I wasn’t planning on taking a photo, but was relieved to find the shot had come out successfully despite the very slow shutter speed.<\/p>\n

On the down side, the E-M5 II’s IBIS is also susceptible to shutter shock like the E-M1. When shutter speeds are between 1\/30s and 1\/80s, or when using very long lenses like the 75-300mm, the camera can have induced blur from the IBIS system due to the mechanical shutter. With the E-M5 II, there are two options: turn on the provided anti-shock feature, or\u00a0use ‘silent mode’ which utilizes fully electronic shutter for the shot. \u00a0Both do a good job of eliminating the shutter shock issue.<\/p>\n

The addition of IBIS is extremely valuable for a wide range of shooting applications, from dim light photography at lower ISOs to hand-holding shots at slow shutter speeds to capture motion of the subject while keeping the background sharp.<\/p>\n

In-Camera Keystone Correction<\/h3>\n
\"The<\/a>
The keystone correction will correct verticals. The composition can be shifted as well. The key on the lower left in this image shows the area of the corrected image that will be cropped in the final JPEG.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another excellent feature that is new to the E-M5 II was also recently given to E-M1 owners via firmware update. Olympus has made it possible to do in-camera perspective correction, to eliminate keystoning that can occur when tilting the camera up or down, most often when photographing architecture. This, of course, only affects the JPEG output, as RAW captures always remain untouched, but I found it useful even when shooting RAW.<\/p>\n

The keystone correction is activated in page 2 of the main menu, and two perspective correction controls appear on-screen, for use with the main dials. Note that it’s a bit tricky to make quick exposure adjustments when using the keystone correction since the main dials are taken over, so it’s easier to get your exposure correct in advance, then switch on the correction. Then all you need to do is move the dials to correct either vertical or horizontal perspective correction. You can also use the four-way buttons to shift the final composition to include what you need from the corrected frame, while a key in the corner shows the area of the corrected frame that will be captured. Unfortunately, you can’t correct both horizontal and vertical perspective simultaneously. The correction works very well, and corrected JPEGs can achieve that nice straight line look right out of camera.<\/p>\n

I mentioned that I also found it useful when using RAW, so let me explain. I shoot a lot of city and architecture photos, and since there are (as of this writing) no mirrorless tilt-shift lenses to enable perspective correction optically, I do a lot of keystone correction in post. Normally, these adjustments can be fairly minor, and it’s not hard to compose with this in mind. However, there are times where you’re tilting the camera up significantly. When corrected, these images will lose data at the bottom edge. As a result, you need to figure out how loose the composition needs to be to have the final image still contain everything you need in the final image. This can be challenging with extreme corrections, but using the in-camera correction tool will give you a RAW image that you know can be corrected.<\/p>\n

Wi-Fi<\/h3>\n

Of course, the E-M5 Mark II features Olympus’ full featured Wi-Fi capabilities that have appeared in their cameras from the past two years. Wi-Fi is one of the features I miss most when shooting with my original E-M5, so it’s a welcome addition to the new camera.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The remote shooting app is clean and straightforward.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Like the E-M1 and E-P5, the E-M5 Mark II has all the standard Wi-Fi features, including remote image transfer, remote shooting and GPS tagging of images. For my own shooting, the transfer of images is the most useful, as I can quickly view high-resolution images on my phone or table, enabling further editing and quick sharing while on the go. I also occasionally use remote shooting to get a good view when the camera is in an awkward position, though this is less needed on the E-M5 II than on many other cameras due to the fully articulating screen.<\/p>\n

Wi-Fi is established by scanning a QR code with your phone or tablet (manual setup is available too), then following the on-screen prompts. Setup went smoothly for me, and image transfer in conjunction with the competent RAW editing features on the camera made sharing a breeze. Remote shooting works fairly well also, with most major settings available right from within the mobile app.<\/p>\n

Other Features<\/h4>\n

There are quite a few long-standing Olympus features that are, of course, present on this camera as well. \u00a0Worth mentioning is the outstanding Live Time and Live Bulb features, which show a live developing preview of the image during long exposures. It’s a feature I use a fair bit on my E-M5 and works just as well on the E-M5 II. \u00a0Olympus has added a new feature in the same set, which is Live Comp. This allows you to take a reference exposure image, and then let the camera check for new areas of brightness over the course of subsequent exposures. \u00a0Effectively, it allows you to expose for the background and then do subsequent longer exposures to composite into the frame, such as painting with light, or something as simple as fireworks. \u00a0It’s nice to see Olympus continue to innovate in this area.<\/p>\n

Continue: Image Quality<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Image Quality<\/h3>\n
\"Ohio<\/a>
Ohio Statehouse – Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with Olympus 12-40mm f\/2.8 PRO @ 25mm, f\/5.6, ISO 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dynamic Range and Color Response<\/h4>\n

The E-M5 Mark II features the same 16 megapixel 4\/3 sized sensor that appeared in the original E-M5, wiht some minor tweaks and software upgrades for processing. As a result, image quality in standard shooting modes is largely similar between the Mark II and the original E-M5, so if you own the first version of the camera (or any recent Olympus Micro 4\/3 camera), you have a good idea of the overall image quality. Images contain good color response with a somewhat crisp tonal curve. The dynamic range is quite excellent for a sensor of this size, and provides plenty of latitude for capturing highlights and shadows, even with wide differences in brightness.<\/p>\n

Olympus color is something you hear a lot of, and that refers predominantly to the JPEG engine. \u00a0Colors in JPEG mode are indeed quite good, with good saturation, but more importantly a natural look that isn’t overcooked.<\/p>\n

Noise and Detail<\/h4>\n

The E-M5 Mark II doesn’t really make any great strides in noise control over previous Micro 4\/3 cameras, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, though I am excited for several manufacturers, Olympus included, to start using a more up-to-date sensor. \u00a0The E-M5 II produces images with high levels of detail at base ISO and even retains quite good detail at high ISO as well. Of course, with static scenes, the high-resolution mode brings the E-M5 Mark II into a whole other realm in comparison with the competition, though I think I discussed that enough on the previous page.<\/p>\n

The E-M5 Mark II has similar noise response to other recent Micro 4\/3 cameras. Despite not really improving on the original E-M5 in this department, the camera is still more than capable of producing high quality results at higher sensitivities. \u00a0Noise becomes noticeable around ISO 800, but good detail and accurate color are retained all the way to ISO 6400, which yields good images as long as you don’t mind a bit of grain, or you perform careful noise reduction. \u00a0ISO 12,800 can be used in a pinch for web display or small prints, but ISO 25,600 becomes too noisy for general use, and a bit of a magenta color cast creeps into the image.<\/p>\n

It’s worth noting that the excellent in-body IS can help mitigate the use of higher ISOs on this camera. \u00a0And in fact, I found after my time shooting with the camera that I only pushed ISO beyond ISO 800 for a handful of shots, and I didn’t take a single image above ISO 1250 in my natural shooting, aside from some test photos indoors to evaluate ISO performance. \u00a0For travel in low light, the IBIS is a big help to image quality. For a full size image of the shot below, click here.<\/a>\u00a0Click on the green arrow at the bottom to view at 100%.<\/p>\n

\"Ohio<\/a>
Ohio Statehouse – Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with Olympus 12-40mm f\/2.8 Pro @ 12mm, f\/5.6, 1\/8s, ISO 800
Click the image to enlarge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

JPEG Quality<\/h4>\n

As alluded to earlier, Olympus produces extremely high quality JPEG images. \u00a0Along with Fuji, Olympus is right at the top in the camera industry with regards to JPEG quality. \u00a0Images are saved with minimal compression, have nice natural colors and contrast. \u00a0There is a bit too much smoothing in the noise reduction algorithm when set to default, but adjusting that setting down helps improve the results quite a bit. \u00a0Once noise reduction is lowered, JPEGs yield a fair bit more detail and, in my opinion, a more natural looking file that is truly excellent.<\/p>\n

Video<\/h4>\n

As noted in the beginning. \u00a0I’m not a videographer, and my experience with video is fairly limited. \u00a0I did, of course, take a few test videos, and the improved bit-rate of up to 77\u00a0Mbps is apparent in the video quality when compared to the original E-M5.\u00a0 The camera is capable of 1080p\/60p recording and fully manual control, and can output video live via HDMI as well. I also noticed that rolling shutter was pretty well controlled, which was very nice to see. \u00a0The image quality is smooth and clean (perhaps a bit too smooth in some instances), and will do well for the average shooter of video. \u00a0Unfortunately, in my limited time using video, it didn’t appear I could adjust exposure parameters during recording, which is a fairly important limitation, in my opinion.<\/p>\n

The camera’s in-body stabilization is a great help here, though, as video footage appears extremely stable, even when shooting handheld. \u00a0It’s really a sort of steadicam look, which will come in very handy for casual video shooters.<\/p>\n

Continue: Conclusion and Image Samples<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h3>\n
\"Two<\/a>
Two Generations of E-M5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pros<\/h4>\n
    \n
  • Extremely solidly built body with robust weather sealing<\/li>\n
  • Good control layout and haptics<\/li>\n
  • Interface is very customizable<\/li>\n
  • Excellent and large electronic viewfinder that is near the top of class<\/li>\n
  • Beautiful fully articulated rear touch screen<\/li>\n
  • Excellent in-body image stabilization for all lenses<\/li>\n
  • Excellent single shot autofocus and very good continuous autofocus<\/li>\n
  • Quick and responsive body<\/li>\n
  • Good dynamic range and detail<\/li>\n
  • Excellent color response<\/li>\n
  • Very good JPEG quality<\/li>\n
  • High Resolution mode, while limited, adds another dimension to shooting, with very detailed 40 Megapixel JPEGs and 64 Megapixel RAW files, when used with sharp lenses<\/li>\n
  • Fully Featured Wi-Fi capabilities<\/li>\n
  • Excellent shooting features such as in-camera keystone correction, or live developing long exposures<\/li>\n
  • Improved video capabilities<\/li>\n
  • Excellent included clip-on flash that tilts and swivels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Cons<\/h4>\n
      \n
    • Grip is a bit cramped and moderately uncomfortable to hold<\/li>\n
    • Articulated screen can be fiddly to bring away from the body while hand-holding<\/li>\n
    • 2×2 Switch can be hard to access, especially with gloves<\/li>\n
    • Menu system is still overly complex<\/li>\n
    • Hi Res mode requires very specific subject matter and rock-solid support to be effective<\/li>\n
    • Sensor is nothing new<\/li>\n
    • Continuous autofocus only available during continuous Low burst rate of 5 fps<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II is a very worthy successor to the original ground-breaking E-M5. \u00a0Olympus has improved a great many things on the camera, including the direct controls, the viewfinder, the rear screen, the autofocus, the image stabilizer and more, while adding very interesting and useful new features such as Wi-Fi or the most-talked about feature, the High Resolution mode. This mode really does break new ground, allowing for 40 (JPEG) or 64 (RAW) Megapixel images for static scenes. It’s most definitely not a gimmick feature, and with a static scene and a solid tripod, will yield truly high-resolution images with good glass.<\/p>\n

      The camera does re-use the three year old E-M5 sensor, which is a bit of a disappointment. \u00a0It’s about time for Olympus to raise the bar in this department. \u00a0It’s not that the sensor is bad: it’s very good, but I feel there has to be further improvement in the three years since the original E-M5 came out. \u00a0The camera is priced at $1099, which\u00a0feels about right given the pro-grade construction and the extensive feature set. \u00a0I was disappointed originally that the E-M5 Mark II didn’t bring the PDAF focusing points from the E-M1, but after using the camera, I’m not entirely sure it needed it, as Olympus has done a remarkable job with focusing accuracy. \u00a0The excellent viewfinder, touchscreen and class-leading image stabilization help support the price as well.<\/p>\n

      In all, it’s an extremely compelling camera, and one with few problems. \u00a0The OM-D E-M5 Mark II is a solid camera that fits in well among the other top-tier mirrorless cameras, and sits as one of the most complete cameras around today.<\/p>\n

      Purchasing anything\u00a0through the B&H Link below helps support Admiring Light at no additional cost to you:<\/em><\/p>\n