Olympus Announces OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Olympus announced new cameras and lenses at Photokina. The OM-D E-M1 Mark II, the company’s new flagship, is due this year, with autofocus and the ability to shoot raw images at 18fps.
The OM-D E-M1 Mark II is, as the name implies, the successor to the E-M1 announced three years ago. The microfourthirds camera has a 20.4-megapixel sensor and a quad-core image processor on which Olympus has pasted the name TruePic VIII. Thanks to that processor, the E-M1 Mark II can capture photos in raw format with autofocus at 18fps and without autofocus at 60fps. The system camera has 121 cross-type autofocus points.
The camera can record 4k images in the wide Digital Cinema Initiatives format of 4096×2060 pixels at 24fps and with a bit rate of 237Mbit/s. Full HD video can be shot at 50fps/60fps. The manufacturer has provided the device with five-axis stabilization and there is room for two uhs-II-sd memory cards in the splash-proof and dust-proof housing. The evf offers a response time of 6ms and a frame rate of 120fps, and the battery lasts 40 percent longer than that of the E-M1, according to Olympus, while the charging time is two hours and is therefore reduced by half.
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II should be released this year, but the company has not yet announced exactly at what price and on what date. It is clear that in addition to the separate body, a kit will be offered with an M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40 mm 1:2.8 Pro lens.
In addition to an expansion of the OM-D line, Olympus is introducing a new system camera in the Pen family. The E-PL8 has a metal housing and the body weighs 326 grams. At the back is a touchscreen that can be tilted. The camera will be available in white, black and brown for 449 euros. In combination with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42 mm 1-3.5-5.6 EZ pancake lens, the camera costs 599 euros when it is released in October.
Finally, Olympus has announced three new lenses: the M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm F1.2 Pro, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro and the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 30mm F3.5 Macro. The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm 1:1.2 Pro prime lens will be released in October and will cost 1299 euros, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm 1:4.0 IS Pro will follow in November for 1299 euros and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 30mm 1:3.5 macro lens with 2.5x magnification is available immediately for 299 euros.