Review: Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Camera

With its retro look and lightweight design, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II captured my attention. I assure you, these aren't the only reasons I replaced my Canon EOS 6D. Here is my feedback on this camera after 4 months of use.

Why This Choice?

If you read my review of the Canon EOS 6D, you already know that I've been hesitating for a long time between traveling with a DSLR and a mirrorless camera (interchangeable lens camera without a mirror). The weight, the bulk... Ultimately, the scale tipped back toward the mirrorless option!

Regarding the choice between the E-M5 Mark II and the E-M10 Mark II: although the latter is half the price, the fact that it is not weather-sealed and lacks a microphone input are two key factors to consider. I also refer you to Madame Bougeotte's excellent review of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II.

Olympus Mirrorless vs. Canon DSLR

Advantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II has many advantages, with its three main strengths being:

a reduced weight of the body and lenses
discretion while traveling due to the look and size
Full HD video at 60 frames per second

Disadvantages of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

Even though it has many advantages over the Canon EOS 6D, the Olympus has its share of drawbacks, especially for a traveler. I identify mainly two disadvantages to this camera:

no actual viewfinder
no built-in GPS

Usability

Fully articulating screen photo by unsacsurledos.com

Let's be frank, the retro look of the Olympus OM-D range is great, but holding the E-M5 Mark II is not exactly easy unless you have small hands. You get used to it, but the grip is definitely less secure than that of a DSLR or Sony NEX-5.

Regarding the menu, bring out your manuals and keep them handy! It's not uncommon for me to look for certain settings for nearly 5 minutes even today.

The fully articulating screen is a fantastic feature, although the hinge seems a bit fragile at first glance.

Experience

What a joy! The autofocus is great, the body is stabilized (which avoids having to stabilize each lens separately, a really good idea), the external screen is smooth and bright... And the viewfinder is frankly awful! The image from the electronic viewfinder is bluish, the resolution isn't great, and the image is slightly choppy. Too bad. It works, but it's not necessarily pleasant for prolonged use.

One feature that really surprised me is the silent shooting mode. It's completely silent, unlike my old camera that only muffled the noise! This mode can be used even in burst mode, making it perfect for wildlife.

From my shots, I notice that the noise is acceptable in photos up to 3200 ISO.

When not in use, the powered-on camera goes into sleep mode. This is good for the battery. However, waking from sleep often takes longer than turning the camera off and back on. Perhaps this bug will be fixed via a firmware update?

Finally, while I was fully satisfied with the battery, I found it disappointing that it cannot be charged via USB from the body.

Lenses for the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

Without going into technical details, several brands of lenses can be used with this body (Leica, Panasonic...). The choice of lenses is therefore vast! Given that it's a Micro Four Thirds sensor, you need to multiply the focal lengths by 2 to get the equivalent in full-frame.

Despite the options, I have currently limited myself to 3 Olympus lenses, the M.Zuiko:

ED 7-14mm F/2.8 Pro
ED 12-40mm F/2.8 Pro
ED 17mm F/1.8 Premium

The pro series is weather-sealed, just like the body of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II. Only my 17mm from the Premium series is not.

Video

This camera was the first on the market to offer filming at 60 frames per second, in Full HD (1080p), and with 5-axis stabilization. I must say, this is one of the reasons I fell for it and decided to part with my Canon EOS 6D.

To give you an idea, I invite you to watch this video, entirely shot with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II during our trip to Japan.

Conclusion

For me, it is an excellent camera, with the advantages, but also the disadvantages of mirrorless. The stabilized 5-axis video mode and 60 fps, along with the weight and bulk were the reasons for my purchase. Today, I am more than satisfied with this choice!

The product I tested: Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

Pros

high-quality video
silent shooting
low noise up to 3200 ISO
weather-sealed

Cons

fragile rotating screen
not ideal handling
poor viewfinder
labyrinthine menus