Having used the EM1.2 for a while, I write down my first impressions, related to Olympus EM10.2, from my feeling experience rather than a scientific view. I get raw images to be processed later with RawTherapee and do not make movies.
Note:
I know this is nothing new but an end user experience with a still perfectly capable camera... and may help you if you are thinking to move on to an EM1.3 or EM5.3.
Ergonomically, is a delight to use. It is more comfortable than EM10.2 in hand, especially with large lenses like 75-300mm. Has many extra buttons, all configurable so all handy options are at a button press far (FN1 = Manual Focus, FN2 = Multi Function with ISO, Front Top Button at left = peaking, Front Bottom Button at left = zoom, etc.). AEL/AFL is more handy to be configured as Back Button Focus (BBF) but I think I'll stick to shutter button because I have the feeling that my hit rate is higher having auto focus there.
Front dial on EM10.2 is more comfortable, being the EM1.2 front dial smaller (and rear too). But I'll get used to it, no doubt; I guess it is smaller because it's located on grip instead of body.
Weight, almost the same feeling, minimum perceptible extra 180g. Battery life, lasts a little longer. Noise and dynamic range, looks a little better when stretching shadows. Auto focus, see no difference with good light (according to EM1.2 advertising, C-AF mode is PDAF only and S-AF mode is hybrid: PDAF + CDAF).
Stabilization, no perceptible difference to me. Over 100mm I haven't found a reliable standing position and breath technique while pressing the shutter so I still adhere to the 1/focal_length speed rule with m43 and 2x crop factor. Below 100mm, I can relax the rule significantly on both cameras as much as 1/2s with 25mm.
Menu System is the same as EM10.2. No change here but with some extra options; same complexity but functional. Super Control Panel the same ;-)
Shutter feels more silent or quiet; don't know if it is different or a compact metal housing absorbs shutter shock more efficiently.
I see a difference with EVF (being LCD instead OLED), liking more OLED in low light situations. I set to OFF 'View Boost - Manual' in order to EVF resemble exposure and WB at first sight. Letting View Boost ON (e.g. when flash is used) in both cameras, they look the same. In good light situations, both OFF, behave similar or equal.
Now, pictures aren't worse than with EM10.2... to my relief ;-). But I must say I have the feeling that at pixel level (being myself a pixel peeper) they are softer, using same lens and being both CDAF in S-AF mode. Looking at pictures from both cameras at the same size, they look equal to me so I guess that having the EM1.2 25% more pixels (20MP against 16MP) is less forgiving with motion blur at pixel level. Or perhaps I'm reaching lens capability with this resolution. Tested with several lenses got almost same result. A Pro lens would make a difference?
Adding a sharpness notch at post-process solves the situation (fortunately, just a little without producing artifacts or halos).
I don't make large prints so I guess I wouldn't take advantage from the resolution increment.
C-AF with PDAF, no chances to test it yet. I find this a useful feature because I do some BIF pictures. CDAF does not behave well in this area but I found a technique with EM10.2 that helps.
Update: had a chance to try it, and behaves very well and have many pictures in focus where to choose from. Does not hunt and locks focus very fast. C-AF works fine following the subject with a good contrast area and a proper AF target mode.
A weather sealed body would make me feel more relaxed in rough environments. Sometimes, I left my EM10 in the bag when faced rough weather - now I know it can handle it but I'm not sure I'll take the camera off the bag :-). Anyway, I own only one weather sealed lens.
Both cameras can do focus bracketing. EM1.2 has the ability to produce a stacked jpeg using then internal engine (some lenses only). As I use raw, I post-edit them outside camera and later stack them with Zerene Stacker.
As I said before, I still think EM1.2 is an EM10.2 in a better and comfortable weather sealed housing, adding auto focus PDAF, a little more dynamic range and less noise, an extra stabilization stop, two cards slots and a fully articulating monitor screen (plus a high speed sequential shooting and facilities related to continuous/tracking auto focus - that would be of great relevance in action events).
All these extra attributes make EM1.2 even better than my highly regarded EM10.2 ;-)
OM SYSTEM OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 Mark II Camera Body Only, (Black)
4.3 | 204 ratings
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Last update: 08-01-2024
About this item
New 20.4 megapixel live MOS sensor
New TruePic VIII dual quad core image processor, auto focus points phase detection: 121 (121 cross type), contrast detection: 121
60 frames per second S AF, 18 frames per second C AF (silent electronic shutter)
15 frames per second S AF, 10 frames per second C AF (mechanical shutter)
121 point dual fast AF with cross type on chip phase detection focusing
New TruePic VIII dual quad core image processor, auto focus points phase detection: 121 (121 cross type), contrast detection: 121
60 frames per second S AF, 18 frames per second C AF (silent electronic shutter)
15 frames per second S AF, 10 frames per second C AF (mechanical shutter)
121 point dual fast AF with cross type on chip phase detection focusing
Product information
Top reviews from the United States
Andres Bertens
A delight to use camera
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2021JudyN
I love this camera!
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2017