Olympus press text:

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Olympus Corporation (President: Hiroyuki Sasa) is pleased to announce that the OM-D E-M1 Mark II, the flagship model of Compact System Camera (launched in December 2017) has received two prestigious Camera Grand Prix 2017 awards, “Camera of the Year” and “Readers Award”. In addition, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS PRO (35mm equivalent focal length: 24-200mm), a compact, high-magnification interchangeable zoom lens (launched in November 2016) was selected for the “Lens of the Year” award.

The Camera Grand Prix considered one of the widely recognized camera and lens award in Japan, is sponsored by the Camera Press Club, and is managed by the Camera Grand Prix Committee. The “Camera of the Year” and “Lens of the Year” awards are presented to the best still camera and the best lens introduced in the Japanese market within the past year. The “Readers Award” was selected by general readers’ votes.

About the Camera Grand Prix Japan

The Camera Grand Prix (started in 1984) is recognized as one of the historical and leading camera awards in Japanese camera industry and its products. The “Camera of the Year” is awarded each year to the most excellent model of camera released during the year, while the “Lens of the Year” awards the excellent lens. These two awards are determined and voted by Camera Press Club members, the chief editors or representatives of member magazines, learning and experienced personnels nominated by the committee, photo technology writers, and also by noted professional photographers (the 2017 awards were voted by a committee of 49 judges).
In addition, the “Readers Awards” is voted by general magazine readers, and the “Editors Awards” is chosen by the Camera Press Club members among all photo related equipment and not limiting to cameras or lenses.

Reason for selection: OM-D E-M1 Mark II

Camera Grand Prix 2017 Camera of the Year

Comments from Camera Grand Prix 2017 Executive Committee

“As three years passed since OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1, a Camera Grand Prix 2014 Editors Award winner, was first launched in 2013, this new flagship model OM-D E-M1 Mark II has marked another development and further expanded the concept of the mirrorless camera. It shows us an exciting future vision. Its sequential shooting performance exceeds that of single-lens reflex cameras, with the maximum fps at 18 in continuous AF/AE tracking and even 60 fps in single AF/AE on the silent sequential shooting mode. Its autofocus performance is such that you can readily capture even fast-moving subjects. It is amazing that its 5-axis in-body image stabilization system provides up to 6.5 shutter speed steps when paired with a compatible lens. The image quality and credibility are great enough for professionals and amateurs alike, with its good portability allowing them to use it quite casually. As the dust-proof and splash-proof body gives a comfortable grip, you can use it for a wide variety of photo opportunities.
In recognition of these features, we have selected OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 Mark II for Camera Grand Prix 2017 Camera of the Year.”

Camera Grand Prix 2017 Readers Award

A selection of comments from users

• This mirrorless model excels single-lens reflex cameras. This is remarkable in the history of cameras. (male, age 55)
• It can focus on a flying bird in no time, while showing an excellent camera shake compensation even for night scene shooting. This is astonishing. (male, age 42)
• Its auto focus is so quick that I can easily capture moving subjects. It gave me an opportunity to try a new type of pictures that I had never taken. (male, age 25)
• It is dust-proof and splash-proof, having up to 5.5 shutter speed steps of compensation with the 5-axis in-body image stabilization. You can use it without any worries. (female, age 55)
• I vote for this because its specs can match digital single-lens reflex cameras’, while it is compact and lightweight enough to carry on a long trip. (male, 37)
• I am surprised to see how far they downsized the body while keeping up the image quality at the same time. The level of camera motion compensation, among others, impressed me enormously! (male, age 57)
• It is compact, lightweight, full of useful functions and innovative features on top, such as Pro Capture and Focus Stacking. I cannot find any other model that could be better than this one. (male, age 60)
• I am thrilled at the plenty of functions and features, all packed into the compact body. (male, age 56)
• I held it at “CP+”, Camera & Photo Imaging Show. It demonstrated an unprecedented level of autofocus tracking and sequential shooting. This is notable because conventional mirrorless cameras have generally been weaker at these points. (male, age 31)

Reason for selection: M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS PRO

Camera Grand Prix 2017 Lens of the Year

Comments from Camera Grand Prix 2017 Executive Committee

“Although classified as a high magnification zoom lens, its performance goes beyond what is expected for the class. It provides not only standard but also telephoto zooming, with its constant f4.0 aperture. This is quite an all-rounder you can rely on for every type of subjects and locations. It boasts superior resolution in all the zoom range with suppressed aberration. The image quality is so excellent that you might doubt it is really a zoom lens. When combined with OM-D E-M1 MarkII, the image stabilization goes up to surprising 6.5 shutter speed steps of compensation (based on CIPA standards), which enables your handheld shooting for 1 second or longer. You might say you don’t need a tripod anymore.
In recognition of these features, we have selected OLYMPUS M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO for Camera Grand Prix 2017 Lens of the Year.”

Camera Grand Prix Japan Awards for Olympus

• 1994 Olympus μ Zoom Panorama (Stylus Panorama)
  5th Camera Journal Press Club Special Award
• 1998 Olympus CAMEDIA C-1400L
  9th Camera Journal Press Club Special Award
• 2010 Olympus PEN E-P1
  27th Camera Grand Prix 2010 and Camera of the Year and Readers Award
• 2012 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f/1.8
  29th Camera Grand Prix 2012, Editors Award
• 2014 Olympus OM-D E-M1
  31st Camera Grand Prix 2013, Editors Award
• 2015 Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
  32nd Camera Grand Prix 2015, Editors Award
• 2016 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO
  33rd Camera Grand Prix 2016, Lens of the Year
• 2017 Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
  34th Camera Grand Prix 2017, Camera of the Year and Readers AwardM.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS PRO
  34th Camera Grand Prix 2017, Lens of the Year

GH5 First Impressions Video Review

Power Vision Submarine and Egg Drones, NAB 2017 (Personal View).
Family Photo: When Photography Runs In The Blood (ALC).
E-M10 Mark II – Built-in Wi-Fi (Olympus UK).
Top Tips for Shooting in Extreme Conditions (Explora)
Lanparte monitor QR and arm Personal View

Plenty of news on the facebook E-M1II group and the GH5 group.

Mike: “Sharing with you guys a recent short film I made for a great organization in the US: Your Grateful Nation…a profile video of retired US Army Green Beret Ryan Jones https://vimeo.com/215226008. It’s first piece I shot with the Gh5 after receiving my preordered cams.  I’m thrilled with this camera, the 10 bit internal cuts great with the DJI OSMO Raw.”

Robert: “Here is some GH5 V Log footage which may be of interest to 43Rumors readers. I’m astonished by the GH5 quality, even in difficult lighting, and the IBIS allows great freedom to shoot everything handheld. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6G55EOC2Xs“

DC.watch (google translation here) interviewed the group of Olympus people who designed the Olympus 12-100mm PRO lens. There are a lot of technical details which are a bit hard to understand with the google translation tool. Here are just two general info about the lens:

1. If they would have made the lens with f/2.8 aperture it would have been considerably larger
2. Lens sales are strong and only recently the production did catch up with the high demand of the lens

Olympus 12-100mm PRO at [shopcountry 64782].