Olympus E-M1 Mark II unveiled with 4K and 50MP high-res mode

Olympus has announced the development of its newest flagship camera at the Photokina 2016 event. The OM-D E-M1 Mark II is official and is said to exceed the performance of pro-grade DSLR cameras thanks to its features.

Mentioned within the rumor mill a number of times, the Olympus E-M1 Mark II has finally been introduced. As most sources predicted, its announcement came at Photokina 2016.

For now, the company says that this is only the confirmation of its development. However, the amount of information revealed says otherwise. Almost every aspect of the original E-M1 has been improved, so let’s see what the new version has to offer!

Olympus confirms OM-D E-M1 Mark II mirrorless camera development

A new 20.4-megapixel Live MOS Micro Four Thirds sensor is available in the camera. It is coupled with a TruePic VIII processor, which is about 3.5x faster than the TruePic VII engine. In burst mode, it delivers up to 18fps with continuous autofocus and up to 60fps with single AF.

Olympus E-M1 Mark II features a new 20.4MP sensor.

Speed is key in the new Olympus E-M1 Mark II camera. An Advanced Dual FAST AF system has been added into the device. It combines Contrast Detection AF and Phase Detection AF in order to focus quickly, smoothly, and accurately.

Depending on lens and exposure settings, the algorithm will decide whether to use contrast or phase detection AF, but the manufacturer promises that it will always choose the right option, even when tracking subjects. It is worth noting that the AF system includes 121 cross-type Phase Detection AF points.

The built-in electronic viewfinder has a frame rate of 120fps and a lag of only 6ms. Moreover, shutter release lag has been reduced by 30%, while a Pro Capture mode allows users to half-press the shutter button in order to capture up to 14 shots at maximum resolution.

Olympus E-M1 Mark II is the company’s first 4K camera

The novel 20.4MP sensor has an ISO range of 200-25,600, which can be expanded down to 64 ISO. It does not have an anti-aliasing filter, so image sharpness will be greatly increased.

Olympus E-M1 Mark II employs a 3-inch articulated touchscreen on the back.

Camera shakes are a thing of the past, as the Olympus E-M1 Mark II features an integrated 5-axis image stabilization technology. It provides 5.5 stops of stabilization, therefore will be useful in low-light conditions. If you pair the camera with a lens that also has an IS system, then the technology will offer up to 6.5 stops of stabilization.

Another advantage of the 5-axis IBIS is support for a High Res Shot Mode. We have already seen this in the OM-D E-M5 Mark II, but the newer and higher-end camera will capture 50-megapixel shots instead of 40-megapixel shots.

This is the first Olympus camera to offer 4K video recording. The company enters this segment in style, as the E-M1 Mark II also supports the DCI 4K standard, so it captures movies at 4096 x 2060 pixels at up to 24fps, while the maximum bitrate stands at 237 Mbps.

Three lenses and two flashes also revealed at Photokina 2016

The specs list also includes a 3-inch articulated LCD touchscreen, 60-1/8000s shutter speed range, electronic shutter with 1/32000s mode, dual SD card slots, built-in WiFi, and time-lapse photography mode.

Olympus E-M1 Mark II comes packed with built-in WiFi.

Olympus E-M1 Mark II is a weathersealed mirrorless camera and offers several ports, such as USB 3.0, microHDMI, microphone, and headphone. The Micro Four Thirds shooter will be released by the end of this year, but price details have yet to be revealed.

In addition to this camera, the Japan-based company has also announced the 25mm f/1.2 and 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO-series lenses, as well as the 30mm f/3.5 Macro lens. They will be released during the fourth quarter of the year for $1,199.99, 1,299.99, and $299.99, respectively.

Several other accessories have also been introduced, including the FL-900R high-intensity and STF-8 Macro flashes, to cap off a great press announcement for Olympus at Photokina 2016.