Just a few days ago, Olympus unveiled their new MFT camera, the Olympus E-M1 MK II. It is not only the Japanese company’s first foray into 4K video, it is also a technology milestone in terms of image stabilization and pro video features. The Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II Please make sure to read Graham’s article for a good overview of this new camera. As a reminder, here are the specifications: New 20 Megapixel Live MOS Sensor 4K UHD Video up to 30fps (3840×2160) and Cinema 4K up to 24fps (4096×2160) 3.0 Articulating Touch Monitor 121 Point Dual Auto Focus Pre-Record Feature 5-Axis Image Stabilization Dual SD Card Slot (UHS II Compatible) Weatherproofing: dust, splash and freeze-proof Weight: 1.3 pounds. One of the real achievements of this newly developed camera is the implemented image stabilization. As Janne Amunet puts it: It really gives new possibilities in terms of moving the camera without having a huge production budget. And that’s really it! The quality of stabilization that the Olympus E-M1 Mark II can achieve seems to be quite impressive, and can be even further improved when used alongside an Olympus lens with image stabilization. In a scenario like this, the result of both camera and lens add up to almost gimbal-like performance. The other buzzword surrounding this camera is, of course, 4K. It’s a first for Olympus, but it’s good to see other manufacturers adopting more and more camera systems to choose from. The Olympus E-M1 MK II caters the micro four thirds system, just like the Panasonic GH4. When shooting in (cinema) 4K, this camera is capable of a datarate of 237 MBits, which is a really impressive amount of data for such a small camera package. Pricing and availability Unfortunately there is no word on pricing yet, but the camera should still hit the market before 2017, probably looking at around December time.  

Camera manufacturer Olympus announced the new OM-D E-M1 MK II camera today complete with a 4K 30p 20 megapixel sensor in a small “weatherproof” form factor. Details below.    The new OM-D E-M1 MK II camera seems to be aimed at the adventure shooter group. With a small 1.3 pound body and weatherproofing that Olympus says will withstand dust, splashing and freezing, this is a camera that is meant to survive more than just those little “oops” moments. With the addition of the MK II, the OM-D E-M1 now includes 4K video recording options up to 30fps in 4K mode (3840 x 2160) and up to 24fps in Cinema 4K (4096×2160). Recording is available in .mov or .avi at a maximum bit rate of 237 Mbps. The 5-axis internal stabilization should also make for very steady handheld shooting. You can also internally shoot timelapses at 4K/5fps without a remote shutter trigger. Main Features of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II at a Glance:  New 20 Megapixel Live MOS Sensor 4K Video up to 30fps (3840×2160) and Cinema 4K upto 24fps (4096×2160) .MOV or .AVI Codec 3.0 Articulating Touch Monitor 121 Point Dual Auto Focus Pre-Record Feature 5-Axis Image Stabilization Dual SD Card Slot (UHS II Compatible) Weatherproofing: dust, splash and freezeproof Weight: 1.3 pounds. For stills shooters, Olympus has clearly prioritized auto focus features during the last two years of design and R&D work. This time around, Olympus promises very speedy 18 frames per second sequential shooting in RAW while in continuous AF mode. The “Pro Capture” feature is similar to other pre-record features we’ve seen on more video focused cameras, and Olympus promises you’ll be able to capture up-to 14 frames prior to fully pressing down the shutter button. The only feature that doesn’t seem quite in line with their adventurer focused design is the 3.0″ touch screen. Having a touch screen out in the wilderness seems problematic and a recipe for a very dirty screen. No new camera announcement is complete without at least a few additional lenses to round out your kit, and Olympus did not disappoint. Three new pro lenses were also announced today: New Lenses:  M.ZUIKO Digital ED 25mm f1.2 PRO lens M.ZUIKO Digital ED 30mm f3.5 Macro lens M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-100mm f4.0 PRO lens All the lenses are weatherproofed to protect against dust, freezing and water. Pricing has yet to be announced. Price: TBD Availability: TBD What do you think of the new OM-D EM-1 MK II? Comment below.