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Olympus E-M1 II

 
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II front
 
  • 20MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 4096 x 2160 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 574g - 134 x 91 x 67mm
  • Released September 2016
  • Replaced the Olympus E-M1
  • Successor is Olympus E-M1 III
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
68
Imaging
60
Features
93
Overall
73

Olympus E-M1 II summary

Olympus E-M1 II is Olympus's Pro Mirrorless digital camera initially released on September of 2016. The camera houses a 20MP, CMOS Four Thirds size sensor with a max resolution of 5184 x 3888.

Olympus brought out this model in an effort to update the older Olympus E-M1 (Read Full Comparison) & subsequently launched the updated Olympus E-M1 III (Read Full Comparison) to replace this model.

The E-M1 II comes in at #52 out of 70 in Pro Mirrorless cameras & overall #127 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should check our Advanced camera filter to see camera results based on your custom criteria.

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Here is a graph of different factors used in the rating system.

Olympus E-M1 II history

The Olympus E-M1 II is part of a family of cameras. You can read the detailed list underneath.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-IV front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 IV
E-M1 II vs E-M10 IV
20MPFour Thirds8.7 fps2020
Olympus-OM-D-E-M1-Mark-III front thumbnailOlympus E-M1 III
E-M1 II vs E-M1 III
20MPFour Thirds60.0 fps2020
Sony Japan Introduces 5G Transmitter for Alpha Cameras
Olympus-OM-D-E-M5-III front thumbnailOlympus E-M5 III
E-M1 II vs E-M5 III
20MPFour Thirds30.0 fps2019
Olympus-OM-D-E-M1X front thumbnailOlympus E-M1X
E-M1 II vs E-M1X
20MPFour Thirds60.0 fps2019
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-Mark-III front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 III
E-M1 II vs E-M10 III
16MPFour Thirds8.6 fps2017
Olympus-OM-D-E-M1-Mark-II front thumbnailOlympus E-M1 II20MPFour Thirds60.0 fps2016
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Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-II front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 II
E-M1 II vs E-M10 II
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2015

Olympus E-M1 II Pros and Cons

Here is a collection of advantages and drawbacks of the Olympus E-M1 II based on criterias which are typically considered essential in a digital camera.

change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
comes with phase detect auto focus
does have HDMI support
does have headphone jack
does have mic jack
does not have anti aliasing filter
environment proof
fast continuous shooting (60.0 frames per second)
good high ISO (25,600)
great max shutter speed (1/8,000s)
has dual storage slots
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
high video quality (4096 x 2160 pixels)
lighter than others (574 grams)
manual focus
provides face detect focus
provides touch focus
provides tracking focus
screen can move to multiple angles
screen has good resolution (1,037 k dot)
screen is a decent size (3")
screen is selfie friendly
sensor resolution is decent (20MP)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
silent mode (1/32,000s)
supports RAW files
touch screen
terrible battery pack (350 CIPA)
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Olympus E-M1 II Sensor features

The Olympus E-M1 II is powered by the TruePic VIII processor chip. The measurement of the sensor in the Olympus E-M1 II is 17.4mm x 13mm (Four Thirds). The 226 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 5184 x 3888 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3. The camera has Image Stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis). Optical stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization as the latter might cause cropping.

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The CMOS sensor has 20MP and delivers a standard ISO range of 200 - 25600. The ISO can be expanded electronically to a minimum of 64. RAW photos are saved which means that the user has more room to maneuver in post.

Olympus opted to omit the anti aliasing filter inside the Olympus E-M1 II. This can result in more clear images but may introduce moire in some conditions.

The graphic underneath illustrates the E-M1 II's sensor size in comparison to other popular sizes. The E-M1 II sensor has a crop factor of 2.1 and is shown in green.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II sensor size OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus

To get an understanding of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Olympus E-M1 II dimensions

Olympus E-M1 II has a weight of 1.27 lbs (574 gr or 20.25 ounces) & has outside dimensions of 134mm x 91mm x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6"). The weight of typical Pro Mirrorless camera is 722 gr so the Olympus E-M1 II is less heavy compared to its competitors.

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Here is a picture of the Olympus E-M1 II next to a softdrink so you're able to get a sense of its size.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II dimensions scale

The top view underneath will show you the button design on the E-M1 II.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II topview buttons dials

Olympus E-M1 II Lens features

The E-M1 II works with the Micro Four Thirds mount and has 162 lenses available on the market. Here is a few of the lenses we have in our collection that will fit the E-M1 II.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Panasonic-Leica-DG-Nocticron-42.5mm-F1.2-ASPH-OIS lensPanasonic Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 ASPH OIS43mmf/1.2 425g
Olympus-M.Zuiko-Digital-45mm-f1.8 lensOlympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f1.845mmf/1.8 116g
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Voigtlander-Nokton-17.5mm-F0.95-Aspherical-Micro-Four-Thirds lensVoigtlander Nokton 17.5mm F0.95 Aspherical18mmf/0.95 540g
Olympus-M.Zuiko-Digital-ED-30mm-F3.5-Macro lensOlympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 30mm F3.5 Macro30mmf/3.5128g
Olympus-M.Zuiko-Digital-ED-12mm-f2 lensOlympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f212mmf/2.0 130g
Panasonic-Lumix-G-Vario-14-45mm-F3.5-5.6-ASPH-OIS lensPanasonic Lumix G Vario 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS14-45mmf/3.5-5.6 195g
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Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-ED-35-100mm-f2.0 lensOlympus Zuiko Digital ED 35-100mm f2.035-100mmf/2.0 1650g
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Olympus E-M1 II Connectivity

The E-M1 II has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that feature NFC or Bluetooth connectivity can be controlled wirelessly via smartphones. You are able to send images and in some cases change settings with no need to connect directly with the camera.

A few apps also give a Liveview and hit the shutter in case you are not near the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI port, it can be connected to an external monitor. A lot of cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack with the USB port.

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Olympus E-M1 II Video features

The max video quality in the Olympus E-M1 II is 4096 x 2160 and you can save in MOV and H.264 file format. 2160p is a great quality for video recording. You are able to downsample to 1080p in order to get improved results. Beware of the massive file sizes and ensure you own decent SD cards with good write speeds. The body does have both headphone and mic jack making it really valuable while capturing audio.

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Olympus E-M1 II Weather Sealing

Olympus E-M1 II has got environment proofing which makes it a great selection for use during rough places. This is especially helpful any time you are uncertain about the conditions you might face during outdoor photography.

Olympus E-M1 II Screen and Viewfinder

The Olympus E-M1 II is equipped with a 3" fully articulated display screen with a resolution of 1,037k dots.

It possesses a selfie friendly screen for self portraits as well as group shots when needed. Additionally the display screen is touch friendly which means that you are able to change focus points plus change settings with your fingertips.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II screen and viewfinder AI-made Images of Food Appear More Delicious Than Real Photos

The ViewFinder specifications for Olympus E-M1 II are as follows:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • Resolution 2,360k dots
  • Coverage 100 percent
  • Magnification 0.74x

Viewfinders can be really beneficial during sunny outdoor conditions which can make the camera screen washed out and very difficult to see.

Olympus E-M1 II Shutter features

Olympus E-M1 II has the capability to shoot continuously at 60.0 frames per second. The max shutter speed is 1/8000 seconds. The camera also has silent electronic shutter of 1/32000 seconds. Beware that the electronic shutter might result in "rolling shutter" in some circumstances.

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Olympus E-M1 II Flash and Hot shoe features

Olympus E-M1 II has external flash support but is lacking built in flash. The max flash sync is 1/250 seconds.

Olympus E-M1 II Autofocus features

Olympus E-M1 II has both Phase Detect Auto Focus plus Contrast Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot faster and precise compared to Contrast Detect focusing. The camera supports Face detection which is helpful for portraits.

The Sensor supports 121 focus points to select from. Olympus E-M1 II has tap to focus. You can use your fingers in order to change focus. It also includes Tracking Auto Focus for things that move. Olympus E-M1 II has manual focus if needed during low light occasions or you want to have more exact control on focus.

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Olympus E-M1 II Battery life

The battery pack (BLH-1) for the Olympus E-M1 II is made to last for 350 photos according to the CIPA measurements which is less as compared to it's competition. The usual Pro Mirrorless camera battery life is 460. Olympus E-M1X features the maximum (870) battery life within this range of cameras.

Listed below is a collection of Pro Mirrorless cameras that have the best battery life:

Olympus E-M1 II for different styles of photography

The following diagram gives a rundown of the Olympus E-M1 II for different styles of photography. To find out more, browse to the specific section underneath.

Portrait photography with Olympus E-M1 II

The Olympus E-M1 II gets a points tally of 76 which is outstanding, and means the camera is a outstanding choice for portrait photography. Photographing portraits favors greatly towards sensor specs, RAW support plus the potential to work with off-camera lighting.

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manual focus
decent sensor resolution (20 megapixels)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
features face detect focus
delivers RAW formats

Olympus E-M1 II Street photography features

With a impressive points tally of 78, the Olympus E-M1 II is a great pick to use in street photography. A very good street photography camera gives a fine balance of picture quality plus portability.

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screen articulates
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
comes with focus by touch
environment proof
lighter than competition (574 grams)
very good high ISO (25,600)

Olympus E-M1 II as a Sports photography camera

A above average sports photography rating of 75 means the Olympus E-M1 II is a good option for taking photos of sports. A camera should have fantastic focusing plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

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max shutter speed is good (1/8,000s)
quiet mode (1/32,000s)
max fps high (60.0 frames/s)
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good megapixels (20 megapixels)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with tracking autofocus
weather sealing
comes with phase detect autofocus
bad battery (350 CIPA)

Olympus E-M1 II as a Travel photography camera

Portability is super important in getting a camera for travel. Overall, the Olympus E-M1 II gets a very good 72 for a travelling camera which makes it a respectable pick for your travels.

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lighter than competition in class (574 grams)
environment sealing
supports focus via touch
decent MP (20MP)
selfie friendly display
terrible battery pack (350 per charge)

Olympus E-M1 II Landscape photography details

For anybody who is looking to pick a digital camera for landscape pictures, the most significant factor is going to be image quality. The Olympus E-M1 II with it's terrific grade of 76 as a landscape camera is a terrific pick amongst its competition.

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has manual focus
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
decent megapixels (20 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
doesnt have anti-alias filter
above average ISO range (25,600)
supports RAW formats
weather proof
two card slots
low battery pack (350 CIPA)

Olympus E-M1 II Vlogging highlights

A camera for vlogging preferably should have a articulating screen, microphone port and if possible image stabilization. Considering everything, the Olympus E-M1 II is a outstanding fit for vlogging as it receives a excellent score of 79.

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selfie friendly display
touchscreen enabled
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
comes with face detect focusing
video res high (4096 x 2160 pixels)
has mic port
lighter than competition (574g)

Olympus E-M1 II Alternatives

If you are interested in alternatives to the E-M1 II, here is a number of the top rated cameras which fall into the family of Pro Mirrorless.

The chart followed below gives you a summary of the E-M1 II vs it's top rated rivals mentioned earlier.

There are more cameras you might take a look at as alternate options. To go through a extensive comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Olympus
Model
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Class
Pro Mirrorless
Released
2016-09-19
Body design
SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Processor
TruePic VIII
Sensor size
Four Thirds
Sensor dimensions
17.4 x 13mm
Sensor surface area
226.2mm²
Sensor resolution
20 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
4:3
Peak resolution
5184 x 3888
RAW images
Highest native ISO
25600
Minimum native ISO
200
Minimum enhanced ISO
64
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Number of focus points
121
Lens
Lens mounting type
Micro Four Thirds
Available lenses
107
Focal length multiplier
2.1
Screen
Range of screen
Fully Articulated
Screen diagonal
3"
Resolution of screen
1,037k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
2,360k dot
Viewfinder coverage
100 percent
Viewfinder magnification
0.74x
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
80
DXO Color Depth score
23.7
DXO Dynamic range score
12.8
DXO Low light score
1312
Features
Min shutter speed
60 secs
Max shutter speed
1/8000 secs
Max silent shutter speed
1/32000 secs
Continuous shutter speed
60.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range
9.10 m (at ISO 100)
Flash settings
Redeye, Fill-in, Flash Off, Red-eye Slow sync.(1st curtain), Slow sync.(1st curtain), Slow sync.(2nd curtain), Manual
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Max flash sync
1/250 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
4096 x 2160 @ 24p / 237 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM, 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Highest video resolution
4096x2160
Video file format
MOV, H.264
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
574 grams (1.27 pounds)
Physical dimensions
134 x 91 x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6")
Other
Battery life
350 photos
Form of battery
Battery Pack
Battery model
BLH-1
Self timer
Yes (2 or 12 secs, custom)
Time lapse recording
Storage media
Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots
Storage slots
Dual
Pricing at release
$1,700