Olympus just announced its new flagship camera, the OM-D E-M1X, and Chris and Jordan are already here with their review. Tune in to see them put this new model to the test in the frozen north, and find out what they think of it.
What would be the reason for buying this camera at this price since there is only about a 100$ difference with the price of sony a7 r ııı? A full frame camera with 42 mp resolution.
I always like the The Camera Store TV (now DPReview TV) reviews with Chris and Jordan - they're uneventful, but nice.
But I REALLY hope DPR has not retired the 'real-world' review series. Their production value and entertainment are/were just infinitely better, and the photography showcased of a much greater quality!
Isn't the strength of micro 4/3rd's sensor video ability? What's the point for stills? I'm not seeing any compelling reason to pay so much for a smaller sensor, in a similarly sized body and lens mount, compared to an ASP-C sized camera.
I only was waiting for that one to get an idea what OM-D E-M5III is going to be like. It does not look too promising: - 2.3M dot viewfinder - 24p 4K at best - incremental sensor improvements Seeing that, i guess a G9 (if not so ugly) or an E-M5II would be just as good. Sony FF is a stunning option with better AF, IQ but bulky, way more expensive and not as friendly for an enthusiast with lenses made out of beer bottles. I really hope this strange camera would not stop Olympus from improving video and viewfinder on the future E-M5iii.
This is a short view comment. 1. This body is aimed at sport photography which implies telelenses which are heavier so Olympus makes for those photographers a well balanced camera 2. You have also to consider other elements than only weight : which one falls into your hands at the best ? Certainly not the Nikon. This is one of the major reasons why I got rid of all my nikon dslr 3. You better compared this Olympus camera with a d5 , not a d850
well, since you would want a fair comparison ... in order to get the best drive speed out of that D850, you are going to have to put an en-el-18 battery into the grip. Compare the weights now.
I don't agree with Jordan's point about having to menu dive to change subjects to focus on. If I'm shooting motocross I don't ever see a situation where a train suddenly appear in my VF, necessitating a subject change. ;-)
I guess a subject button that when invoked accepts voice input would be cool though..
It was me Chris, but yes I find the interface cumbersome, and yet you are correct. One could devote a custom mode to each application if they wanted, and it would be a rare situation indeed to have to change rapidly between Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. That being said it's a somewhat niche market to apply deep learning to, and they have done nothing to really step up the game for portraits, wildlife, or journalistic photographers. And if the camera can determine its subject effectively why even insist that we have to switch between the modes in the first place? Hopefully Olympus will answer some of these issues going forward.
Chris, this is just Gen 1. The next logical progression will be Olympus using AI to automatically detect humans, trains, planes, etc and adapt the AF accordingly.
@Chris Niccolls .. "One could devote a custom mode to each application if they wanted," I wouldn't do that, I will just pick a button to reach subject mode change setting. I would move navigation to pick whichever. It's fast enough. You don't need to delve into menus to reach there and in case of dedicating many buttons, which will be harder to remember which one is which, its more maintainable too. Later Oly may add more modes, which you can also access from a single click.
@Passionateofphotography ... exactly my thought mate.. all this could be added with future firmware updates too.
Jordan struggles to see who this camera is for and suggests people who hate using tripods. Well that alone is a very large market. I'd also suggest people who want to limit their gear ie; one camera and a few lenses. That too is I'd suggest, quite a large market. I think the EVF/screen quality is a case of holding back costs and features for the E-M1X MK2. Olympus have committed to this camera and its future is highly dependant on this camera selling. I wish them well.
The EVF is exceptionally good on the E-M1 MkII, and even DPR praises it. I just do not understand why suddenly within a day, the EVF sucks of the E-M1X. It's the same EVF!
The complaint I believe is because the optics have improved the resolution now appears lacking, especially for the higher price and the evolution of other camera's EVF (G9 etc)
The EVF on the Em1.2 is exceptionally good???? I have it. I found it soso right when I got it in december 2016. My GH4 EVF looks better. Onve you have seen the G9 EVF then you'll understand why this one is comparetively bad.
Shame that the resolution hasn't increased, but in a camera like this, aren't there more important aspects of the viewfinder to consider, such as how responsive it is while shooting bursts or autofocusing at speed, any lags or glitches etc? I would have thought that the low-ish resolution is a trade-off to improve its responsiveness and performance rather than just cost-cutting.
Sorry but not getting a viewfinder resolution upgrade is really disappointing to me. I rarely use the screen, and things have moved on since the EM1mk2.
For professional expeditions and adventurous outdoor photography this seems like an ultimate camera. Combine it with a 12-100 and the combo is rugged as no other. No need for tripod, no worries for rain or dust and you can USB charge with a batterypack or solar panel. Too bad a lot of people cant see its potential. Horses for courses.
Totally agree with you on this one. All the criticisms are from amateurs who have no idea what pro want. Some complain that it is too expensive. Well, let me add that a Leica M10-P cost twice as much, is a rangefinder camera, a 24 MP FF with no IBIS, not weather sealed, no electronic shutter, no self-cleaning sensor, maximum 5 FPS and no AI autofocus, etc etc. Yet, everyone praises it. The reason? There are all sorts of cameras these days, optimized for different purposes and target markets. I personally will not buy this camera, not because it is bad, but because I am not a pro and I have no need for most of it's features, 400,000 shot shutter, etc. I've an E-M5 and E-M10 and delighted with them. Will wait for the new features to filter down to their upgrades and I'll buy them instead.
Except the high res image stacking feature ties up the camera for several seconds while it composites the image and only works with static subjects.
High res cameras like the Fuji MF take 50MP images without that long delay, and can do so with moving subjects.
Image stacking is a fascinating feature, and a frontier of computational photography, but for now it is not equal to having a larger sensor camera with more megapixels.
Agreed, in many situations. However if I were a landscape shooter, which I occasionally am, this is still very useful. Three grand worth of useful in and of itself? Dunno about that.. but worth considering.
Here's something else. For about the same amount of money, I can get a Z7 or Sony A7RIII (I have a Z7 actually), that give me close to 50MP in FF, close to the Fuji MF in IQ, and again, I can take an image in a fraction of a second. Even shooting landscapes, I value that...I don't want to wait several seconds each time I take a photo.
And even with landscapes, there can a breeze moving tree branches, moss, etc...there can be water gently moving...and an image stacking algorithm still can't deal with that in a perfect way.
So it's interesting...but not quite as viable a solution, at least not yet, IMHO.
I wonder how fast Ansel Adams could reload that 8x10 box camera he shot with ;-) But valid point about the Z7 and its price. I've checked one out in person and I was quite impressed. I don't know if I'd run water all over it.. but still I like it. If I had no legacy with any other system, I'd probably go with a Z6. Or else just get an X-T3.
Well I dislike it. First off mf is about resolution, tonality, dr en low noise. TRIPOD hires gets you there but the movement restricts it. Hh hires does not get you the better colours, tones. More akin to 5drs canon I am afraid. I hoped for hires, handheld with less problems with movement. It takes a sensor that is prolly much faster....
Well...I have the EM1.2 and its HiRes is better than the handheld version here. It is MF like but it is not better. Colours are better, but dynamic range is worse (which is much more important to me for landscape) and noise again is similar. For me for landscapes it works fine, handheld would be even nicer. i wonder if I put the handheld Hires on a tripod and make the tripod vibrate if the result would be even better especially for long exposures which would not be possible. I saw Tony Norhtrup shooting handheld with a 0,4 s exposure and the result (he directly compated to A7RIII) was clearly better than the A7RIII. And that was in the night, stil the detail and noise (both at ISO6400) was much better on the EM1X as well as the colours...
I really enjoyed this video, Chris and Jordan, although I'm not an Oly shooter and not interested in the system as I'm still working with my NX1 and NX500 and looking to upgrade to mirrorless FF for some of my photography. I tried out some Olys at a few Photokina visits as we live in nearby Düsseldorf, and I always thought they were beautiful and fun. Now this is a bit of a different beast, nice but really big and expensive given its small sensor.
Despite Oly's high res shooting mode etc. I think that the small sensor shows in terms of its limits to producing natural looking resolution and DR, reminding me a tad of smartphone images, oversharpened and overly contrasty, so even this MFT sensor is no match for APS-C and FF especially for architecture & landscapes.
Nonetheless, these are absolutely wonderful photographs, Chris, wow. You and Jordan are making a big difference here with your enjoyably intelligent and inspiring reviews and excellent photography. Keep them coming!
Only a match (or better) when using hires modes though surely? In single shot mode I'd expect an APS-C 28MB BSI sensor still has some advantages albeit the processing of the data has no doubt moved forward considerably.
No. With HiRes it is Medium Format IQ. The sensor in the EM1.2 is really better than the NX1 as per DxO, only at base ISO the NX1 is slightly better. Anyway: Canon 80D etc is also APS-c and according to DxO it is in fact a bit worse than the EM1.2. Again: the margin is very very small so you would notnotice it. But that puts the Em1.2 sensor right into APS-c territory.
Sadly that's all theory and doesn't pan up in those files from what I can see. I wish this Oly's sensor were equal to my 28 MP BSI APS-C. It's not at all, I'm afraid. The files are much coarser with much less DR and fine detail, that's easy to see. Nice colours though and a very nice and great looking cam overall minus the tedious menu and price.
I wish Oly would also hop on the FF train together with Leica, Sigma, Panasonic, especially now that Oly make a camera that large and expensive (not everything is FPS). Until then or until Nikon gets their very expensive high res FF mirrorless equipped with a much better AF, or some other attractive option (Pana etc.) comes along, I'll keep my NXs that are still brilliant after 4 years, IBIS and all, and can shoot not only portrait and landscapes very well but also sports with 15 FPS on manual shutter and reasonable buffer with a fast card. No Sony for me, highly competent as they are, but that's entirely up to personal preference.
Andrea: it is not theory.Look at dpreview studioscene and you can see how it is very true. But this argument has been going on for some time now and I am no longer interested in convincing others..
I'm figuring that the advantages/disadvantages laid out in the specs and when compared to other cameras, is of little consequence to many (perhaps most?) buyers. The IQ will be great and satisfy most people's needs. However, there are two points: 1) Is this as a proclaimed pro sports/action camera, a better camera and system package than what's already available on the market and, 2) As already mentioned by others, the size of this thing. It's very large. It would have been much better to make extra battery grip an optional add on.
On the first point, I think Sony may have the upper hand - although I put my hand up and say I've not used Sony's latest A7/A9 cameras. Everything I've read/heard tells me that Sony seems to be top of pile at the moment in mirrorless land.
On the second point, I definitely get the impression that mirrorless is about being smaller and lighter, not bigger and heavier, otherwise why leave a traditional DSLR system? Other brands do smaller and lighter.
I think people are beginning to realise certain disadvantages to small bodies for genres such as sports/action. Besides, ultimately they need to attach lenses before concluding the package is too big/bulky no? I'd sooner choose a small lens on a big body than the other way around. They cannot compete with small body and small lens combo but I think they can be forgiven for that.
It's targeted market is the Nikon D5/Canon 1DX segment, not the run-of-the-mill Sony or Nikon D850/Canon 5D market segment. We'll have to wait for the E-M1 Mk II upgrade which is the true Olympus competitors to these cameras.
Unfortunately, in spite of Chris' abilities the camera delivers blotchy, and noisy shots typical of m43. That all that heft, and processing power only seems to produce marginal AF tracking and unremarkable video specs. This is no doubt the first camera fiasco of 2019. Its's early, but at $3000 it maybe very hard to come up with something worse. Doubt that even Canon could do it. LOL
In Europe, Olympus let you test cameras a few days for free (with affiliated retailers).
The EM-1 II produce clean images until 800. It's not that noisy... of course. It's not as good as APS-C or FF, but not bad at all. Moreover, you can use kind of light f2.8 zoom..
I will probably give a trynfoe free (Thanks Olympus in Europe) to this camera this year.
Yeah, I downloaded some of the raws into Rawtherapee and had to get to 800 percent zoom before seeing the pixels as squares. No undue blotch or noise. I think the 50mp sensor shift photo of the mountain with the climbers in the lower left was actually outpacing the lens. And that lens doesn't suck!
In regards to the AF challenges for portraits, you can get a Sony for tracking living things and Olympus for nonliving things. All you need is money, and I'm sure that's not a problem for anyone, right?
Everyone on this forum, including DPR, is judging this camera against the wrong set of objectives. It is developed for pros that currently use the Nikon D5 and Canon 1DX. These cameras are more than twice as expensive, yet have far less features, less robust, not as water-proofed and have only 20MP sensors. Olympus never meant for this camera to be targeted at enthusiasts who buys the Nikon D850, Canon 5D, etc.
The Nikon D5 and Canon 1DXII have a huge advantage over this Olympus camera: the size of the sensor. Better lowlight performance, better performance with high shutter speeds, better selection of super tele lenses, better subject isolation due to more shallow depth of field, etc. You cannot get around that.
And the D5/1DXII are easily as weather sealed and robust as this new Olympus. The Oly is good, but not better.
There will not be a single person switching from a D5 or 1DXII to this camera. Count on that.
As for the D850...aside from that being a pro camera as well...let's analyze. The Oly has that handheld image stacking feature that can get you a 50MP photo. But it ties up your camera for about 10 to 12 seconds. Well, the D850 can get you about 46MP instantly, without the delay...and of course with richer color depth and everything else associated with a larger sensor.
The Oly is not a bad camera but one searching for a market.
Everyone’ knows that. The old debate m43 vs FF is useless. It all depends on what you need , what you are shooting, etc. We ALL know ff sensors deliver better image quality for giant prints. But do all people need to have a file allowing very large prints ? The answer is NO.
Are you kidding? Did you see the cut through? This maybe the most overbuilt OVF, with 1/2 lb of glass elements, filters and whatnots and yet they didn't want to spend 5 extra bucks for decent a hi-res device.
No 4K 60P or 10 bit recording on a $3000 body in 2019? I'll stick with my GH5 Same EVF resolution as A7iii? Why did latter get all the blame? Huge body for M43 sensor while A9 is able to fit a FF sensor in a EMii body? Eye AF still lagging and all the object AF mode is just a gimmick? I know this camera is not for me but how would a professional user make their purchase decision?
THe camera is fantastic .. and it will sell (and I probably will buy it). THe killer, as far as I.m concerned, is the lack of choice of a detachable grip. Another gripe is the 50MP hand-held, High Resolution Mode .. it works for still subjects ... but (still) no way for any object that shows any movement (no matter how slight). Two quetions:
Unless you're an aspiring professional videographer, who needs 4K 60P (etc etc ... whatever)....
Coming soon to the store near you for sale price of 1599 lol Olympus must have lost their mind. Small sensor is small sensor no matter how you slice it and the photos show that... They would have to come out with 1.4 and f2 zoom lenses or long primes to be even remotely competitive with canon and nikon
I actually was quite impressed with the pleasant video rendering on this camera. It isn't quite as buzzword compliant as some of its rivals, but it still produces movie quality shots if you know what you're doing.
This is an annoyance with the E-M1X. If you're low on the first battery, but have a fully charged battery in the second slot, you'll still get the battery warning blinking in your viewfinder for a long while. Hopefully they can fix this with firmware.
I'm a big m43 user but not a sports shooter so this camera is not really for me. I'm waiting for the other cameras heavily rumored to come out later this year, probably the Pen F 2 and EM5 mark III. But some of the EM1x tech will trickle down to these rumored cameras.
Pros for the EM1x: - they did it, they've made hand-held hi-res work - improved IBIS is nice - AF is revamped
Cons for the EM1x: - disappointed EVF res has not improved since 2013 and this is the super premium model - video specs look barely improved from the em1II - I'm more of a people shooter so AF still needs some work.
Chris Niccolls & Jordan Drake have created an enjoyable and informative review. I am very glad that this video feels like their earlier TCSTV ones. Chris's refutation delivery is subtle -- witness the landscapes (beautiful!), portraits (lovely!), parked airplane, toy train and slow-moving snowmobile. The subject of the review is a massive blob of confusion that strays far from Olympus "small, good, fun" tradition. If it was meant to be "the best MFT camera", they must have imagined the term "best" incompetently.
Given the high price to performance ratio I think this camera will be a hard sell. But one thing is for certain, the color quality of the Olympus video in this review is stellar. It actually puts the recent Sony video and your old GH5 videos to shame.
I stopped two times to check at the beginning. Is this a new, trendy, asymmetrical coat, a fashion statement, or is this only an "user error"? :) Nice gloves, though!
There is a very real market for "smaller and lighter, with very good image quality." And there is a very real market for "bigger and heavier, with even better image quality."
But there is almost no market for "bigger and heavier with very good image quality."
Fake News lol There is always a market for Olympus fanboys because Olympus has the secret sauce. I sold my EM1 last year. A great camera. The people who bought the EM1M2 will buy this camera. Also disgruntled former Canon & Nikon users will buy this. I just wish Olympus would've lowered the price to $2500 @ launch, improved menu, included a Pro lens, improved skin tones, & lastly added IBIS 4k @ 60p.
you shooting without lenses? every ff pro tele lens will cut any weight advantage smaller mirrless body have (and there's the fact you can't really hold whole thing right). period. olympus playing here smard card, if you ask me. yes, they could pu little bi updated software and hardware in, but it is step in right direction in their niche market, imo.
Focusing (no pun intended) on my interests, the increase in size is going to make underwater enclosures even more expensive to buy, not to mention servicing, or 3rd parties just aren't going to make enclosures for this at all.
Wow - I don't what to think - so many conflicting thoughts. I've been with Olympus since the early 80's - always loved their cameras. Embraced both 4/3 and M4/3 upon their announcements. But now, here they go - releasing a camera the size of a professional DSLR w/battery grip at a whooping $3000 USD. I just don't know if this camera will result in the sales numbers that they had envisioned, and if not...they'll be forced to drastically cut the prices (how much longer can their medical division offset the losses in the camera division?).
I'm still loving the likes of the E-M5 and E-P5 which I still embrace - perfect size factors with superb performance. M4/3 was released with an end goal of smaller cameras and lenses - but look where it's evolved to. I just don't know anymore. Luckily, folks like me also shoot with other brand mirror-less options. If Olympus was my only brand at the moment, I'd be concerned for its future, but like anything else, I could be wrong (hope I am).
There are new, better technologies out now that can do Colon scans that maybe won't even require a Colostomy anymore. So the days of endoscopes may be coming to an end. Not good for Olympus.
Colonoscopy, looking into the colon with a scope. Colostomy, you poop into a bag. But yes, the closer I get to the big 5-0, the more I hope for non-invasive means of scanning my gas pipe!
I would imagine that Olympus are also working on the newer tech, because they're pretty smart like that.
I kind of doubt they are. It is new imaging like a Cat Scan or a MRI. That is big boy stuff that cost a Million dollars or more. I would not think Olympus could break into that market. They are pretty cash strapped as of late. Here in the United States GE seems to have that market sewed up.
I just has a Colonoscopy done a month ago. It really is not that bad at all. They knock you out so you really don't feel or know anything. The drinking all that liquid might seem like the worse part, but I guess the result out the other end Is the really the worse part LoL.
This thing is a disaster, even an a6400 is arguably a better sports camera because of the af. Olympus should just make e-mount lenses instead, as they clearly can't afford to develop a cutting edge camera with a modern sensor and image processor.
Yes, you can shoot it under the rain and you got FE sport lenses. Ultimately, you get a better IQ from A6400 with any of the big FE lenses. But that does not mean it is better ergonomically too. :-)
I'm quite sure the Sony will not survive in the wet, being dropped, have much inferior image stabilisation, no Hi-Res, and will go to heaven way before the Olympus reaches 400,000 shutter actuations. You see, it is targeted at a completely different market, and not for people like you who buys enthusiast cameras.
Yes, that durability point is a valid one for pros. It is a good cam in good light, when they sort out the AF gimmicky stuff. I would use AF-C and single point or zone anyhow, and follow the subject myself... It would be interesting to see how it compares to something like G9 with DFD engaged. I remember there was a slight wobble in picture as the af was continuously going back and forward to verify focus but the hit rate was good. The EVF was also superior. One can have new-like G9 for £864 in UK at the moment - great value proposition. I guess for someone invested in Olympus PRO lenses and getting good living out of shooting micro 4/3, like for wild life photographers in more extreme weather this Olympus could be great, so could be perhaps G9 - or for that matter my Canon 40D, but with much bigger tele lenses. I still love the simplicity of tracking with OVF on Canon 40D - just keep that central AF point on the subject, use AF-ON back button and fire at will :-) Great for tennis.
Olympus needs to drop that format and go FF with new lens or a L mount that will also work with the new Panasonic coming soon. This just seems like a waste of time.
I disagree they need to go FF - m4/3 has a lot of appeal but within its known limitations - brighter conditions (ISO 800 or less is usually what I see with DPR's widget, sometimes ISO 1600) and keep it small. The EM5III is the camera to really be excited about - mass-market and good and small. And not the price of the FF flagships.
Unless Olympus can somehow do FF better than everyone else, then there is no point in going there. Why would they want a tiny slice of this market niche?
Olympus is much better off doing a better job serving their existing customers. That means better midrange products that are aimed at ordinary shooters, and not at a handful of people who want the "the world's best camera with a small sensor" and who want to spend three thousand dollars to have it.
I already did, actually. Having both Fuji and Olympus, I have gotten fantastic images out of both systems. My full frame gear is still chemical sensor based, however.
I tried it too.... with both a Sony SLT and a Fuji X camera. And I ended up disappointed and going back to M4/3.
Bottom line... the IQ advantage of APSC is really small, and you end up losing all the M4/3 advantages. If you want a real improvement in IQ, then you need to go straight to FF or Medium Format. And that is something I didn't want to do.
That's interesting I'm using M4/3 right now, not too heavily invested into the system, but I was wondering about potential benefits and price / performance of APS-C. A sensor that is 70% larger doesn't give significant IQ advantage? FF is just too expensive, APS-C at least has some cheaper options, but if the IQ isn't much better, seems pretty pointless.
If you go APSC, then Fuji X is your best option, because they have the only APSC MILC system that doesn't rely on full frame lenses.
The Fuji X lenses are pretty nice, if somewhat pricey, but at least they are designed for the APSC sensor. All the other APSC systems only make basic kit lenses for APSC, then expect you to buy full frame lenses for any step up.
Right now the Fuji X-T3 looks pretty tempting. This camera was a very nice improvement over their already nice X-T2.
I noticed that while browsing the options, just wondering if the Fuji system will give better value, IQ / Price. With increasing competition in FF now, and apparently very little in APS-C, perhaps FF does not cost much more and will provide increased IQ, of course with some compromises too.
Seems like for best value it's either M4/3 or FF, and RIP APS-C?
If I had it to do over again, I'd probably go Fuji - that X-T20 with the firmware updates and the X-T30 upcoming with better AF strike me as fabulous values.
What are you using right now? I compared the Sony A6500 and Panasonic G9 just out of curiosity, and it's pretty hard to tell the difference. If I had a bit more cash I would probably be with Fuji, but M4/3 has some really huge value options right now. FF is a luxury I might explore someday but not sure, maybe a used Z 6 a few years down the line for £500. :D
This sort of came out of nowhere, when everyone was waiting patiently for the more mass market updates that are sorely needed, and I hope will come this year. I assumed it was a vanity project for their 100th year to coincide with the 2020 Olympics, but no real improvement in AF for sports, or low-light sensor performance!
It looks like they have made a start with AI, but getting left way behind by the latest smartphone tech, and still buried in the archaic menu structure. I was hoping this might be their first with a totally new, phone-like UI.
It seems like a vanity project gone wrong. They wanted the prestige of saying that they can compete with "the big boys" in the sports photography field, but they really can't.
Towards the end of the video Chris asks the million dollar question:
"Who is going to buy this camera?"
Surely a few people will, but probably not enough to make this camera a financial success for Olympus. So Olympus ends up with a nice halo product, that adds absolutely nothing to their bottom line. In fact, it could end up losing money for Olympus.
Their real solution for Olympus will be the Pen-F II or the EM5 III, if we ever see them on the market. Hopefully, those more mainstream models will be soon to follow.
Creating the "world's best M4/3 camera" is a nice goal, but it will never become the tool of choice for pros. It will just be a nice toy for very wealthy amateurs.
It might not add anything to their bottom line NOW, but it's a good indication of things to come. Ofcourse all those technologies will trickle down the line-up.
GM makes only a handfull of Corvettes every year. Yet they sell a whole lot of Impalas. Enough of the reason they sell all those Impalas has to do with the Corvette, so as to be worth it for them to dump all that money into making a car that, by itself, won't turn much profit.
Race on Sunday, sell on Monday. Tech trickles down. This was a long-term good idea.
Having a bigger body does allow them to dissipate the heat that two power-hungry multi-core ARM chips generate. As the dies shrink, the power draw drops, and the software gets refined, they should be able to put the same capabilities into an EM5 body.
What a perfectly balanced and objective review. Exactly my thoughts. Micro 4/3 shines in size vs image quality department. The bigger the body and lens combination is with micro 4/3 cams, the less exciting it is. Shoot something like GM1 with 20 1.7 and you will be amazed by its size vs IQ ratio.
Maybe only one remark, are you sure you can't get out of eye focusing simply by tapping on the screen to where you want to focus instead? That's how it works on Panasonic's nowadays. It detects closer eye constantly and by tapping on the screen you instantly change that to single square with quickly adjustable size too if required for more precise spot. If it does not detect face than I think it focuses on central region.
My 2012 E-M5 has tap to focus and selectable for which eye you want eye AF. So one would assume that this camera could be made to work in similar fashion.
I have been using Olympus cameras since the 70's continuously and I love them all, especially the OM-2 and E-M5 Mk II. My worry is, if this camera fails to excite the market and re-generate interest in Olympus, will the company go the way of some of the great Japanese cameras like Minolta, Yashica, Ricoh, Bronica, etc? I truly fear for their future.
They should have went FF too and join the mount alliance with Panasonic, while maintaining micro 4/3 line too for enthusiasts. This would only make sense since they are already in micro 4/3 alliance.
I wish Panasonic add to GM line, such a great IQ vs size ratio. You can't ignore here that, as rightly pointed in video, it is micro 4/3 sized senzor in FF-sized body with a price tag greater than many FF cameras. Olympus tried too hard with this camera I think.
Totally agree they should have gone FF and kept M4/3 line smaller and hope for sensor improvements in time. At least they could have kept the 1.2 body and made a better EVF, and improved video.
Minolta didn't die, they were bought by Sony. Maybe that can be a good thing for dieing cameras manufacturers like Olympus and Pentax, being bought by someone with larger pockets with a better vision and money for R&D.
Underwhelmed. Big, heavy camera and too many "sharp edges" to it's focussing system. Olympus should not have released this camera for another 6 months, but instead focus on a E-M5 upgrade. That's where the sales are.
We've been shooting with the new Olympus OM-D E-M1X for a little while now, both in and out of our studio. Our standard studio tests show that conventional stills performance is little changed from the E-M1 II, but its high-res Pixel Shift mode is still impressive.
We were live this morning discussing the Olympus E-M1X and answering questions from our community. You can re-watch it here and ask more questions in the comments.
The Olympus OM-D E-M1X is a more powerful dual-grip evolution of the E-M1 II. Aimed at sports shooters it promises improved AF, including advanced subject recognition, along with the highest-ever rated image stabilization system.
With a double grip and double batteries, the Olympus E-M1X is the company's largest mirrorless camera to date - and yet, the big story is all on the inside.
After several teasers, Olympus has revealed its sports-oriented OM-D E-M1X to the world. This rugged camera has a 20MP Four Thirds sensor, built-in 7-stop image stabilization, a 121-point hybrid AF system, burst shooting at up to 18 fps with continuous AF, motorsports / train / aircraft recognition and much, much more.
We don't often get excited about $900 cameras, but the Fujifilm X-T30 has really impressed us thus far. Find out what's new, what it's like to use and how it compares to its peers in our review in progress.
The S1 and S1R are Panasonic's first full-frame mirrorless cameras so there's a plenty to talk about. We've taken a look at the design and features of both cameras and have some initial impressions, as well.
One of three lenses launched alongside the Nikon Z6 and Z7, on the face of it the Z 50mm F1.8 S might appear the most pedestrian of the group, but it might just be the niftiest fifty we've ever seen.
The Nikon Z6 may not offer the incredible resolution of its sibling, the Z7, but its excellent video quality and faster performance make it an impressive camera at a considerably lower price.
Following testing of the Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II, we've added it to our Pocketable Enthusiast Compact Cameras buying guide as joint-winner, alongside Sony's Cyber-shot RX100 VA.
If you're looking for a high-quality camera, you don't need to spend a ton of cash, nor do you need to buy the latest and greatest new product on the market. In our latest buying guide we've selected some cameras that while they're a bit older, still offer a lot of bang for the buck.
A question frequently asked on the Internet is 'what's the best DSLR?' In this buying guide we've answered that question – but also whether it's the right question to be asking in the first place.
What's the best camera for under $500? These entry level cameras should be easy to use, offer good image quality and easily connect with a smartphone for sharing. In this buying guide we've rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing less than $500 and recommended the best.
Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Sony mirrorlses cameras in several categories to make your decisions easier.
Panasonic is well known for including impressive video features on its cameras. In this article, professional cinematographer Jack Lam explains one killer feature the company could add to its S series that would shake up the industry – and it all comes down to manual focus.
Full-frame cameras get a lot of attention lately, but Technical Editor Richard Butler thinks that APS-C makes the most sense for a lot of people – and there's just one company consistently giving the format the support it deserves.
The 12th International Garden Photographer of the Year winners have been announced. We've gathered the top photos from each category and rounded them up into a slideshow.
Uber software engineer Phillip Wang has created a website that shows a portrait of a person that doesn't actually exist by using AI to merge multiple faces together.
Want to know more about the Canon EOS RP? Dying to ask a question that hasn't been addressed anywhere else online? Join the editors of DPReview for a live Q&A about this new camera next Tuesday, Feb. 19 on our YouTube channel. Click through for details.
Got a couple of minutes? Then you have all the time you need to learn about Canon's second full-frame mirrorless camera body – and why it's a compelling option for someone stepping into full-frame for the first time.
A quick glance at the spec sheet doesn't make the Canon EOS RP look that exciting. But having shot with it, we've become oddly fond of this little full framer.
Pixelmator Pro has received an update with new and improved features, including support for Portrait Masks with images captured by the iPhone's Portrait Mode.
Alongside the EOS RP, Canon showed us mockups of the six lenses it says are in development for 2019. There's a distinct high-end flavor to the options in the works.
The new X-T30 may not be Fujifilm's flagship model, but it arrives with some very impressive features and specifications. Chris and Jordan have been shooting it for a few days and share their first impressions, along with a look at an iconic new building in their hometown of Calgary.
We don't often get excited about $900 cameras, but the Fujifilm X-T30 has really impressed us thus far. Find out what's new, what it's like to use and how it compares to its peers in our review in progress.
The Fujifilm X-T30 is equipped with the same 26.1MP X-Trans sensor and X-Processor 4 Quad Core CPU as the X-T3, along with some autofocus improvements. The new camera arrives in March for $900 body-only.
Fujifilm's XF 16mm F2.8 is one of the widest lenses in the company's lineup of compact primes for its X-series interchangeable lens cameras. We've been up and down the streets of snowy Seattle - a rare sight - to see just what our pre-production copy of this petite prime is capable of.
Canon has unveiled its second full-frame mirrorless camera: the entry-level EOS RP. Touting its compact size and approachability for beginners, the RP uses a 26.2MP sensor and will sell for $1300 body-only this March.
A pre-launch event gave us a chance to shoot a sample gallery to show what sort of image quality you can expect from the least-expensive digital full frame camera ever launched.
Nikon has taken the wraps off a new standard zoom lens for mirrorless, the Z 24-70mm F2.8 Z. The new 24-70mm has been on Nikon's Z-series roadmap since the mount was announced last August, and it will ship in spring for $2299.
Canon has announced the development of six RF lenses, including the incredibly compact RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM, two variations of an RF 85mm F1.2L USM, plus a 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM, 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM and 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM.
Nikon has announced more details of firmware in development for the Z6 and Z7. As previously reported, firmware is being planned that will add Eye-detection AF, CFexpress support and Raw video over HDMI.
Tripod manufacturer Three Legged Thing has developed a new L-bracket designed to fit a wider range of cameras and allow users to mount their camera in a variety of ways.
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