Last September, Olympus unveiled their groundbreaking addition to the OM-D series of micro four-thirds cameras. Following the tremendous success of the original OM-D E-M5, which debuted in March 2012 and exceeded all market expectations to become one of their most acclaimed cameras, the company introduced the sophisticated E-M1 model. The E-M5 had already established itself as an exceptional underwater photography tool, delivering superior image quality and DSLR-comparable controls in a remarkably compact form factor.
The innovative E-M1 represents Olympus's ambitious vision for professional photography enthusiasts. This extraordinary camera deliberately challenges the traditional boundaries separating mirrorless systems from conventional DSLR cameras. Rather than serving as a direct replacement for the beloved E-M5, the E-M1 emerges as Olympus's new flagship mirrorless offering. It incorporates comprehensive enhancements throughout its design, featuring a more DSLR-inspired body architecture, an extensive "buttons for everything" philosophy, a significantly upgraded processor, and unprecedented customization flexibility.
Technical Specifications and Core Features of the Olympus E-M1 Camera
The Olympus E-M1 represents a groundbreaking shift in the realm of mirrorless photography. This camera pushes the envelope with its combination of advanced image technology, cutting-edge autofocus systems, and user-centric features, making it an essential tool for both professional photographers and serious enthusiasts. While it retains the Micro Four-Thirds sensor architecture found in its predecessor, the E-M5, the Olympus E-M1 significantly upgrades the internal components and functionalities, providing a superior photographic experience.
Image Sensor and Processor Enhancements
At the heart of the Olympus E-M1 is a 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor. This Micro Four-Thirds sensor, known for its compact design and exceptional quality, ensures that the E-M1 captures vivid, high-resolution images with remarkable sharpness and detail. Although 16 megapixels may seem modest by modern standards, the sensor is optimized for dynamic range and color accuracy, offering excellent performance in both bright and low-light conditions.
What truly sets the E-M1 apart from its competitors, however, is the integration of the TruePic VII image processor. This innovative processor enhances the camera's ability to process and render images with an unmatched level of clarity and speed. The TruePic VII processor supports faster image processing, which means quicker burst shooting, enhanced noise reduction, and superior color rendering even at higher ISO levels. When paired with the Live MOS sensor, the processor ensures images are not only sharp but also retain accurate color and detail throughout the exposure range.
Revolutionary Dual Fast AF Technology
One of the most impressive advancements in the Olympus E-M1 is its autofocus system. This camera incorporates the Dual Fast AF technology, a dual-phase autofocus system that combines both phase detection and contrast detection autofocus methods. The implementation of phase detection in a mirrorless camera system is rare, and it makes the E-M1 stand out in terms of autofocus speed and accuracy.
Phase detection autofocus (PDAF) is known for its fast, precise focusing, especially when tracking moving subjects or during continuous shooting. This is particularly beneficial in scenarios where speed is critical, such as action or sports photography. By using 37 phase detection points, the E-M1 is able to offer quick and responsive focusing even in challenging conditions. This level of performance is further amplified by the integration of contrast detection autofocus, which refines the system’s ability to lock onto subjects with a high degree of accuracy.
The camera’s hybrid autofocus system can intelligently choose the most appropriate focusing method depending on the subject and the lens used. When the photographer selects single autofocus (S-AF) mode, the system leans heavily on contrast detection, ensuring excellent accuracy when using Micro Four-Thirds lenses. However, when continuous autofocus (C-AF) is enabled, the camera will seamlessly switch to phase detection for faster tracking and superior subject retention.
High-Speed Burst Mode for Action Photography
The Olympus E-M1 excels in fast-paced situations, offering an impressive 6.5 frames per second (fps) burst rate in continuous autofocus mode. This rapid firing rate ensures that even fast-moving subjects are captured in crisp, clear detail. Thanks to the robust autofocus system and TruePic VII processor, the E-M1 can track moving subjects with high accuracy, making it a strong contender for action photography or sports events.
In addition, the camera’s electronic viewfinder (EVF) offers real-time feedback, which is crucial for maintaining focus during fast sequences. The high refresh rate of the EVF enables photographers to see their shots instantly, eliminating lag and enhancing the overall shooting experience.
Expanded Focus Point Coverage and Precision
The E-M1 takes autofocus accuracy to new heights with an expanded focus grid. The contrast detection system utilizes a vast array of 81 focus points, each smaller and more densely packed than previous iterations, offering a more refined and comprehensive focusing area. This improved layout allows photographers to target areas of the image more precisely, whether in the center or the periphery of the frame.
When phase detection is enabled, 37 strategically placed focus points are available. These points are specifically designed to improve focusing accuracy, even in low-light environments or challenging scenes where contrast is low. The enhanced AF point coverage and tighter sensor grid result in better tracking of fast-moving subjects and a higher percentage of in-focus shots across the frame.
Lens Compatibility and Performance
The Olympus E-M1's autofocus capabilities are designed to work seamlessly with a wide range of lenses, including both native Micro Four-Thirds lenses and legacy Olympus Four-Thirds lenses. The camera’s autofocus system provides remarkable performance with native lenses, especially in Single AF mode, where the contrast detection autofocus excels in ensuring precise focus. For those photographers who own older Olympus DSLR lenses, the E-M1’s autofocus system is also fully compatible with the Four-Thirds lenses when used with an adapter, allowing them to take advantage of the enhanced autofocus system for fast focusing performance.
The phase detection system provides significant benefits when using these legacy Four-Thirds lenses, helping to overcome the limitations typically associated with contrast-based autofocus systems. This makes the E-M1 an ideal camera for photographers who own older Olympus lenses and want to breathe new life into their collections with the speed and precision of modern autofocus technology.
Advanced Image Stabilization for Sharper Results
Another standout feature of the Olympus E-M1 is its advanced in-body image stabilization (IBIS) system. The camera incorporates a 5-axis stabilization mechanism, which compensates for camera shake during handheld shooting. This allows photographers to capture sharper images even at slower shutter speeds, especially in low-light conditions where a tripod might not be practical. The 5-axis stabilization compensates for vertical, horizontal, pitch, yaw, and roll movements, delivering smooth and stable images without introducing blur.
When paired with Olympus lenses that feature optical image stabilization (OIS), the E-M1’s IBIS provides dual stabilization for even more effective compensation, ensuring that photos remain sharp and crisp, even in difficult shooting situations.
Enhanced ISO Performance and Exposure Capabilities of the Olympus E-M1
The Olympus E-M1 pushes the boundaries of image quality and flexibility, especially in challenging lighting conditions, thanks to its outstanding ISO performance and exposure capabilities. This camera’s ability to handle a wide range of light environments makes it an invaluable tool for both amateur photographers and seasoned professionals. One of the standout features of the E-M1 is its enhanced ISO performance, which offers excellent results whether you're shooting in bright daylight or low-light environments. With an ISO range that spans from ISO 100 to an impressive ISO 25,600, the E-M1 excels at delivering high-quality images without compromising on detail or introducing excessive noise.
ISO Sensitivity Range and Its Impact on Image Quality
ISO sensitivity plays a crucial role in determining how the camera sensor reacts to light. A broader ISO range gives photographers the flexibility to shoot in a wide variety of environments, from well-lit studios to dimly lit indoor settings. The Olympus E-M1 excels in this regard, offering one of the most expansive ISO ranges available on the market. The lower end of the spectrum includes a newly reintroduced ISO 100, which was initially available in the PEN E-PL1. Now labeled as ISO LOW in the E-M1’s menu system, this setting allows photographers to capture highly detailed, noise-free images in bright conditions, perfect for landscape photography or scenes where high dynamic range is essential.
The higher end of the ISO range extends all the way to ISO 25,600, which is impressive for a Micro Four-Thirds system. While higher ISO settings are typically associated with increased noise, the TruePic VII processor in the E-M1 minimizes noise effectively, ensuring images remain clear and detailed even at these high sensitivities. Whether you’re shooting in low-light situations, at indoor events, or capturing night scenes, the Olympus E-M1’s high ISO range enables photographers to achieve superior results without needing to rely on artificial lighting.
The Importance of a Low ISO Setting in Photography
ISO 100 (or ISO LOW) is a crucial feature for photographers who need to capture the most intricate details with minimal noise. This low sensitivity setting helps preserve image clarity and sharpness by preventing the sensor from amplifying any unwanted grain or distortion. When shooting in bright sunlight or using wide apertures in landscape photography, ISO 100 helps ensure that your exposure is perfectly balanced without compromising on detail.
This setting is also invaluable when trying to achieve a shallow depth of field in bright conditions. When using a wide aperture, such as f/1.8 or f/2.8, the increased sensitivity from a higher ISO can lead to overexposed images. By utilizing ISO 100, photographers can avoid this issue and maintain the proper exposure while preserving both sharpness and contrast.
Expanding Exposure Flexibility with Faster Shutter Speeds
The Olympus E-M1 features an impressive maximum shutter speed of 1/8000th of a second. This is particularly beneficial for shooting in bright environments or for freezing fast-moving subjects in sports or wildlife photography. At such high shutter speeds, photographers can capture sharp images even in high-contrast situations, where ambient light levels are intense. It allows for capturing rapid motion with little to no motion blur, providing exceptional image clarity.
The fast shutter speed can also be utilized creatively in various photographic genres, such as high-speed action shots, long exposure photography, or capturing fleeting moments with precision. The increased shutter speed gives photographers more creative control, especially when they need to balance the exposure in challenging lighting conditions.
Enhanced Flash Synchronization Speed
For photographers who rely on flash photography, the E-M1 provides another notable improvement—an enhanced flash synchronization speed of 1/320th second. Flash sync speed is a critical element when working with artificial lighting, as it determines the fastest shutter speed at which the camera can use flash without causing partial exposure or blacked-out portions of an image. The E-M1’s high flash sync speed of 1/320th allows for more flexibility when shooting in bright lighting conditions, especially when using wide apertures to control depth of field.
With this enhanced flash synchronization speed, the E-M1 enables photographers to capture images with a natural balance of ambient light and flash, preventing overexposure or harsh lighting effects. It is particularly useful in portrait photography, event photography, or any situation where both artificial light and natural light must be blended seamlessly.
The Role of the TruePic VII Processor in Noise Reduction
While the ISO range of a camera plays a pivotal role in its low-light performance, the processing power behind the scenes is equally important. The Olympus E-M1 benefits from the advanced TruePic VII image processor, which is specifically designed to handle noise reduction and color accuracy with efficiency. As photographers push the ISO sensitivity to its higher limits, noise can often become a significant issue, detracting from the overall quality of the image. However, with the TruePic VII processor, the E-M1 is able to minimize noise, even at higher ISO settings, while maintaining rich detail and accurate color rendition.
By reducing noise effectively, the camera allows for cleaner images, especially in low-light situations where a higher ISO setting is required. This ensures that even in challenging lighting conditions, photographers can rely on the E-M1 to deliver stunning, noise-free results that rival those of larger-sensor cameras.
Balancing Exposure in Challenging Lighting Scenarios
The Olympus E-M1 also boasts advanced metering capabilities that make it well-suited for handling complex lighting scenarios. The camera’s 324-zone metering system ensures that every shot is correctly exposed, even in high-contrast environments, such as scenes with strong backlighting or harsh artificial light. This system analyzes the entire frame to determine the optimal exposure settings for both highlight and shadow details, ensuring that both ends of the tonal spectrum are captured accurately.
Additionally, the E-M1 features a range of customizable exposure modes, such as aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual exposure, giving photographers the ability to take full control of their exposure settings. For more advanced photographers, the inclusion of bracketing modes for both exposure and flash ensures that they can achieve optimal exposure even in the most challenging lighting conditions. This versatility allows photographers to experiment and adapt to various scenarios, whether they are capturing the bright sunlight of midday or the fading light of dusk.
Revolutionary Body Design and Ergonomics
The overall body architecture has undergone substantial transformation, departing from the sleek, minimalist aesthetic of the E-M5 and other PEN models. The E-M1 embraces a more DSLR-inspired design philosophy, incorporating a substantial grip and numerous strategically positioned buttons for intuitive control and extensive customization of camera functions. This design evolution significantly improves handling comfort and operational efficiency during extended shooting sessions.
Advanced Viewfinder Technology
A substantially larger electronic viewfinder with enhanced magnification capabilities makes image composition more precise and enjoyable. This viewfinder represents the closest approximation to an optical viewfinder experience available in any mirrorless camera system. The camera body incorporates comprehensive weather sealing, providing dust-proof, water-resistant, and freeze-proof protection, creating an exceptionally versatile and durable photography platform. Olympus has simultaneously begun releasing their PRO series of micro four-thirds lenses, offering enhanced optical performance and expanded creative possibilities beyond the current lens selection.
Real-World Operating Experience
Having extensively utilized the E-M5 for over eighteen months, transitioning to the E-M1 proved remarkably seamless due to familiarity with Olympus's intuitive menu structure and control layout. The most immediately noticeable improvement in terrestrial photography is the dramatically enhanced body design, which provides superior grip comfort without requiring the optional extended grip accessory. The overall operational feel between both cameras remains remarkably similar, with the primary distinction being the addition of numerous customizable button controls.
The E-M1's "buttons for everything" design philosophy enables photographers to create highly personalized setups for extremely streamlined shooting workflows, provided adequate time is invested in configuring functions according to individual preferences and memorizing the assigned button functions. This extensive customization capability proves particularly valuable for underwater photography, where minimizing time spent navigating menus is crucial for capturing fleeting moments, assuming underwater housing designs provide accessible controls for all available buttons.
Dual Control System Innovation
Similar to the E-M5, the dual control dial system facilitates effortless setting adjustments. The camera's button placement is ergonomically optimized for comfortable access, and the overall system layout follows logical organizational principles. The innovative 2x2 control system provides exceptional convenience, enabling rapid changes by simply switching the lever between positions 1 and 2, causing the dual control dials to alternate between operating Aperture and Shutter Speed versus controlling ISO and White Balance settings, with complete customization options available.
Comprehensive Housing Solutions Analysis
The Aquatica housing demonstrates exceptional construction quality throughout its design. The precisely finished aluminum housing features anodization and coating with a textured matte black finish specifically engineered to withstand prolonged saltwater exposure. Spring tension mechanisms in buttons and controls provide robust tactile feedback. All operational controls function flawlessly, and camera installation proves straightforward with a sliding tray system that secures onto dual rails with positive locking engagement.
Aquatica incorporates premium molded grips that provide excellent tactile comfort and are positioned optimally relative to the housing structure. These grips offer the additional advantage of easy removal, significantly simplifying travel packing requirements. Following the design philosophy of other aluminum housing manufacturers, they have relocated the AEL/AFL button control from the rear housing position to the side, implementing a lever mechanism rather than a traditional button design. This modification makes it ideal for implementing focus lock functionality, a popular camera configuration for macro photography applications.
The shutter lever features generous proportions and sensitive response characteristics, facilitating easy focus locking using the half-shutter press technique. The dual main control dials, typically assigned to shutter speed and aperture adjustment, operate smoothly and enable effortless setting modifications. All camera functions remain fully accessible, and fiber optic cables connect directly through dedicated ports on the housing's upper surface. The zoom control knob on the housing's left side is generously sized and easy to manipulate, allowing for quick and precise zooming operations.
Nauticam OM-D E-M1 Housing Innovation
Nauticam has developed the NA-EM1 housing with a revolutionary approach, treating the E-M1 more like a professional DSLR system. The housing incorporates integrated handles, a DSLR-style port release mechanism, an improved camera tray system, an enhanced zoom knob, and meticulously planned control placement for optimal underwater usability. The shutter release has been completely redesigned for smooth operation while gripping the handles, featuring a larger lever-style design consistent with DSLR housing standards. Additionally, Nauticam has implemented a lever-style AEL/AFL control to maximize the customization potential of features like focus lock functionality.
The control dials are strategically positioned for comfortable operation, and single-handed shooting presents no significant challenges. The overall buoyancy characteristics of the camera and housing combination, when equipped with a 60mm macro lens and appropriate port, result in slightly negative buoyancy that remains manageable.
Having previously operated by gripping the E-M5 housing directly rather than utilizing the right handle, adapting to the new handle-based grip system required minor adjustment to achieve comfortable control of all functions. The handle design positions rear menu access buttons slightly further away, necessitating two-handed operation when making menu adjustments. However, for standard shooting and composition tasks, all essential controls remain accessible with single-handed operation when properly programmed to specific buttons.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Housing Design
The Olympus housing maintains design consistency with the E-M5 underwater housing, featuring the characteristic black polycarbonate body construction with distinctive red port accents. A significant improvement includes an updated port system that enables convenient port changes. Similar to other E-M1 housing options, the port is sold separately from the main housing unit. Multiple port options are available, many requiring specific adapters. Olympus provides an adapter for using their original DSLR ports with the OMD housing, while Zen offers an adapter for utilizing their PEN ports with the OMD housing, creating diverse compatibility options.
The shutter lever provides sensitive response and facilitates easy focus locking. The tiered button design enhances manipulation accuracy while preventing accidental activation of incorrect controls. Zoom control operation is user-friendly, however, the positioning of the dual main control dials is less optimal, making rapid single-handed setting changes more challenging. The housing is designed for flash operation in the "down" position, requiring assignment of underwater mode to one of the function buttons for activation. Fortunately, the E-M1 provides numerous function buttons for this purpose.
Comprehensive Camera Comparison: E-M1 versus E-M5
The E-M1 demonstrates superior dynamic range capabilities compared to the E-M5, capturing slightly enhanced detail in both highlight and shadow regions before clipping to pure white or black. The ability to utilize 1/320th second flash sync with the EM-1 provides additional flexibility for achieving spectacular sunburst effects in bright, clear water conditions.
Flash Synchronization Speed Advantages
The E-M1 maintains a distinct advantage over the E-M5 with its increased flash sync shutter speed of 1/320th second compared to 1/250th second. While 1/250th second performs admirably for most applications, the additional speed proves invaluable in bright, clear water conditions for creating superior sunball effects. Pool testing with the 8mm Panasonic Fisheye Lens demonstrated that while the E-M5 produces satisfactory results, the E-M1 captures noticeably enhanced detail in sunball imagery thanks to the faster synchronization speed.
ISO Performance Comparison
The E-M1 delivers on its promise of improved high ISO performance quality. Direct comparison with the E-M5 reveals superior detail retention and reduced grain characteristics as ISO sensitivity increases. However, the improvements are relatively modest. Both cameras continue to exhibit significant noise beyond ISO 800, with image quality degrading rapidly as ISO values increase further.
Focus Speed and Accuracy
Low Light Macro Performance
The E-M1 unquestionably focuses faster than the E-M5 across various shooting scenarios. Testing with the 14-42mm kit lens in terrestrial conditions and the 60mm Macro lens revealed consistent improvements. The 60mm lens typically presents focusing challenges, particularly when transitioning focus from extremely close subjects to more distant ones. Underwater testing in shadowed pool areas using a monochromatic drain as a challenging focus target demonstrated the E-M1's superior performance. While both cameras occasionally experienced focus hunting in these conditions, the E-M1 consistently achieved focus lock more rapidly, often with zero hunting behavior. Terrestrial testing in dark room conditions showed the EM-1 achieving focus lock approximately 1/10th second faster than the EM-5 on average.
Tracking Focus Capabilities
The E-M1's most significant improvement stems from its innovative on-chip phase detection AF system. When using native Micro Four-Thirds lenses with continuous AF mode engaged, the E-M1 utilizes both Phase and Contrast detection AF systems, enabling the camera to maintain focus on moving subjects effectively. This functionality operates exclusively with the Low burst mode, shooting at approximately 6fps rates. Similar to the E-M5, the High rate burst mode locks focus on the initial frame without adjusting for subsequent images.
Testing continuous focus on cyclists traveling along a beach path revealed areas for potential improvement in overall continuous focus performance. The camera frequently refocused before complete shutter activation, often achieving focus lock then losing focus prior to photo completion, resulting in completely out-of-focus exposure series. Typical results showed several out-of-focus frames mixed with several sharp frames. However, compared to the E-M5's static focus lock without refocusing capability, this represents substantial improvement.
Physical Design Differences Analysis
Size and Weight Comparison
The E-M1 is immediately recognizable as larger than the E-M5, while remaining significantly more compact than traditional DSLR cameras. Height increases are minimal, but width differences are most noticeable due to the integrated molded grip included as standard equipment. The E-M1 weighs 0.16 pounds (2.54 ounces) more than the E-M5. During terrestrial photography, these size differences prove barely noticeable, though they do translate to larger underwater housing requirements.
Control Placement Evolution
Control placement, dials, and buttons remain very similar between models with several major modifications. Both cameras utilize the dual control dial configuration, enabling users to easily adjust both aperture and shutter speed with individual dials. The E-M5 advances this concept further by integrating a 2x2 system allowing those dual control dials to change functions at the flip of a switch.
The mode dial on the E-M1 has been relocated to the right side of the viewfinder and now includes a mode lock mechanism similar to many DSLR cameras. On the left side, where the E-M5's mode dial was positioned, the E-M1 features the On/Off switch and direct controls for HDR and shooting drive modes, plus AF and metering mode controls. Activating either button enables the dual control dials to scroll through those specific settings.
Enhanced Button Design
A major criticism of E-M5 buttons centered on their diminutive size. Olympus has effectively addressed this concern. E-M1 buttons are approximately twice as large with improved placement for enhanced accuracy. For example, Olympus relocated the Playback button below the multi-controller and away from the Fn1 button, eliminating the previous issue of accidentally engaging playback when attempting to use Fn1. Additional buttons enable assignment of more direct functions to camera controls, improving overall operational workflow.
Advanced Autofocus System Technology
Dual Fast AF Innovation
The revolutionary Dual Fast AF system represents the most significant technological advancement in the E-M1. This sophisticated system intelligently selects between Phase and Contrast detection autofocus methods based on shooting conditions, lens type, and selected AF mode. For native Micro Four-Thirds lenses in Single AF mode, the system utilizes enhanced contrast detection with improved speed and accuracy. In Continuous AF mode, both systems work simultaneously to maintain focus on moving subjects while shooting at burst rates up to 6.5fps.
Focus Point Coverage
The expanded 81-point contrast detection grid provides comprehensive coverage across the image frame with smaller, more precise focus points. When utilizing phase detection AF, 37 strategically positioned focus points ensure optimal focusing performance across various shooting scenarios. This extensive coverage enables precise focus placement even in challenging compositions.
Weather Sealing and Durability Features
Professional Build Quality
The E-M1's comprehensive weather sealing system provides dust-proof, water-resistant, and freeze-proof protection suitable for demanding professional applications. This robust construction enables confident operation in adverse weather conditions that would compromise lesser camera systems. The magnesium alloy body construction ensures durability while maintaining relatively light weight for extended shooting sessions.
Ergonomic Enhancements
The substantially enlarged grip provides secure handling even with larger lenses attached. The improved button layout and increased button size enhance operational efficiency, particularly when wearing gloves or operating in challenging conditions. The repositioned controls follow logical groupings that reduce learning curve and improve muscle memory development.
Electronic Viewfinder Advancements
High-Resolution EVF Performance
The E-M1's electronic viewfinder represents a quantum leap in EVF technology, providing the closest approximation to optical viewfinder experience available in mirrorless cameras. The increased size and higher magnification enable precise composition and manual focus confirmation. Eye-level shooting becomes more comfortable and natural, particularly beneficial for underwater photography where mask-to-viewfinder positioning can be challenging.
Real-Time Display Capabilities
The EVF provides real-time exposure preview, enabling photographers to see exactly how exposure settings will affect the final image before capture. This proves invaluable for underwater photography where lighting conditions change rapidly and exposure compensation must be made quickly.
Lens Compatibility and Performance
Native Micro Four-Thirds Integration
The E-M1 maintains full compatibility with the extensive Micro Four-Thirds lens ecosystem while providing enhanced performance through improved autofocus algorithms. The system's compact lenses paired with the E-M1 body create highly portable yet capable photography systems ideal for travel and underwater applications.
Four-Thirds Legacy Support
Unique among mirrorless cameras, the E-M1 provides excellent compatibility with original Four-Thirds lenses through the phase detection autofocus system. This enables photographers to utilize high-quality legacy lenses with dramatically improved autofocus performance compared to contrast-only systems.
Underwater Photography Specific Features
Flash Sync Speed Advantages
The increased 1/320th second flash sync speed proves particularly beneficial for underwater photography where bright ambient lighting conditions are common. This enables photographers to better balance flash and ambient light while achieving proper exposure for both subject and background elements.
Customization for Underwater Use
The extensive button customization capabilities enable underwater photographers to configure camera controls for rapid access to frequently used functions. This reduces time spent navigating menus underwater and improves shooting efficiency during limited bottom time or when capturing fast-moving subjects.
Price Comparison and Value Analysis
The E-M5 maintains a significant price advantage over the more expensive EM-1. Currently, the E-M1 is available body-only at $1399. The EM-5 can be purchased body-only for $899, with kit lens options including the 14-42mm kit lens for $1099, or 12-50mm kit lens for $1299, still remaining less expensive than the E-M1 body alone.
Professional Housing Options Detailed Analysis
Nauticam E-M1 Housing Advanced Features
The Nauticam E-M1 housing incorporates cutting-edge engineering with controls positioned for immediate diver access. The comprehensive port selection, advanced port lock system, and optional vacuum leak detection system represent key advantages. The housing supports extensive lens compatibility including the new Olympus 7-14mm F2.8 professional lens.
Aquatica E-M1 Housing Durability
The Aquatica E-M1 housing is engineered for serious underwater photographers operating in demanding conditions. The robust finish is designed for aesthetic appeal and long-term durability through hundreds of diving cycles. Features include comprehensive port selection, optional vacuum leak detection, and carefully engineered video controls.
Recsea E-M1 Housing Value
The Recsea E-M1 housing provides aluminum construction quality at competitive pricing compared to other aluminum housing options. It maintains the distinction of being the most compact housing available for the E-M1 while incorporating the build quality standards Recsea is renowned for.
Olympus E-M1 Housing Accessibility
The Olympus E-M1 housing offers excellent value proposition for budget-conscious photographers. While the polycarbonate construction lacks the durability and compactness of aluminum alternatives, it provides lightweight portability ideal for travel applications. The housing offers access to all primary camera controls plus comprehensive port selection and accessory compatibility. Port changes are significantly easier compared to Olympus PEN housing designs.
Conclusion:
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 represents an exceptional camera system for both terrestrial and underwater photography applications. Its rapid autofocus performance, superior image quality, extensive customization capabilities, and support from a comprehensive lens selection make the entire system an outstanding choice for serious photographers.
For photographers choosing between OM-D models or considering upgrading from an existing E-M5, the decision involves careful consideration of priorities. If size constraints and budget limitations are not primary concerns, the E-M1 provides enhanced image quality, improved focus speed, and expanded customization options. However, the E-M5 continues delivering impressive results at a fraction of the cost in a more compact form factor.
The E-M1 particularly excels in professional applications requiring rapid autofocus, extensive customization, and superior handling ergonomics. Underwater photographers will appreciate the improved flash sync speed, enhanced low-light performance, and comprehensive housing options available from multiple manufacturers.
This comprehensive analysis demonstrates the E-M1's position as a flagship mirrorless camera that successfully bridges the gap between compact cameras and professional DSLR systems. While the E-M5 remains a capable and cost-effective option, the E-M1's improvements justify the price premium for photographers requiring maximum performance and flexibility in their camera system.