Olympus OMD E-M1 II stabilisation test with 300mm F4 PRO lens

Q quick roundup of the latest E-M1II tests:

a comparison of dynamic range between E-M1 and E-M1mk2, based on RAW, ISO 200, converted in Adobe LightRoom (SLRclub).
Alaska 2016 Photography Travel log with the E-M1II by Photorec on Youtube.
E-M1II – der C-AF (Pen And Tell).
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II – Prueba de campo (DSLRmagazine).
Toby: “Filmed almost completely with the EM-1 Mark II https://t.co/WJ8HrxqiQN”

Olympus E-M1II preorders:
In USA at BHphoto, Amazon, GetOlympus and Adorama.
In Europe at ParkCameras. WexUK. Digitech.ch.

I still shoot film (with the [shoplink 60642 ebay]Mamiya 7[/shoplink]) and I always wondered if it would be possible to get that “natural” and “irregular” film look on digital cameras. Ming Thein has an idea about that:

Here we come to the crux of the matter: I think the limitation of digital lies in the geometry and shape of the photosites, not the number or density. If we had irregular pixels (which could be a repeating pattern over a much larger area) the sensors would be able to better match the irregular nature of the subject (which in turn forms an irregular input signal). The pixels could be each the same area to avoid gain problems, and they could be fairly large in order to maintain good noise, color and dynamic range characteristics. Fuji tried to change the sensor with diagonal arrays and small-large arrays, but they were still fundamentally too regular – resulting in even worse strange artefacts because we were now trying to output an image with an underlying 45 degree structure onto a 90 degree orthogonal output medium. The files printed well, however, because of the dithering process during print explained previously.

If that would really work I hope Panasonic-Olympus will do such a sensor one day!

Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II Review – Real World Video Samples and First Impressions (Cinema5D)

Quick entry note: E-M1II will now ship on December 28 at Amazon.

Two well known video centric sites gave their opinion about the video performance of the E-M1II.

Cinema5D writes:

It is one of the best video-capable photo cameras that I have recently tested. The higher video data rate along with the excellent stabilisation system makes it a valid option as an A-camera working tool.

Newsshooter writes

The camera is great if you don’t have access to, or can’t afford, other stabilisation. If you can only carry a single camera and little else, then there is no better option right now. If I were routinely shooting in war zones or bouncing around filming extreme sports I would be putting this camera towards the top of my list (although I might wait to see what kind of stabilisation Panasonic bring with the GH5 before committing).

Olympus OMD E-M1 II walking image stabilisation test – can it rival a gimbal? (Newsshooter)

Olympus E-M1II preorders:
In USA at BHphoto, Amazon, GetOlympus and Adorama.
In Europe at ParkCameras. WexUK. Digitech.ch.

As you may know Kai is no longer part of the Digitalrev youtube team. He is now doing his own reviews and this is his take on the new Olympus E-M1II which right today is in Stock for the first time in USA via FocusCamera (Click here). It will be in Stock after tomorrow at Amazon (Click here).

Back to Kai’s review:
His only real complain is the C-AF not working really well in video mode. Hope Olympus can fix this via firmware update. That said he is really impressed with the camera and says “this is as perfect as a MFT camera can get”. Let’s see if the GH5 can beat tkhis beast…

Olympus E-M1II preorders:
In USA at BHphoto, Amazon, GetOlympus and Adorama.
In Europe at ParkCameras. WexUK. Digitech.ch.

This year’s Wired best camera for the money choice is the new Panasonic GX85. They write:

If you’re seeking the most features and flexibility for your money, Micro Four Thirds is where it’s at. While the Olympus E-M10 II is one of our favorite still cameras under a grand, the Panasonic GX85 can outdo it in many ways, particularly if you care about capturing 4K video.
If you want to stretch your dollar as far as it’ll go, the Panasonic GX85 is a solid start to your new kit. Not only is the body cheap and fully loaded, but the lenses in the Micro Four Thirds system are affordable too. Read WIRED’s full review here, and go to Reviewed.com to read their review and to shop for the best price.

Reminder: GX85 superdeal offered by BHphoto (Click here) and FocusCamera (Click here).

DxO tested the G85 sensor and there is no surprise to report as the camera uses the well known Sony sensor used by many other Panasonic cameras:

Panasonic’s latest DSLR-style Lumix DMC-G80/G85 is certainly an attractive blend of ergonomics, features and performance. As for sensor performance alone, the G80/85 sensor delivers impressive image quality overall. Indeed, it is not dissimilar to the 20.3 MP sensor in the high-end GX8. Perhaps that’s one reason why we’ve yet to see the 20.3MP unit used more widely. Sensor performance is of course just one aspect when weighing up the pros and cons of a new camera, or camera system where other factors such as lens choice, physical size and, of course, individual camera features and ergonomics must be taken into consideration before making a decision.

Reminder: GX85 superdeal offered by BHphoto (Click here) and FocusCamera (Click here).