Olympus OM-D E-M1X
Announced January 24, 2019
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
The Olympus OM-D E-M1X is a specialized, rugged workhorse designed for sports and wildlife photographers who prioritize advanced stabilization and autofocus speed over sensor size. While its integrated vertical grip and weather-sealed build offer exceptional handling, the high price and smaller sensor performance may limit its appeal to a niche audience.
Weighted from 31 reviewer scores
Pros
- Industry-leading image stabilization
- Advanced autofocus and subject tracking
- Ergonomic handling with integrated vertical grip
- Rugged and weather-sealed construction
- High-speed burst shooting
Cons
- Smaller sensor limits low-light and dynamic range performance
- Large and heavy body size
- Complex and overwhelming menu system
- Lower resolution electronic viewfinder compared to competitors
- High price point
- Launch price $2,999 (USD)
- Sensor 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS
- Video 4K 30p
- Stabilization In-body IS, 7.5 stops (CIPA)
What the Reviewers Say
All 31 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- DPReview 85/100
Ultimately, this camera is probably too niche for most customers, aside from those already heavily invested in the Micro Four Thirds system.
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[T]he E-M1X a very impressive camera that works extremely well, in pretty much any environment.
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Yes the E-M1X is a specialist body with a correspondingly limited audience, and there’s no getting away from the fact it’s the largest, heaviest and most expensive Micro Four Thirds camera to date, but it’s a camera I still enjoyed shooting with immensely.
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With the OM-D E-M1X, Olympus appears to have given its designers free reign to build the best camera they can, regardless of price.
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The price point of the body is 3899 Canadian which is bill to swallow. It's a pro level price point and this does have a lot of pro features.
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The Olympus OM-D E-M1X offers a fully featured, full-size, fully weather-sealed camera, with dual memory card slots, 400,000 shutter life rating, a long warranty, and more features than you could possibly want.
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The OM-D E-M1X is a fantastic camera for those who like to shoot sports, wildlife and action. But at this price, it’s certainly in niche territory.
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In an industry where innovation is often limited to ‘more megapixels’, this camera has more brilliant new features than we’ve seen in a very long while. If size isn’t a factor, this is undoubtedly the ultimate Micro Four Thirds camera.
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The Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera features a truly rugged, professional build, but its Micro Four Thirds image sensor lags behind the full-frame competition.
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[T]he OM-D E-M1X is, quite clearly, the most advanced camera Olympus has produced to date, and the spec sheet shows it to be taking the fight to its competitors [...]
- Digital Trends 8/10
With the OM-D E-M1X, Olympus proves that bigger sensors aren’t always better. That said, putting a small sensor in a large body isn’t a recipe that will work for everyone.
- Photo Review 9.1/10
The results of our tests show the E-M1X to be a first-rate performer for an M4/3 camera and a better performer than rival professional-level sports cameras when it comes to stabilisation and autofocusing for still shooting.
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The Olympus OM-D E-M1X is a unique and feature-rich camera that offers a lot for Micro Four thirds shooters.
- Photography News 91/100
There is much to admire, enjoy and exploit in the Olympus OM-D E-M1X.
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Its incredible amount of customization options make menus and setting overwhelming yet deliver the flexibility to make this camera work very efficiently.
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In terms of build quality, the Olympus OM-D E-M1X is as good as a camera can be made, full stop.
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It's a real workhorse and I've been very, very, very happy about it, and it still feels very good in my hands.
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The image quality is good without being remarkable in comparison with other market-leading cameras today.
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It's pretty amazing in terms of color, and then also in terms of just how stable this camera is, it's a complete game changer in terms of getting good stable footage, and carrying less gear.
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[...] I was very impressed with the Olympus OM-D E-M1X. Now, its larger body size and higher price tag does keep it squarely in the realm of pros; it's not a casual camera, but for that market it does a fantastic job feature and performance wise.
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The Olympus E-M1X is an absolutely amazing camera with a not-so-amazing sensor. For [...] the average [...] video shooter, the Panasonic GH5 is superior in almost every way, and it's half the price.
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With industry-best image stabilization, a focal length-doubling crop factor, and Pro Capture that never misses a shot, the Olympus OM-D E-M1X is a wildlife wonder.
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Based on my real-world experiences, for most photographic imaging, the Olympus OMD-EM1X is up for it.
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[...] I would say that the burst mode and autofocus on this camera performs pretty much as advertised, and that alone is quite incredible, but it's the sensor stability at slow shutter speeds handheld that really blew my mind. I've certainly never seen anything like that.
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That would be an exciting development, and I think this camera is a great statement in that direction.
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If you are a serious wildlife photographer who prefers to travel light, you need a very reliable autofocus system and you need the best weather sealing on the market in a camera body, then this camera is definitely for you.
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So the E-M1X is not a bad camera by any means, but it could have been a genuinely special one.
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The Olympus OM-D E-M1X shows off the company’s latest innovations in a rugged, weatherproof body.
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Sure, it’s not perfect and the smaller Micro Four-Thirds sensor has its limitations, but for those looking for a reliable battle tank that weighs less than half of other options, the Olympus OM-D E-M1X deserves a second look.
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To wrap it all up, the Olympus OMD EM1X is a unique beast. It's big for a micro four thirds camera, but it delivers big time in performance, durability, and flexibility.
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I do however know what I need and love in a camera and the E-M1X ticks all those boxes, and some I discovered while using the camera that I didn’t even know I needed.
