Two Questions regarding Oly OM-D E-M1 and the Mark II: I have the E-M1 and am thinking of getting the Mark II, but I am wondering about whether making the transition is worth it. So I...

Alb Loc: Lehigh Valley area, Pennsylvania

I have the E-M1 and am thinking of getting the Mark II, but I am wondering about whether making the transition is worth it.

So I have two questions, for those who have experience with both cameras.

1. In your experience, do you think the Mark II is that much better of a camera than the E-M1?

2. Is the Mark II camera (menu guide, etc.) easier to navigate/learn/set-up than the E-M1?

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

The mark two has greater resolution, which can be increased to 50 megapixels.
The menu has improved greatly, but the instruction manual has not.
Their is a feature which enables you to turn all your lenses into tilt and shift,
which is well worth it for architecture.
Burst rate, Frames per second is astounding.
Yes, I believe it is worth the upgrade.

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/reviews/compactsystemcameras/olympus-om-d-e-m1-mark-ii-review

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympus-om-d-e-m1-mark-ii

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/olympus-om-d-e-m1-mark-ii-full-review-29936

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Alb wrote:

I have the E-M1 and am thinking of getting the Mark II, but I am wondering about whether making the transition is worth it.

So I have two questions, for those who have experience with both cameras.

1. In your experience, do you think the Mark II is that much better of a camera than the E-M1?

2. Is the Mark II camera (menu guide, etc.) easier to navigate/learn/set-up than the E-M1?

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Since I only had the E-M5 before, I can't actually answer question one. But with UHH members like Cdouthitt indicating they loved the move up, I would say the answer should be yes.

I feel although the menu is similar to my older E-M5, and would assume the E-M1, it is a lot easier to navigate in my opinion. Unfortunately I have been working too many hours to start setting up the custom function buttons. I did go out and shoot the moon last night. I was handholding at 400, 800 in 35mm terms, and getting clear shots. And your percentages go a lot higher if uses a stationary chair instead of a rocker.

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

I have the new MkII. My major complaint is the menu system. I have owned Olys (E1, E3, E5) and a host of forerunners, and find the menu system not to my liking. My "big" camera is a Canon 5D/III and I find this menu system user-friendly. IQ on the new Oly is excellent, among other positive features.

Alb Loc: Lehigh Valley area, Pennsylvania

Thanks for the replies. I'm still on the fence (after all, it's not like the E-M1 is a bad camera), but your replies are helpful to me.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Alb wrote:

Thanks for the replies. I'm still on the fence (after all, it's not like the E-M1 is a bad camera), but your replies are helpful to me.

The $2K is a chunk of money, and the menu is not the friendliest but much improved, and it is lighting fast on the trigger, and the IS in the body is the best on the market in any format, but you will not be disappointed should you decide to buy it.

I knew my E-M5 fairly well; I read the manual for my three day old E-M5, from start to finish, on the flight from Denver, Colorado to Dublin, Ireland. When I heard about the new E-M1 mrII, I made plans to buy it. Then my wife suggested I give my E-M5 to our grandson and I could put the new E-M1mrII on pre-order. I thought it would not be that much of a step up from the E-M5. Boy, was I wrong. Since I have not yet been able to read the manual, the only way that I can use the camera is because the menu is similar but simpler than the E-M5. That is how I know it is simpler. I carry the manual with me for things I know it can do and have to look up - which makes the learning curve much longer. Macro shots, moon shots, grandkid shots, party shots, and others are made simple and amazingly well with this tool. And I know I haven't even touch the surface of what it can do. This camera and the new 7-14 lense will make my job easier to shoot travel shots for my wife's travel business including room interiors in 3 to 5 minutes max. And with a trip coming up, it looks like I am forced to find the time to read the manual.

Again, none of us here at UHH can tell you to just go out and spend $2K. That was a very big chunk of money for me and most anyone else. Is it worth it? If you like tools that make shooting easier, and you read the manual, you will not be disappointed by the E-M1 mrII. For me, it is worth every penny even without reading the manual.

Alb Loc: Lehigh Valley area, Pennsylvania

Thanks for the reply. I actually won't spend 2K, more like 1K because I'll sell some equipment before moving up. Nevertheless, I would appreciate the easier shooting and I've heard the Mark II is easier to work with than the E-M1. Frankly, I've been somewhat overwhelmed with the complexity of the camera. I do wish Olympus could figure out how to do an easier to understand manual or that there was one on Amazon. By the way, I shoot with a 17mm, a 60mm pro, and the 12-40mm pro.

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

I have both the EM1 and the MkII and use the MkII almost exclusively. I find it faster, more versatile and easier to use once set up. Once you churn through the manual, figure out what it all means and experiment with setting the buttons and dials the way you want them you almost never have to go back to the menu. Except for experimenting with different button/dials, the only time I go into the menu is to format an SD card. The Mk II with the 40-150 f2.8 mounted is the sweetest camera I have ever used.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Alb wrote:

Thanks for the reply. I actually won't spend 2K, more like 1K because I'll sell some equipment before moving up. Nevertheless, I would appreciate the easier shooting and I've heard the Mark II is easier to work with than the E-M1. Frankly, I've been somewhat overwhelmed with the complexity of the camera. I do wish Olympus could figure out how to do an easier to understand manual or that there was one on Amazon. By the way, I shoot with a 17mm, a 60mm pro, and the 12-40mm pro.

The only lense you would need to add to your lense arsenal, in my opinion, would be the 40-150 f2.8. You should be able to capture 90 to 95 percent of the shots you see with such a setup. Save your pennies and have patience. I am fairly certain that Olympus will have a E-M1 mrII and a 40-150 ready for you when the timing is right. And enjoy the nice setup you are shooting with now.

Alb Loc: Lehigh Valley area, Pennsylvania

Thank you very much. A good lens indeed!

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Alb wrote:

I have the E-M1 and am thinking of getting the Mark II, but I am wondering about whether making the transition is worth it.

So I have two questions, for those who have experience with both cameras.

1. In your experience, do you think the Mark II is that much better of a camera than the E-M1?

2. Is the Mark II camera (menu guide, etc.) easier to navigate/learn/set-up than the E-M1?

Thanks in advance for any comments.

1. Yes, by quite a bit...if you ever use c-af on the em1, you know it can be a nightmare. Also highlight recovery in post is much better due to the higher dynamic range. More room for cropping (due to higher mpx count), high rez mode, insane burst speeds, silent mode (much improved rolling shutter), and better IS round off the things that made me switch. 4k...yeah it has it, but I rarely use it.

2. Sort of. I was used to the old menu system, I had to learn where things were at. Being that this is a very customizable camera, there are even more choices than on the em1.

Alb Loc: Lehigh Valley area, Pennsylvania

Clint,

Thank you very much for your quite helpful reply.

Al