[Winder]

(FT5) Latest E-m1 rumors….(Pro Service package) | 43 Rumors

- The E-M1 has adaptive sharpening optimization (works for every Olympus MFT and FT lens)
- Continuous AF is better than in any other MFT camera and matches the best DSLR performance
- EVF automatically adjusts the brightness
- The E-M1 is more weathersealed than the Olympus E-5
- 12-40mm PRO lens has better performance than the 12-60mm FT lens.
- Olympus will offer a PRO Service package for E-M1 owners

Olympus AF is already way faster than Pentax. If C-AF and tracking are significantly improved it will be a very competitive camera.

Olympus OM-D E-M1
- 16.28 million pixel LiveMOS sensor with 37 phase detection pixels
- “DUAL FAST AF” hybrid autofocus (hybrid means contrast and phase detection AF).
- Greatly improve the tracking performance of the C-AF
- 6.5 frames / 10 frames with fixed exposure.
- 200-25600, LOW ISO range (ISO100 equivalent)
- The shutter speed -1/8000 seconds up to 60 seconds
- New TruePicVII Image processing engine
- Adopt image processing technology “Fine detail II”, magnification chromatic aberration correction, Moire Reduction
- EVF is 0.029 seconds time lag, High magnification 2.36 million dots of 0.74 times 35mm conversion,
- touch panel LCD monitor 1.04 million dot 3.0-inch, movable,
- 5-axis camera shake correction
- Video Full HD (1920×1080 30p, 24Mbps)
- -10 ℃ Low-temperature performance dustproof drip-proof,
- Wi-Fi Built-in
- Dimensions: 130.4 x 93.5 x 63.1mm
- Weight: 497g (including battery media), 443g (body only)
- Kit with 12-50mm will ship in early October and 12-40mm kit in late Ocotber

[carrrlangas]

Wow, sounds good!

[kenafein]

I am excited to see what Olympus could do with the on sensor PDAF technology.

[Uluru]

Olympus: one year, three really brand new, never seen before m4/3 cameras.
Pentax: three years, one really new Kmount camera.
What I wanted to say? Man, I'm not sure what's wrong with Olympus, they'd better slow down. I'm sure people don't need so many new cameras!

[jogiba]

For Four Thirds shooters, there's no question which feature will be key: The greatly-improved support for their existing lenses, some of which were truly superb. From the start, earlier PEN and OM-D series models have been able to accept Four Thirds lenses via an adapter. The problem was that the shooting experience was degraded, compared to that you'd get when shooting with a true Four Thirds body. Autofocus was slower, and neither continuous AF nor tracking were possible when shooting with an adapter. For certain lenses, autofocus wasn't possible at all. The reason: Four Thirds lenses were designed for use with phase-detection autofocus, and Micro Four Thirds cameras used only contrast-detection.

The 16-megapixel Olympus E-M1 changes all that, pairing contrast-detect autofocus with on-chip phase-detect. In the process, it makes the jump to Micro Four Thirds a much more palatable proposition for photographers who want to keep shooting their Four Thirds lenses. (And if you've already accepted the compromise and made the jump, upgrading to the E-M1 will make shooting with your Four Thirds glass fun again.)

The Olympus E-M1 doesn't just appeal to Four Thirds shooters, though. As the new flagship and object of desire for Olympus' interchangeable-lens camera lineup, the E-M1 is packed with features that will appeal to enthusiasts and pros alike.

As you'd expect, the magnesium alloy body of the E-M1 is fully weather-sealed, but it's now freezeproof as well. It also includes the clever 2x2 twin-dial control system introduced earlier this year with the PEN E-P5. And while it's a little larger than that of the E-M5 -- due in no small part to a much more prominent, SLR-like handgrip -- it's also a whole lot smaller than was the E-5.

Inside, there's a generously-specified electronic viewfinder that aims to make converts of optical viewfinder fans. Olympus has also included its five-axis, in-body image stabilization system, as well as a refinement of the Wi-Fi wireless networking feature-set -- including remote control capability -- that was introduced in the P5 mirrorless. And there's plenty else besides in Olympus' most capable mirrorless camera to date, as you'll see in our hands-on first impressions of the camera below.

Olympus E-M1 Review: Hands-On Preview

[kenyee]

wow...that lens is huge on it, like most 24-70/2.8 lenses :-)

[northcoastgreg]

Man, I'm not sure what's wrong with Olympus, they'd better slow down. I'm sure people don't need so many new cameras!

The Olympus cameras (or at least the two OM-Ds) are pretty impressive; but that hasn't prevented Olympus from losing huge amounts of money. The Olympus camera division hasn't turned a profit since 2006. One estimate had them losing $190 billion last year. Maybe this new EM-1 can help Olympus scratch and claw it's way out of it's mammoth debt hole. But given the price of the camera, Olympus is not likely to sell a huge number of units.

Whether people need many new cameras is immaterial. It's whether they have the purchasing power to buy them that's important. Just last night I was looking at some figures exceedingly dimsal figures on the economy. The purchasing power just doesn't exist to support the japanese camera industry as it is currently configured.

[Urkeldaedalus]

I've always liked how Olympus has declared a "Pro" line for their cameras even though they use 4/3 size sensors-- they did the same thing with the E-3 and E-5, which were in ways inferior to the K-7 and K-5 respectively. I've thought that the main problem with Pentax as a brand is they have had trouble deciding what they want to be and who they want to be for. If Pentax declared their next camera a flagship, gave it pro service, and brought out some new "Pro" lenses, I think they'd get some interest even if the flagship was APS-C.

Of course, this new Olympus camera is getting flak from commenters for being priced into the lower range of the cheap FF territory, so maybe there's no winning with people?

As someone who has dipped my toe into the M4/3 waters, this certainly is a tempting camera, and looks to improve on a lot of the minor quibbles I had with the EM5. Reminds me a bit of a smaller K-5.

[northcoastgreg]

wow...that lens is huge on it, like most 24-70/2.8 lenses :-)

The lens looks bigger than it is because of small size of the camera. It's the 12-60/2.8-4. Superb lens: maybe the best variable aperture zoom lens ever made. While it is a substantial lens, it's not quite the size of a 24-70/2.8. Maybe slightly smaller than the DA* 16-50.

[Urkeldaedalus]

The Olympus cameras (or at least the two OM-Ds) are pretty impressive; but that hasn't prevented Olympus from losing huge amounts of money. The Olympus camera division hasn't turned a profit since 2006. One estimate had them losing $190 billion last year. Maybe this new EM-1 can help Olympus scratch and claw it's way out of it's mammoth debt hole. But given the price of the camera, Olympus is not likely to sell a huge number of units.

Whether people need many new cameras is immaterial. It's whether they have the purchasing power to buy them that's important. Just last night I was looking at some figures exceedingly dimsal figures on the economy. The purchasing power just doesn't exist to support the japanese camera industry as it is currently configured.

Good point. The camera business is a tough one to be in right now. A lot of competition, and smart phones have consumed the compact P&S moneymakers at this point.

[RyanW]

Olympus: one year, three really brand new, never seen before m4/3 cameras.
Pentax: three years, one really new Kmount camera.
What I wanted to say? Man, I'm not sure what's wrong with Olympus, they'd better slow down. I'm sure people don't need so many new cameras!

Well, it takes time to incrementally improve SAFOX and neglect flash. ( I don't mean making new flashguns, rather making a competitive ttl solution).

[RyanW]

The lens looks bigger than it is because of small size of the camera. It's the 12-60/2.8-4. Superb lens: maybe the best variable aperture zoom lens ever made. While it is a substantial lens, it's not quite the size of a 24-70/2.8. Maybe slightly smaller than the DA* 16-50.

Some of Olymus' SHG glass is reason enough to own this camera.

[Christine Tham]

Nice camera. This, along with the Panasonic GX7, makes me consider getting into the Micro 4/3 range. Both cameras feature focus peaking, which makes them usable for M-mount lenses.

In theory, a single M-mount lens (let's use the Summicron 35mm as an example) can have three FOV depending on the body: 35mm in a full frame body like the Leica M or the upcoming NEX FF, 52.5mm equiv in an APS-C body like the NEX or Fuji, and 70mm equiv in a Micro 4/3 body.

2 lenses (28mm and 50mm) and 3 bodies can give the equivalent of a range from 28-100mm.

I probably won't buy it just yet - the price is too expensive and I'm saving my money for NEX FF. But I'll probably pounce on it during a sale.

[Aegon]

That's an interesting way to think of it, Christine.

Turn a $5000 lens into three lenses using three bodies. Clever thinking.

[interested_observer]

Sounds pretty nice....

• New Olympus Mirrorless Camera Plans to Eat Other Mid-Size Shooters for Lunch | Gadget Lab | Wired.com