Skroutz.eu

Very good application and very good isolation..just enough to have awareness of the road around you.

Good protection in general and especially in some rain, but with prolonged use of the GPS on the phone, it heats up since it is closed... especially in summer months to the point where the phone shows an overheating message and shuts down.

You hear quite well for music and with the silicone you isolate yourself significantly.. but the sound of the microphone during calls is very bad.. everyone complained that they couldn't hear me well and that it picked up all the environmental noises.. also after about a year of use they didn't fit well inside the charging case and remained constantly connected.. I wouldn't choose them again despite the low cost.. the 2 stars are only for the relatively good sound considering the low cost..

The first thing that attracted me to Olympus from the beginning is the beautiful retro look, its small size and weight of both the bodies and lenses, the many technological conveniences it offers, and the truly great capabilities of this small sensor. Personally, I find the grip more than satisfactory with a good hold in front and a thumb rest on the back that is quite large. There is also an extra grip for portrait holding that screws onto the camera from below and can be found with the code HLD-9.
Its positives are quite a few:
1/ The small size and weight for a body intended for professional use (574g with the battery, without a lens).
2/ The option buttons on the top and back are large and very easy to operate, and many of them can be programmed into various functions depending on the user.
3/ The 5-axis stabilization that provides 5.5 stops of stabilization.
4/ The wifi connectivity (for camera control or file transfer to a smartphone).
5/ The very natural colors in jpeg files (the colors come out natural in jpeg and almost require no editing).
6/ The absence of an Anti-Aliasing Low Pass filter which increases the sharpness of the image (however, it also increases moire in video).
7/ The ability for silent shooting with an electronic shutter at speeds up to 1/32000 sec (the mechanical shutter up to 1/8000 sec).
8/ The ability to control the first electronic "curtain" in the shutter with a delay (antishock mode) for more stable photos.
9/ The oled viewfinder with very good resolution (2.36 mdots) and color reproduction.
10/ The wide range of m4/3 lenses both in Olympus and Panasonic with excellent build quality and amazing optical performance.
11/ The 4k timelapse functions (the video is completed within the camera after the end of the shots), live time/composite, HDR, bracketing, art filters, and many others that make photography incredibly easy.
12/ The eye recognition capability for even greater focusing accuracy in portraits.
13/ The ability to control wirelessly (RC) with the flash up to 4 channels of external flashes for more professional lighting requirements (although my experience showed that in outdoor settings it is not easily achievable, as the infrared radiation disperses into the environment, and I recommend using a wireless trigger with a radio frequency flash).
14/ The screen that is rotatable and touch screen and has a "touch and shoot" function (focuses and takes a shot simultaneously).
15/ The very fast and accurate focusing system consisting of 121 Phase and Contrast points, all cross-type, and can detect and lock onto a point even in low light conditions down to -6ev (with the new firmware update it became more effective and faster, especially in videos which it initially lagged).
16/ The presence of two SD card slots that can be programmed separately for different types of files each.
17/ The long battery life that lasts for about 900 shots.
18/ The protection it provides in weather conditions (especially with the PRO lenses). It offers protection against splashes, frost, and dust, something that is not easily found even in DSLRs.
Now for the negatives:
1/ The difficult menu, although I believe it's a matter of practice and after a little use you get used to it, still requires quite a bit of searching (there are many videos on YouTube with tutorials).
2/ Since I mentioned above the 2 memory card slots, unfortunately only one slot is compatible with UHS-II.
3/ There is no slow motion function.
4/ The timelapse function with 4k resolution is only at 5fps.
5/ I find this a bit controversial, although I mention it for those who look at every little detail in a photo, and I refer to the noise that appears at high ISO. Certainly, noise can be observed from quite low values, and for some, I read that photos are not used at ISO above 3200. Personally, I have set a limit at ISO 6400 and I use photos (in certain cases) even at that value, of course after a little processing in Lightroom, and I believe that even there the result is satisfactory.
I should generally say that we are talking about a camera that when you hold it, gives you the feeling that it is a professional-level machine, solidly built with a nice setup and balance (especially with the PRO lenses). Here is also a personal assessment of it compared to the Mark 3 (this is my personal opinion based on many videos and reviews... I haven't handled the Mark 3).
_ Regarding the Em1 Mark III that was recently released on the market, my opinion is that it doesn't lag much behind. Mechanically it is more or less the same, in terms of software things are similar (except for certain functions that were added (Starry Focus, Handheld HiRes) and others that evolved (7 stops of stabilization, improved face detection algorithm and better focusing).
To substantiate this, I also provide the link from the Greek page of Olympus with the comparison they have made themselves on the 3 PRO bodies: EM1 X – EM1 III – EM1 II.

https://www.olympus-europa.com/site/en/c/cameras/om_d_system_cameras/om_d/e_m1_mark_iii/e_m1_mark_iii_comparison.html

As one can easily see, the differences between the Mark 3 & 2 are negligible.
I reiterate that it is my personal opinion that the 600 euros difference between the 2 bodies is not justified for just a few additions and improvements, and that even now, in everyday shooting conditions (and in the most demanding ones), the Mark 2 can easily handle it. And I explain:
1/ The Starry Focus seems completely unnecessary to me because with a focus setting at infinity (with PRO lenses) it's a piece of cake. And I am sure that anyone who has the ability to purchase such a body will certainly be able (and of course is obliged) to invest in a good lens.
2/ The Handheld HiRes... OK, it's nice to have, but I find it unnecessary (and for 600 euros, no less). If you want the best, then a tripod and you get 80 Mplx and not 50 Mplx.
3/ The 7 stop IS... okay, that's nice too, but other Olympus ambassadors have managed to get from 2-3 up to 5 seconds of exposure, I think. Robin Wong has made a video related to this. The extra 1.5 stops, I don't think will make a huge difference.
4/ Perhaps there is some difference in detection and focusing that I would justify more for someone who intends to use it for video... I reiterate, PERHAPS. Personally, I am not currently dealing with video to say that I need IT... with the new update on the Mark 2, the video got the focusing algorithm of the EM1X... what more could one want? I believe that the Mark 3 does not have anything significant to offer here either. In conclusion, it is a body that stands comfortably among others, and I think it lacks something compared to the Mark 3 that would convince me to invest the other 1/3 of its value almost to acquire it.