Olympus Unveils the E-M1, Its New High-End Micro Four Thirds Camera
The Olympus OM-D E-M5‘s retro styling drew a lot of looks when the camera was first announced back in February 2012. Glowing reviews of the camera subsequently showed that it was more than just a pretty face.
Today, Olympus has finally unveiled a followup camera to continue the new OM-D line: the E-M1.
Like the E-M5 before it, the E-M1 is another 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds camera. The sensor’s sensitivity ranges from 100 to 25600. Speed-wise, it can do 1/8000s photos with a continuous shooting speed of up to 10 frames per second. A dual contrast- and on-sensor phase-detection focusing system gives the camera a very short 0.044 focus lag time.
Your shots will also be aided by a special 5-axis in-body image stabilization system that compensates for vertical, horizontal, and rolling camera shake with the equivalent of five stops of light.
On the back of the camera, you’ll find both a high-res 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder and a 3-inch 1.037-million-dot tilting touchscreen LCD screen.
The camera body itself is designed to be durable. Its magnesium alloy body is protected against dust, splash, and cold temperatures.
Style-wise, it diverges a bit from the design of the E-M5. Instead of having a body that mimics the look of old school SLR cameras, the E-M1 is more like a mix of old and new. Under your right hand is a new handgrip that protrudes a good amount from the rest of the body in order to provide better ergonomics.
Other features include 1080P video recording, an X-sync socket, focus peaking, an HDMI port, an external microphone jack, a hot shoe, 12 art filters, and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity.
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 will be available starting in October for $1,400 for the body itself or $2,200 when paired with a 12-40mm f/2.8 kit lens.
