Capture Long-Exposure. No Tripod Required

Imagine being able to take sharp, long-exposure shots without the burden of carrying around a tripod – that dream is now a reality with Olympus’ newest addition to its expanding mirrorless lineup, the OM-D E-M1 Mark II. With its new 6.5-stop stabilization, exposures as long as five or six seconds long can be captured with ease. The camera comes equipped with 4K video capture, built-in Wi-Fi as well as a mechanical shooting speed of 15 fps and 60 fps in electronic mode – making it the fastest burst shutter rate on the market today. However, the real star of the show is the camera’s advanced 5-Axis Image Stabilization system – giving photographers the ability to capture sharp images at slow speeds.

Before getting to the main feature of this camera, first thing I’d like to point out is the design and build-quality of the camera. The E-M1 Mark II’s mirrorless design allows for the photographer to take advantage of its capabilities without the burden of lugging around heavy equipment. At a price point of $2,000, this is camera is also built for professionals and high enthusiasts who demand a durable piece of equipment. The design is similar to that of other Olympus cameras with top of the camera body being littered with buttons and dials for basic functions such as shooting mode, a headphone jack, function dials, ISO ranging from 64 to 25,600 and white balance adjustments. The LCD screen on the back of the camera tilts and swivels and the Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) behind the lens allows for more accurate framing while taking pictures. From personal experiences of owning an Olympus OM-D point-and-shoot, I can say that Olympus has done a fantastic job with its electronic viewfinders as well as the design and build-quality of its OM-D lineup and the E-M1 Mark II is no exception has remained consistently on par with the competition.

However, for those who enjoy night photography, having to carry around a tripod to get crisp-looking night shots can be a real challenge. As an amateur photographer myself, I enjoy taking night cityscape shots but without a tripod, I struggle to keep my hands still enough to get a decent shot – even at high ISOs. With that being said, the stabilization system on this camera is good…really good. The sample shots taken from Petapixel highlight just how unbelievably good this image stabilization really is. At ISO 64 and an aperture at f/9, to get a properly exposed night shot like this would require a shutter speed of at least 8-10 seconds and a tripod to prevent blurriness. This photograph, taken without the use of a tripod, has a recorded shutter speed of 5 seconds and zoomed in at 100x magnification, corners are still very sharp. Simply put, I’m blown away by this system. 

Despite the camera’s phenomenal stabilization system, the E-M1 Mark II does have its downfalls. For starters, the camera’s price is pretty steep when you take into account the camera’s lack of a full-frame sensor (compare the Canon 6D which costs $700 less and has a full-frame sensor of equal resolution) and most devices still aren’t capable of supporting 4K video which means this is (currently) not the best camera for video-capture and playback. All things aside, I think this is a fantastic camera and a great value. Yes it is pretty pricey for a mirrorless camera but it performs well. Its lightning fast shutter speed and versatility as a tool for photographers easily make it a candidate for being one of the year’s best cameras.

Olympus Launches Stylish and Compact E-PL8 Digital Camera

The latest newcomer in Olympus’s “Micro Four Thirds” lineup is the E-PL8 – which priced at $550, sits on the low-end of the price point for the company’s series of advanced compact cameras. It replaces the E-PL7 as the starter camera for consumers interested in using Olympus’s ILC system. It comes packed with a 16MP CMOS sensor, continuous shooting rate of 8 fps, built-in-Wi-Fi and 1.04M-dot touchscreen; The camera’s easy-to-use software and performance make it a great camera for those who are new to photography or are looking to upgrade their smartphone camera.

One of the first aspects about this camera that should be highlighted is the design – this thing is beauty. The E-PL8 looks more like a fashion-accessory than a camera but it still has the high-quality feel and build that one would expect from Olympus. Its aluminum body wrapped in leather gives the camera a very classy appearance. It comes in a variety of colors including White with brown accents, Black, and Silver with tan leather accents. Camera makers have been attempting to target younger clients and this design is proof that Olympus is one of those companies trying to appeal to millennials craving style and functionality.

Since the E-PL8 image sensor is essentially the same as what you would find in its predecessor, I expected the image quality to be similar (which it was). However, this is not the bad thing since the E-PL7 had good image quality for its class. For a camera of this size and class, it comes with higher end features and is an overall versatile photographic tool. The native ISO range of 200-25,600 on the E-PL8 remains the same as its predecessor with an expanded low ISO option of 100. Images don’t produce very much until you push the camera past ISO 6400. Images become almost unusable once the camera is pushed past 12,800 ISO.

While overall performance of the camera was good, I would’ve liked Olympus to be a little more innovative in terms of its features. I was underwhelmed with the lack of a new sensor and mediocre video specs. Olympus is advertising this as an “advanced amateur camera,” but I think the lack of a lens with the camera body could also leave customers feeling a little overwhelmed financially. When all is said in done, the camera can easily run $700-$800 and for a cheaper price, I think the PL7 will serve you just as well.