Mirrorless Camera News

Olympus unveiled its latest, high-end mirrorless camera this morning: the tough, small and powerful OM-D E-M5 Mark II. The E-M5 II uses a Micro Four Thirds sensor similar to the one in the previous model – it once again offers 16 megapixels of resolution – but Olympus says the Live-MOS chip has been redesigned.

I recently had the chance to take the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II along with my regular full-frame Nikon system to Alaska and the Yukon on an outdoor shoot. Rather than test charts and pixel peeping, I focused on the real-world usability of Olympus’ new flagship mirrorless camera and its ability to get the job done as compared with a large and heavy DSLR system. 

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III is the latest iteration of a long and storied lineage that began in the early 1970s with the introduction of the then-revolutionary OM-1 35mm SLR film camera. As is with the new digital Mark III, the analogue OM-1 was a lightweight and portable camera that posed a viable alternative to the comparatively bulky SLRs of the day.

If you’re looking for a small and portable yet powerful camera that’s a good alternative to heftier digital SLR models, Olympus’ OM-D line of mirrorless compact system cameras are some of the best options out there. These retro-styled shooters recall cameras from the film era, resembling miniaturized SLRs. In short, if you feel all warm and fuzzy at the sight of classic cameras, you just might find Olympus’ OM-D models to be absolutely adorable. But there’s more to them than simple nostalgia.<

The new Olympus E-PL8 is the latest model of the PEN series. PEN cameras are stylish and compact systems based on Micro Four/Thirds sensors and lens mounts. The camera is available in different colors, as are the numerous accessories that can be matched to the initial color choice. The camera looks like an analog rangefinder camera, but the Olympus E-PL8 doesn’t come with a viewfinder. The photographer has to use the 3-inch LCD on the back, which also serves as the visual control center for menus and image parameters. Olympus does offers an EVF system that can be mounted on the hot shoe of the E-PL8.

The big news from Olympus this morning was the introduction of their new flagship mirrorless camera, the OM-D EM-1 Mark II. But the company had more in store with the launch of the compact Pen E-PL8 mirrorless camera and three new lenses.

Olympus took the wraps off a new entry-level mirrorless camera this morning: the small and retro-styled Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II. Like several of Olympus’ models in its mirrorless camera lineup, the E-M10 Mark II uses a 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor in the Micro Four Thirds Format.