Olympus E-M1 Micro Four Thirds camera officially announced

Olympus E-M1 has finally been announced, officially becoming the flagship Micro Four Thirds camera, albeit it is regarded as the replacement of the Four Thirds E-5 shooter.

It has been one of the most rumored cameras this summer, but recently it became clear that it will be introduced on September 10. Olympus has not failed to deliver and the E-M1 Micro Four Thirds camera is now official, as a replacement for the three-year-old E-5.

Olympus E-M1 replaces Four Thirds E-5 to become the flagship Micro Four Thirds camera

Olympus says that its customers have demanded a mirrorless camera that is as good as a professional-level DSLR. This is why the company has decided to get going and the result will be known as OM-D E-M1 from now on.

It is a premium flagship Micro Four Thirds camera with better specs than those of the current high-end shooter, called OM-D E-M5.

Despite all that, the Japanese manufacturer says that the E-M1 is the true heir to the original E-5, as the device can support Four Thirds lenses with the help of a special adapter.

New 16.3-megapixel sensor and TruePic VII processor powering the OM-D E-M1

Olympus E-M1 specs have previously been leaked on the web and the official ones are in line with what we have heard from gossip talks. This means that the camera is powered by a 16.3-megapixel Live MOS image sensor without an anti-aliasing filter and a TruePic VII processing engine.

The new sensor and processor are here to improve image quality by capturing sharper photos, while cutting down optical imperfections. TruePic VII processor allows users to capture up to 10 frames per second at RAW quality, a very useful feature for action and sports photography.

The photos can be reviewed on a 3-inch 1,037K-dot tilting LCD touchscreen, which also acts as a Live View mode when recording movies. Speaking of which, full HD video is supported at 30 frames per second.

Contrast AF and Phase Detection AF systems with Focus Peaking will guarantee quick autofocusing

The camera boasts Dual Fast AF technology, which puts together Contrast AF and on-sensor Phase Detection AF system, allowing the camera to focus a lot faster than its rivals.

Olympus E-M1 will be able to choose between the 81-point Contrast Detection AF or 37-point Phase Detection AF, depending on the settings and the lens used by the photographer.

In order to ensure that the shooter will focus very fast, Olympus has also added Focus Peaking technology, which has received praises from users worldwide. An autofocus assist lamp is also there, which should be very useful in low-light conditions.

Integrated high-res electronic viewfinder to track subjects and WiFi to remotely control the OM-D E-M1

Since it is a higher-end shooter, it features a built-in viewfinder with a very high resolution. According to the company, the electronic viewfinder sports a 2.36-million-dot resolution and a 1.48x magnification (0.74 x for the 35mm equivalent), meaning that it easily competes against DSLR VFs.

The E-M1 borrows the five-axis sensor-shift image stabilization technology from the E-M5. It will be able to counteract the effects of motion therefore reducing blur in case you have shaky hands or if you are running.

This new Micro Four Thirds camera also sports built-in WiFi. This means that it can be easily connected to a smartphone so that users can control the E-M1 remotely. The free Image Share 2.0 application can display images in Live View mode and it can be used for inputting the exposure settings with minimum lag.

Moreover, photographers can add geo-tagging data to their images with the help of the smartphone’s GPS.

New design and sealing make the Olympus E-M1 resistant to splash, freeze, and dust

The flagship Micro Four Thirds camera status comes with even more benefits. This is a rugged device that is resistant to freeze, water, and dust. Olympus says that the E-M1’s body can withstand all these harsh conditions without breaking a sweat.

Beside the usual P/A/S/M and Auto modes, the camera comes with a 2×2 Dial Control system. The dials can be used for setting the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and exposure compensation among others.

Furthermore, there are seven white balance presets available in the Olympus E-M1, along with several creative modes, including Time Lapse Movie, HDR, and Interval Shooting.

Shutter speed and ISO top at 1/8000-second and 25,600, respectively

ISO sensitivity is said to range between 100 and 25,600, while the shutter speed tops at 1/8000th of a second and it bottoms at 60 seconds.

Beside the SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot, the camera comes with USB and HDMI ports. With the battery and the card included, the MFT system will weigh 497 grams and measure 130 x 94 x 63mm.

The device does not have a built-in flash, but the hot shoe mount will take care of that by supporting an external one with an X sync speed of 1/320th of a second.

Availability and price details are live as well

Olympus E-M1 release date has been scheduled for October 2013. Its price will stand at $1,399.99. It is worth noting that the shooter will become available only in black, so it remains to be seen whether or not the company will add some silver touches later on.

The new flagship Micro Four Thirds shooter is available for pre-order at Amazon and B&H Photo Video for a price of $1,399.